The 873 gross ton coaster Empire Cliff (O.N. 164908) was part of the massive supply operation supporting the D-Day landings. My grandfather John Robertson was an able seaman [no. R1497] on her from 1/11/1943 to 5/9/1944. The Empire Cliff transported cased petrol to Omaha on 13/6/1944 and Utah on 7/7/1944 (details of this is per attached extract from Coasters Go to War: Military Sailings to the Continent, 1939-1945 by John de S. Winser (UK ed. edition 1 Jan. 2009) p. 81. I have found a photo below taken after the D Day landings which shows a merchant ship unloading crates into a DUKW (colloquially known as Duck) a six-wheel-drive amphibious vehicle. The Empire Cliff was damaged by a DUKW on 17/06/1944. img_034_lg The above merchant ship bears a resemble to the Empire Cliff. I have found photos of her in later years when renamed for comparison at: Motor Vessel EMPIRE CLIFF built by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd. in 1940 for Ministry of Shipping / War Transport - F. T. Everard & Sons Ltd., London, Coaster I would welcome a trained eye with merchant navy experience to have look at these images to see if they are the same vessel. The Empire Cliff was also damaged by a US landing craft LCT520 on 21/06/1944. I think I have found a photo of this LCT too around this time at: LC000334 Thanks for your help. John H from sunny Shetland.
Hush - if there was a photo of Empire Cliff in Normandy in June 1940 (just about possible with the last spasms to shore things up in France) with US landing craft about - just think of the conspiracy theories possible! Eat your heart out Icke
Thanks for this, I must have had brain fade there with the dates. If someone could tell me how I can edit my post, that would be much appreciated.
John, Empire Cliff only had one sister ship Empire Foreland - I will try to find a photo. Empire Bank had a similar layout, but was only half the size. Roy
Yes, the ones in the Goole pictures are the same ship. Salvesen renamed her Marna after the war, then when she was sold she became the Harcliff - I attach another pic. Roy
Hi Roy, thanks for the info. I have found photos of Empire Foreland when renamed per link below: shippingandshipbuilding.uk/view.php?official_number=&imo=&builder=&builder_eng=&year_built=&launch_after=&launch_before=&role=&type_ref1=&propulsion=&owner=&port=&flag=&disposal=&lost=&ref=205580&vessel=EMPIRE+FORELAND I see from Coasters Go to War: Military Sailings to the Continent, 1939-1945 by John de S. Winser p.82 that Empire Foreland was at Omaha 13/6/44, Utah 26/6/44 and Omaha 13/7/44 with cargoes of cased petrol. Were the DUKW's used at all the beaches or just the 2 US beaches, knowing that could help. Do you think this photo could be Empire Cliff or Empire Foreland ?
John, The photo certainly looks like one of the two sisters, but unless there is a photo of the ship that is broadside-on and we can see the number, usually on the side of the wheelhouse but sometimes a bit lower down, we will never know. Empire Foreland's number was 314. As to your question about the DUKWs I am not totally sure. I think that they were used at all the beaches, but there are others who know much more than me about that side. Roy
Two pictures, one King George in a DUKW, presumably on a 'British' beach, though that could be a one-off. The second is the coaster Flathouse, just to show the number. Roy
Thanks Roy, that is very helpful. I was trying to find identifying marks when comparing but couldn't find anything other than the design/layout of this vessel which looked very similar to Empire Cliff/Foreland. I take it she has her hatches open when unloading. Can we tell anything from the crates on the DUKW, is that cased petrol? Looking at the crew in the photo I posted above, it appears that they are wearing army type helmets was this standard issue to British merchant crews during this time? Thanks again. John
Yes, they were used in all 5 Assault Areas, as well as in MULBERRY B at Arromanches. For British DUKW units see: Ford GPA & DUKW's The DUKW in Post #10 is definitely a US one.
John, Not sure which picture you meant. I expect those in helmets are army stevedores, not ships crew. Roy
From - file:///C:/Users/plumt/Downloads/Arnold%20Hague%20Ports%20database.html Movements of Empire Cliff - June 944 - Sep 1944, and the convoy numbers she was part of Barry, Jun 8, 1944 EBC.5 (Barry - Seine Bay) Spithead, Jun 11, 1944 Solent, Jun 12, 1944 EBC.7 (Barry - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Jun 13, 1944 Barry, Jul 4, 1944 EBC.31 (Barry - Seine Bay) Barry, Jul 5, 1944 EBC.32 (Barry - Seine Bay) EBC.31 (Barry - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Jul 6, 1944 EBC.32 (Barry - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Jul 7, 1944 Seine Bay, Jul 10, 1944 FBC.24 (Seine Bay - B Channel) Southampton, Jul 11, 1944 Southampton, Jul 23, 1944 ETC.46 (Southend - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Jul 24, 1944 FTC.49 (Seine Bay - Southend) Southampton, Jul 27, 1944 Seine Bay, Jul 27, 1944 FTC.49 (Seine Bay - Southend) Southampton, Jul 31, 1944 ETC.54 (Southend - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Aug 1, 1944 FTC.58 (Seine Bay - Southend) Southampton, Aug 5, 1944 Seine Bay, Aug 5, 1944 FTC.58 (Seine Bay - Southend) Southampton, Aug 9, 1944 ETC.63 (Southend - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Aug 10, 1944 FTC.67 (Seine Bay - Southend) Southampton, Aug 14, 1944 Seine Bay, Aug 14, 1944 FTC.67 (Seine Bay - Southend) ETC.71 (Southend - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Aug 18, 1944 Southampton, Aug 18, 1944 ETC.71 (Southend - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Aug 23, 1944 FTC.76 (Seine Bay - Southend) Southampton, Aug 24, 1944 Southampton, Aug 26, 1944 ETC.80 (Southend - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Aug 27, 1944 Seine Bay, Sep 2, 1944 FTC.86 (Seine Bay - Southend) Southampton, Sep 3, 1944 Southampton, Sep 8, 1944 ETC.92 (Southend - Seine Bay) Seine Bay, Sep 9, 1944 FTC.8A (Seine Bay - Southend) Southampton, Sep 14, 1944 Seine Bay, Sep 14, 1944 FTC.8A (Seine Bay - Southend) TD
Thanks for that TD. The Empire Cliff was at Omaha beach from the 13 to 21 June 1944. She was beached for repairs on 14/15th after grounding on the 13th and experiencing flooding in her engine room. The Empire Cliff sustained hull damage when moorings of US landing craft LCT 639 parted and this craft collided with the ships port quarter on 16th; the vessels bulwark was torn by a DUKW in heavy swell on 17th and her hull on the star board side was severely indented when hit by the stern of US landing craft LCT 520 on 21st (see above for photo of this LCT). source BT381/2997_007-009. I am interested to know how exposed a merchant vessel like the Empire Cliff was to attack by air craft or from long range shelling whilst she was at Omaha beach during the period 13 June to 21 June 1944.
