Requisition

The EMPRESS OF ASIA completed her 307^th and last crossing of the Pacific on January 11^th, 1941. Two days later the ship was formally requisitioned as a troop carrier and preparations were begun for the delivery of the ship to Liverpool for refitting.

While in the peace time mercantile trade the EMPRESS OF ASIA was manned in part by a Chinese crew that were recruited in Asia, signed on under Hong Kong Articles, and had filled positions in the Engine, Deck and Catering Departments.  When the ship was requisitioned, the Chinese crew (with the exception of four individuals) were discharged.  Replacements were recruit for the vacated positions.  Almost an entire Engine Room crew of Engineers, Firemen, Greasers, and Trimmers were brought to Vancouver from the Great Lakes shipping industry of Ontario.

Those that accepted positions for the delivery of THE EMPRESS OF ASIA were offered the choice, upon reaching Britain, of remaining as members of the crew or of repatriation to Canada.  

The EMPRESS OF ASIA sailed for Britain on February 13^th 1941.  The ship sailed through Panama, where a stop for bunkering was made, and then continued for Britain by way of Jamaica and Bermuda reaching the Firth of Clyde in late March 1941.

After a brief stay at Scotland that ship sailed for Liverpool were the modifications for troop carrying duties were made.  Accommodation and cooking facilities were improved and armaments added.

The ship was armed with a 6" gun, a 3" HA, 6 Oerlikons, 8 Hotchkiss, Bofors, 4 PAC rockets and depth charges. Concrete protective reinforcements were added to the Bridge.

The refit was completed by the end of April 1941 when the EMPRESS OF ASIA sailed with over 2,000 troops bound for Suez via the Cape of Good Hope.

The following table contains the names of the crewmembers that delivered the EMPRESS OF ASIA from Vancouver to Liverpool during 1941.

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