Santagata was a cargo ship that was built in 1943 by Sir W G Armstrong, Whitworth & Co (Shipbuilders) Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom as Empire Farmer for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). In 1945, she was sold to the French Government and renamed Administrateur en Chef Thomas. A further sale to Italy in 1950 saw her renamed Santagata. She was wrecked on the Goodwin Sands later that year.
Description
The ship was built in 1944 by Sir W G Armstrong, Whitworth & Co (Shipbuilders) Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. She was yard number 3.
The ship was long, with a beam of . She had a depth of and a draught of . She was assessed at , , 10,499 DWT.
As built, the ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 24 inches (62 cm), and diameter by stroke. The engine was built by the North East Marine Engine Co. (1938) Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne. It drove a single screw propeller. The engine could propel the ship at a speed of .
History
Empire Farmer was launched on 8 March 1943 and completed in May 1943. The Code Letters BFDC and United Kingdom Official Number 169166 were allocated. Her port of registry was Newcastle upon Tyne. She was operated under the management of Lyle Shipping Co Ltd.
Empire Farmer made her maiden voyage as part of Convoy FN1037, which departed from Southend, Essex on 2 June 1943 and arrived at Methil, Fife on 4 June. She joined the convoy from the River Tyne on 3 June. Empire Farmer then joined Convoy EN.238, which departed from Methil that day and arrived at Loch Ewe on 6 June. She then joined Convoy KMS19G, which departed from the Clyde on 25 June and passed Gibraltar on 6 July. becoming Convoy KMS 19, which arrived at Malta on 22 July as part of Operation Husky. Empire Farmer was carrying the Convoy Commodore. She then joined Convoy KMS19T, which departed from Malta on 23 July and arrived at Tripoli, Libya the next day. She departed from Tripoli on 26 July as a member of Convoy MKS19Y, which arrived at Gibraltar on 31 July. She left the convoy at Bizerta, Algeria the next day. Empire Farmer departed from Bizerta on 30 August to join Convoy MKS23, which had departed from Alexandria, Egypt on 25 August and arrived at Gibraltar on 3 September. She left the convoy at Philippeville the next day.
Empire Farmer sailed from Philippeville on 16 September and joined Convoy UGS16, which had departed from the Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States on 27 August and arrived at Malta on 24 September. She then formed Convoy TSS 6, which departed from Malta on 22 September. Empire Farmer is next recorded as departing from Salerno, Italy on 5 October, arriving at Malta two days later. During this voyage she transported a number of Royal Marines bound for . She sailed the next day for Tripoli, Libya, where she arrived on 9 October. She departed on 20 October as a member of Convoy TX5, which arrived at Alexandria on 25 October. She continued on to Port Said, Egypt, arriving the next day. Empire Farmer departed from Port Said on 6 November and arrived back at Alexandria the next day. She departed with Convoy MKS31 on 13 November, leaving the Convoy at Augusta, Sicily, Italy and joining Convoy AH9A, which departed on 19 November and arrived at Bari, Italy two days later. Convoy MKS 31 arrived at Gibraltar on 23 November. She then sailed to Brindisi, Italy, departing on 28 November with Convoy HA.10, which arrived at Augusta two days later. Empire Farmer departed from Augusta on 2 December and joined Convoy GUS23, which had departed from Port Said on 27 November and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 25 December. She left the convoy at Gibraltar on 8 December. Empire Farmer departed from Gibraltar on 19 December to join Convoy OS61, which arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone on 29 December.
Empire Farmer departed from Freetown on 2 January 1944 as a member of Convoy STL9, which arrived at Lagos, Nigeria on 8 January. She departed on 13 January for Calabar, Nigeria, where she arrived two days later. She departed on 21 January and arrived back at Lagos on 24 January. Empire Farmer departed from Lagos on 28 January for Takoradi, Gold Coast, arriving two days later. She sailed on 1 February to join Convoy LTS9, which had departed from Lagos on 30 January and arrived at Freetown on 5 February. Empire Farmer then joined Convoy SL149, which departed on 11 February and rendezvoused with Convoy MKS40 at sea on 22 February. The combined convoy arrived at Liverpool, Lancashire on 7 March. Empire Farmer left the convoy and put into Loch Ewe, arriving on 6 March. She then joined Convoy WN558A, which arrived at Methil on 8 March, where she joined Convoy FS1386, which arrived at Southend on 11 March.