BP ships served on

[happy daze john in oz]

Albi mate, was the British Workman the one refered to as the British Workhouse?

[Albert Bishop]

That was the one John, But it happened before I joined .seems she got from the Canal to the Channel before it was noticed. I heard there was quite a furore about it. Cheers, Albi

[steve.barnes]

Hi Folks. I had 5 years with BP before getting made redundant after the oil prices went up.

Ships were
British Norness - Gulf run + trip to Nagasaki for drydock. Total time on board 8 months
British Maple - Joined in US, Went to Venezuala, crossed the Atlantic and toured the North Europe coast
British Poplar - Same ship as Maple - Toured the Med
British Venture
British Centaur - Not sure which way round those last 2 were.

On the Norness got 2 weeks in Japan in drydock in Nagasaki. Great time.

On the Maple we were in a big storm in the Atlantic, green water over the bow. ripped away the lifeboat and bent the deck cowling back. The cowling cut through the armoured cabling on the radar conduit andwe had no radar for several days. finished up going in to Dublin for repair. Was also in drydock in Newcastle on the Maple.

On the Poplar we hit a big storm, choppy in the med. the storm came in through the staraits and kept pushing water in - it went all the way over to Isreal, hit the coast and then swelled back. Went the two opposing waves hit we bounced around like a top for 2 days.

After those 5 ships (and being away for 5 Xmases in a row) I left the merch, worked for Babcock Bristol (with a few ex engineers). Then I went to Germany to work for the US Army. Eventually moved to the States and I now live in San Antonio Tx.. At the time of this posting - I'm about to board the brand new RCCL "Oasis of the Seas" for 2 weeks as it leaves the Turku shipyard and goes over to Fort Lauderdale. ----- Not been back on a ship (working) for 30 years. I'm excited.

Anyway - Hi folks.

PS - the comment about crude oil when joining. I still love the smell of bitumin as they lay it on the roads.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Steve.
Welcome to the site, plenty of tall tales and messroom gossip. Who know you may come across some old shipmates, been plenty of reunions on board. Don't forget to give us a post about your trip on the cruise ship, talk about luck.
Cheers Des

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Peter.
I was on the British Piper, but from May/Oct 1953. Typical BTC tanker, I did ten trips on BTC tankers, a final 12 month trip on the Builder was enough for me to give them away, to go on the NZ coast. But I would still do it all again.
Cheers Des

[Don Scott]

Hi All,
I am doing my dad's history 1941-1945.
My dad served on the British Promise on her maiden voyage. On the 21/11/42 she was struck by a couple of torpedoes and a hole the size of two double decker buses was punched in her hull

Don Scott
3 Moore Street
Gwynneville
Australia

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Don.
Welcome to the site,post all your Dads ships names and dates, never know who might have sailed with him.
Enjoy your stay and hope you get to find some old mates of your Dads.
As you are in NSW try the Vindicatrix.org it is the site for MN in NSW.
Cheers Des.

[David McFarlane]

Hi scully, I was on the "Br.Maple" when she was in collision in New Orleans. And have been trying to find anyone who was on it with me at that time. It was in Feb 1957 maybe you can point me in the right direction.I would also like some photos of her.

[AJ Hawker]

Hi Davy
I take it the British Maple you are looking for is the 1951 build, if so i have two images of her, i can e/mail them to you if you like.
AJ

[David Williams]

Hi Don.
Welcome aboard.If you click onto
SS STEAMSHIPS,and the click "Bs"
you can scroll down and find about
3/4 photo,s of the British Promise.

Dave Williams(R583900)