Hi Tim,and thanks for posting that memento of your Dad's.
I'm sure by now you're well informed about the Great Bitter Lakes Association-a unique event at a unique time!
I've always admired the following web pages:-
http://web.me.com/myronpm/Topics/html/gbla.htm
which depicts those stamps.
For further interest,some time ago I compiled a list of those ships and documented their final histories,which may be of interest to you and others:-
All the Best
Gulliver
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trapped for eight years
In October 1967 the officers and crews of all fourteen ships met on the Melampus to found the "Great Bitter Lake Association" which would provide mutual support. In the time to come, the crew members regularly met on board their ships, organised social events, founded a yachting club and held the "Bitter Lake Olympic Games" to complement the1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.. In time, a postal system evolved, the hand-crafted stamp of which became collectors' items around the world.
In time it was possible to reduce the number of crew members on board the ships, and in 1969 the ships were gathered into several groups to further reduce the number of crew necessary for their upkeep. In terms of the postal system, this resulted in the creation of group stamps such as the stamp bearing the name "MS Müwinikies", which derived from the ship names "Mü" (Münsterland), "wi" (Nordwind) "ni" (Nippon), "ki" (Killara) and "es" (Essayons). In 1972 the last crew members of the German ships were finally sent home, with the maintenance of the ships left to a Norwegian company.
In spring 1975 the Suez Canal was once again opened for international transport, and on May 24, 1975, the German ships Münsterland and Nordwind reached Hamburg port, cheered by more than 30,000 spectators. They were reportedly the only ships to have left the canal under their own power. For the Münsterland this was the end of a voyage to Australia which had lasted eight years, three months and five days.
MS AGAPENOR (UK) [detained 6.67-7.75
75 NIKOS-Greek) BU Gadani Beach 25.10.81
MS MELAMPUS (UK) [detained 6.67 -6.75
75 ANNOULA II(Greek)
BU Gadani Beach 7.11.82
MS SCOTTISH STAR (UK) [detained Suez Canal 6.67-30.5.75] - 75 KAVO YERAKAS(Greek)
BU in Spain 5.8.79 (had been laid up since purchase in 1975)
MS PORT INVERCARGILL(UK) Released 6.75 75 KAVO KOLONES(Greek)
BU Kaohsiung 22.8.79
SS AFRICAN GLEN (USA), shelled and sunk Bitter Lakes, Suez Canal 16.10.73 (Yom Kippur War)(trapped there since 6.67)
MS NORDWIND (West Germany) . Released 6.75 79 RODANTHI A.(Greek) - 79 CENTAURUS(Greek,then Lebanese in 82)
BU Shanghai 28.5.85
MS MUNSTERLAND(West Germany) Released 6.75 79 MUNSTERLANDES (Greek)
BU Fujian 3.84
MS KILLARA(Sweden) released 6.75 75HELLENIC SEAMAN (Greek) - 84 PANAMA STAR
BU Kaohsiung 30.12.86
MS NIPPON (Sweden)
74 MARIT (Greek ) Sold whilst still trapped- 74 HELLENIC PATRIOT - 84 TENON
BU Qinhuangdao 20.7.84
MS SINDH(France) ) 71 Sold to Norwegians.whilst trapped in Canal),renamed ESSAYONS (Norw) - Trapped to 6.75 75 BADR(Saudi Arabia)
BU 1981.
MS DJAKARTA (Poland) Trapped 6.67 -6.75 75 MANINA III (Greek).wrecked 36.59N/27.26E 30.3.81 in Aegean)& sank 31.3.81 [Constanta-Port Said, cement]
MS BOLESLAW BIERUT(Poland) trapped in Suez Canal 7.6.67-6.75] - 75 FAY III(Greek)
BU Bombay 17.2.82
MS VASSIL LEVSKY(Bulgaria)
[merchant aircraft carrier/Bulk Carrier] - 43 EMPIRE MACKENDRICK (British Gov’ment)47- GRANPOND Mediterranean & Atlantic Lines Ltd ,London
- 51 CONDOR(Pan) - 55 SALTERSGATE (Turnbull Scott(London)- 57 VASSIL LEVSKY(Bul)
BU Split 22.7.75 ; [trapped in Bitter Lakes, Suez Canal 6.67-5.75.
MS LEDNICE (Czechoslovakia) Trapped 6.67-7.75
89 DIYA - 92 ATLASCO PRIDE - 93 OCEAN TRADER
scuttled Vettilaikerni, Sri Lanka 9.10.94
A fifteenth ship, the OBSERVER(USA) was stranded in Lake Timsah.,behind rest of convoy after engine failure.
Blt.1943 as t.e.Tanker FRONT ROYAL (U.S.)[- 48 ESSO SHREVEPORT - 62 TRUSTCO - 66 Lengthened and widened & converted to bulk carrier] Renamed OBSERVER
Fate:Hulked at Port Said 1975
--------------------------------------------------------------------------