Empire Baron was a cargo ship which was built in 1926 for Navigazione Generale Gerolimich & Compagnia Società in Anzioni, Trieste, Italy. She was captured by the Royal Navy in 1940 and ownership passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was renamed Empire Baron. She was sold in 1947 to Navigation & Coal Trade Ltd, London and renamed Rubystone. She was sold to a Panamanian company in 1951 and was scrapped in 1960. History Pre-war Monte Piana was built by Cantiere Navale Triestino, Monfalcone for Navigazione Generale Gerolimich & Compagnia Società in Anzioni, Trieste. She was completed in July 1926 and named after the Northern Italian mountain of the same name. On 18 June 1933, Monte Piana was in collision with the Greek ship in the River Plate, in Argentine waters. Both ships sustained damage to their bows, with their forepeaks flooded. On 18 May 1937, Monte Piana departed Calcutta, India for Genoa, Italy. A fire broke out in one of her holds. It was brought under control and Monte Piana returned to port. War service On 10 June 1940, Monte Piana was captured by the Royal Navy at Aden. She was beached after her crew attempted to scuttle her. In 1941, her ownership was passed to the MoWT. Attempts to repair her electrical system and engines at Aden were unsuccessful, and she was towed to Vizagapatam, India by SS Nirvana, arriving on 23 February 1941. She was repaired and placed under the management of British-India Steam Navigation Company. Repairs were completed by June 1941 as Monte Piana sailed from Calcutta on 10 June, arriving at Rangoon, Burma on 9 July. She departed Calcutta on 19 August 1941 and joined Convoy SL 93 which departed Freetown, Sierra Leone on 19 November 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 10 December. She was carrying a cargo of tea, jute and pig iron and was bound for Oban, Argyllshire. She then sailed to Dundee. At some point, Monte Piana was renamed Empire Baron. Although this name change took place on paper in 1941, she was still operating under the name Monte Piana in 1942. Empire Baron was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War OS 34 Convoy OS 34 departed Liverpool on 11 July 1942 and arrived at Freetown on 30 July. Empire Baron had started her voyage at Oban and was bound for Durban and