SS Letchworth (1942)

Letchworth was a 2,873 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1942 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as Empire Caxton. In 1945 she was sold and renamed Letchworth. In 1956 she was sold and renamed Peterland. In 1959, she was sold to Greece and renamed Pamit, being renamed Christos when sold again in 1962. She served until 1971 when she ran aground and then sank.

Description
The ship was built by William Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool. She was launched on 31 March 1942 and completed in May.

The ship was 315 ft long, with a beam of 46 ft and a depth of 23 ft. She had a GRT of 2,873 and a NRT of 1,693.

She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 20 in, 31 in and 55 in diameter by 55 in stroke. The engine was built by the Central Marine Engine Works, West Hartlepool.

History
Empire Caxton was built for the MoWT. She was placed under the management of Martyn, Martyn & Co Ltd. She was allocated the United Kingdom Official Number 168940. The Code Letters BDVW were allocated and her port of registry was West Hartlepool.

Empire Caxton was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.

Convoy SC 141 departed Halifax, Nova Scotia on 3 September 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 17 September. Empire Cavalier was carrying a cargo of steel and pit props and was bound for the Tyne.
 * SC 141

Convoy MKS 64 departed from Alexandria, Egypt on 7 October 1944 bound for the United Kingdom. Empire Caxton joined the convoy at Augusta, Italy and left it at Gibraltar.
 * MKS 64

Convoy MKS 65G departed Gibraltar on 29 October 1944 bound for the United Kingdom. Empire Caxton was carrying a cargo of iron ore.
 * MKS 65G

Convoy MKS 73G departed Gibraltar on 26 December 1944 bound for the United Kingdom. Empire Caxton was carrying a cargo of iron ore.
 * MKS 73G

Convoy MKS 87G departed Casablanca, Morocco on 6 March 1945 bound for the United Kingdom. Empire Caxton was carrying a cargo of iron ore.
 * MKS 87G

Convoy MKS 100G joined convoy OS 128 on 15 May 1945. Empire Caxton was carrying a cargo of iron ore.
 * MKS 100G

In 1945, Empire Caxton was sold to the Watergate Steamship Co Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne and was renamed Letchworth. She was placed under the management of R S Dalgleish Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne. Her port of registry was changed to Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1956, Letchworth was sold to Sagaland Ltd and was renamed Peterland. She was operated under the management of Buries, Markes LTd. In 1959, Peterland was sold to Padre Compagnia Navigazione SA, Greece and renamed Pamit. She was operated under the management of A Halcoussis & Co.

In 1962, Pamit was sold to Solmare Compania Maritima SA and was renamed Christos. She was reflagged to Liberia. Christos was operated under the management on T Samourkas, Greece. On 31 March 1971, she ran aground on Kandeliusa Island, near Kos. Although she was refloated the next day, Christos developed a number of leaks and sank at 36.53333°N, 26.95°W.