Ben Line list

[Ali Bain]

Tony, Well well it's a small world as they say. Was just loading a photo of a group down the engine-room on the Benlomond (including yourself doing your engineroom time) on to the "ships nostalgia" website. Decided to do a bit of browsing and found this. Are you in touch with Stuart Russel ? If so please tell him I am asking for him.
Regards-Ali. (boz) Bain

[iaingy]

Hi,

The BEN STAC was in the area after the BENTCRUACHAN was struck, I was on the bridge of the BENSTAC at the time we were struck by a smaller wave and lost the gangway. I was on the BENSTAC from late 1972 joining in New York and leaving 11 months later in Singapore

Iain Gibson

[Dennis Clark]

Hi Tony,

maybe you remember me from the chemical tanker days in Ben Line, was on all three and had some great times.

been ashore now for some 20 odd years and looking to stop in the next few weeks.

Good to hear that you got to the top job and certainly remember the names as John Banks and Tom Kennedy.

Cheers,
Dennis Clark

[Dennis Clark]

Hi Mike,

Just to put my details on the record. R 891086

I joined r Ben Line as Junior engineer Jan 1971 with my first ship being the SS Benrinnes on which I completed a coast trip.

There-after I sailed on the ships below:-

MV Benalbanach May 1971 >>> June 72
MV Benarkle March 1973>>>May 1973
MV Benvorlich July 1973>>>>Dec 1973
MV Benarkle March 1974>>>April 1974
MV Benhiant May 1974>>> Sept 1974
MV Benstac Nov 1974>>>>Nov 1975
MT Benvenue Sept 1976>>>
MT Benmacdui through to
MT Bencleuch >>>>>>>>>>Sept 1978
MV Bendearg Oct 1978>>>>Oct 1978
MV Benstac Oct 1978>>>>April 1979

Atlantic Drilling Co.

Bendoran 1979>>>>> July 1984
Benreoch July 1984>>>>Feb 1988
Ocean Benloyal Feb 1988>>>>March 1989

Departed the Ben Line Group 1989.


Cheers,

Dennis Clark

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Ali and iaingy
Would just like to give you a warm Welcome to this very good site!
Here you will find lots of info,good Crew and with luck also find a few old Shipmates!
So sit back,relax and just enjoy the trip!
Hope we will have you here for a long time!
A site truly worthy of the British Merchant Navy!
Cheers

If this applies to you then please do send in your details!
Note Well

If you would like to join in and have your Full name R Number and First Ship
Included in the Flag project then please pass it on to Mike Hall who is doing a Main Flag for all
to be displayed some time in one of the UK Museums!
We need your names to get the New Flag full,so please do respond!
Thank you
Vernon (castleman)

Please go to following Link

http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=1974

Or reply to me in person! Via Private Message Link above below I will pass on the info!


http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/p...?do=newpm&u=18

If any new Members or old ones too want a bit of info on the Flag Projects please
Go to the following Links where you can see Pics and Write ups on this subject!
Thanks

http://www.merchant-navy.net/gallery...ry.php?cat=558



If you have already done this then please accept my apologies!

[Bob Carr]

Hi Brian
hope your keeping well, catch up sometime

regards

Bob Carr

[Noel Henderson]

My hometown is Dundee, Scotland, and I came to the United States in 1963. In 1952 I completed a five-year apprenticeship at ULRO (Blackness Foundry) along with my buddy, James Cox. Presently, I’m living in Redmond, Washington, near Seattle.

I’m 79 now and have been trying for years to locate Jim. He sailed as a marine engineer on the Ben Line out of Leith in the late 50s and early 60s. I believe the ship he sailed on was the Benalbanach. Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

In prior efforts I located a James Cox living in Glencoe, who was a marine engineer and whose wife had the same name, Greta. However, they lived in Canada, not Scotland, and that Jim Cox was 10 years older than my buddy would be. Small world, huh?!

Hope you can help.

Sincerely,
Noel Henderson

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Noel
Welcome to the site and i hope you will one day get tyhe info you are searching for,however it may be a hard task!
Do you know where James was Born? and approx what age would he be ??
This may give a little bit more insight to him for all concerned!
I take it you are not ex MNavy! ???
Cheers
Good HUNTING!

Just some info on the Ship in question!

Ben Line

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Benalbanach_(1946)

BENALBANACH Built 1940 Official No 167030
Ben Line; 1940; Chas. Cornell & Co.; 7,153 tons; 436-3X 56-
7x35-3; 700 n.h.p.; 13-5 knots; triple-expansion engines.
The Ben liner Benalbanach, Capt. D. K. C. Macgregor, was taken
over for service as an auxiliary transport late in 1941 and in November,
1942, she took part in the landing at Oran in the North African
campaign.
The ship's second journey to North Africa ended in tragedy. On
Christmas Eve, 1942, she left the Clyde with a crew of 74 and 389
officers and men of the Motor Transport, as well as a cargo of tanks,
motor vehicles, ammunition, petrol and general military stores. At
just after six o'clock on the evening of January 6th, 1943, the
Benalbanach, which was in convoy, was attacked E. of Algiers by a
German aircraft with two torpedoes, which hit the ship in No. 3
and No. 5 holds. She sank almost immediately with 57 crew and 340
troops, Capt. Macgregor dying from exhaustion after three hours in
the water and just as he was about to be rescued by a destroyer.

Above thanks to Hugh!

[Noel Henderson]

Jim would be about my age, 79, born in 1931, I believe, in Dundee, where we both completed our apprenticeships and studies at the same time. When I emmigrated in 1963, he was still resident in Dundee.

I wondered if the Ben Line has a retirement/pension/survivor benefit program for their engineers, maybe Jim Cox is part of it. I have no knowledge of such a program existing and have been totally stymied. Any possible leads or suggestions for further searches would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the interesting ship background! It happens that my dog breeder in Scone was part of the El Alamein invasion.

No, I'm not a merchant navy engineer and was involved in special purpose development work for commercial and government (U.S.) agencies until my retirement. I went into national service with the Royal Air Force when Jim went to sea.

[Jimmy Scougall]

Hi Mike,I sailed on 2 Ben boats,the Benvenue in 1972-73 took her to scrap Taiwan and the Benlawers 1973-74.I bide in Edinburgh.Another thing,my mother was a MacKinnon from Harris.All the best,

Jimmy Scougall