Lest we Forget

[Lou Barron]

When my wife and i was in the UK in 1995 i went over to the VJ celebrations and had a grea.t time . Iwent on the big parade in London with one of my pow mates (deceased) The reception centre i think was called the Queen Elizabeth centre not far from Houses of Parliment and they had a great setup it was there that i came across a Merchant Navy Stall .After a bit of a yarn to some of the guys who was running the stall i bought aMN tie and also got some photo of the ships i was on (still got them)one of the guys gave me a adress of their office it was in Knightsbridge area i think but i never found it The question who was this Organisation???

[DeepSea]

I can only hazard a guess it was part of the early Merchant Navy Association, which underwent several changes some years ago. The main contacts now are listed below.

Contact The Merchant Navy Association

The National Chairman,
The Merchant Navy Association
Capt John Sail MNM, MNI
C/O Prelude Day Nursery, Ensign House, Osbournby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0DG
Tel: 01529 455734 Email: mnasail@gmail.com

Vice Chairman
The Merchant Navy Association
Capt Malcolm Mathison, MNI, FEI.
296, Laceby Road, Grimsby, DN34 5LW
Tel: 01472 277 266 Email: R546060@aol.com

MNA President
Vivien Foster

Vice Presidents
Jack Evans, Don Hunter, Reg Hanson

National Secretary,
T M Brant MNM, FEI
The Merchant Navy Association
National Office, 9 Saxon Way, Caistor, Market Rasen, LN7 6SG, UK
Tel: 01472 851130 office hours only please - Office Hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 12pm & 2pm - 5pm
or E-mail: mna.national@virgin.net

National Treasurer
The Merchant Navy Association
Willie MacFarlane, 24 Branahuie, Stornaway, Isle of Lewis, HS2 0BB
Tel: 01851 703557 Email: macfarlane@go-plus.net

Membership Secretary
The Merchant Navy Association
Roy Glencross, MNA National Membership Secretary,
3 The Maples, Old Main Road, Fleet Hargate, PE12 8NT Tel: 01406 425527

MNA Slop Chest, Ann & Brian Gray,
61 Bemerton Gardens, Kirby Cross, Frinton-On-Sea, CO13 0LQ
Tel: 01255 85 19 19, Email briandolphin@btinternet.com

[Lou Barron]

Thanks Deep Sea for that info i did think there must have been a few changes

[Capt Bill Davies]

August 20th 1966 I recall being the date on which sub vessel exploded at the CBM in Umm Said. Seven years later the Anaxyla blew up at No 1 CBM in Jebel Dhanna. Thankfully I was at anchor at Gasha.

Bill

[Gulliver]

August 20th 1966 I recall being the date on which sub vessel exploded at the CBM in Umm Said. Seven years later the Anaxyla blew up at No 1 CBM in Jebel Dhanna. Thankfully I was at anchor at Gasha.

Bill

Memory refresher: for all -: BRITISH CROWN : This has been well documented previously on other sites,so briefly: On the 20th of August, 1966, the 28,598 dwt.. s.t. British Crown (Capt.A.T.Tuckett) was loading crude oil at Umm Said (Qatar) for Kwinana. At 5:30am several tanks exploded causing the ship to eventually become a total loss. The centre- castle accommodation block was totally destroyed, only the Captain and Chief Officer surviving . The remainder of the crew in the afterpart abandoned ship from the stern, clinging to the mooring buoys until rescued.
In all 12 officers ,the Berthing Master and 6 Indian crew lost their lives.

Five officers and 36 Indian crew survived the catastrophe.
The blazing tanker was towed and beached 2nm away next day.The fire burned for about 2 months, then later in December 1966 ,12,000 tons of the unburned oil was successfully transferred by submersible pipeline into the British Loyalty,then transferred to the British Merchant .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------




　
The other incident referred to in the post was 15 years later in Jebel Dhanna,U.A.E.
On 20^th May 1981 the 47,519 dwt. M.t. ANNA XYLA (Greek) was loading crude oil when with 32,000 tons already loaded is thought to have suffered explosions in her pump room which then spread to her engine room,but fortunately not her cargo spaces. She was towed out and beached,her engine room flooded and fire extinguished the next day.Fortunately no fatalities ,though 3 crew suffered burns. Refloated 28^th May and oil cargo taken off. Constructive total loss and sold to be broken up,but towed to Fujairah to be used as a slop vessel. In 1985 she was towed to the breakers at Gadani Beach,Pakistan.

Previous History.
She was the British-flagged HALCYON SKIES,built in a Spanish yard in 1971 for the infamous Court Line group,which of course went into liquidation in 1974,when she was sold,first being renamed PATIANNA,then in 1980 to ANNA XYLA.
　
　

[Capt Bill Davies]

Thats a fiver John.

Bill

[Captain Kong]

Here are the results of the Explosion at UMM SAID. an awful place ,
I have been there a few times. I dont know why, I try to be good .
Brian

The British Crown.

[Capt Bill Davies]

Brian,

Umm Said morphed into Mesaieed and the CBM replaced with a SPM.

Jebel Dhanna was not much better. Four CBM berths up to about 85 and then a transition to 3 SPMs.

Jebel Dhanna was a real test for ULCCs berthing at Nos 3 & 4 berth. Imagine a running moor with a ULCC and no tug assistance. Tugs came about 82

Brgds

Bill