The BI

[struan]

I was in the BI between 1956 to 1960 and how could you say anything bad about a company, on of whose regulations was that, after eleven o'clock at night, you had to pour your own drinks out... Jesus, they were tough..!

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Straun
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 you would like to join in and have your Full name R Number and First Ship
Included in the Flag then Please join the Crew List and leave full details on the Registration Form.
We need your names to get the New Flag full,so please do respond!
Thank you


Don’t forget to note your First Ship on the Form!

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

MIKES FLAG - The Photo Gallery

If you have already done this then Thank You!

[Tug Wilson]

Hi my name is Philip (tug) Wilson and i served with British India (MV Chantale) 1955 to 1556. Just checking if any of my old ship mates are still alive and kicking. Mates i remember are Ramsay Birril, Patrick Neveille Johnson,Roy Ellis and Jeff Swift last heard of in Wakefield. It would be good to hear from anyone past or present.

Thanks

Tug Wilson

[Peter Harris]

I joined British India from training college in May 1959 and sailed from London on Landaura. Six month trip to Ceylon and India and what was then East Pakistan. Then served in Queda, Nyanza, Nardana, Okhla and Dumra. Later Ellenga in Trident

[j.sabourn]

Peter looked up your CV and see you were with BUE. Were you there when they broke up. I relieved Denis Robinson as master in Wallsend on the British Magnus. 0ne of your directors at that time an ex seafarer himself took ownership of the ship as part of his collateral. He went ahead and bought other ships mostly ex supply vessels from the Mexican gulf and converted them to safety vessels . I was on the first one on the conversion. In Sunderland. He was a man with foresight as to what was needed even to having the necessary gas alarms around the deck in strategic positions. The company became Vector offshore. I hope they became a success as he at least put some thought into the safety aspects. Regards JWS.
Ref. Your post about Huntings tankers , can’t remember by your CV if also served on them. When I was up for 2nd. Mate in 1957, there used to be 3 of us used to knock around Newcastle especially on a Friday, dole day. A Leo McGowan out of Huntings, and Cyril Scott out of Shell tankers. Billy Nellist used to get worried as the dole was 30 shillings , And his fees were a pound a week. Cheers JWS.

[Peter Harris]

Still trying to understand the site so hope replying to you. I was running out of Peterhead with Zapata to,Piper and Claymore when BUE got the charter. Was in British Viking until arrested by Banks then was on British Amethyst for three years. When charter ended was on British Argyll for a year, trips on Piper; Viking 2, Emerald then appointed BE 2 for three years. One trip on BE 4 and at the end BE 3.
The senior management arranged Vector on the quiet and bailed out with ships leaving company to sell out , I think to Seateam. I went home from Perth and no body said anything but my redundancy in post.
On,y home for a while when employed by Switzer/ Fugro until I retired

[j.sabourn]

#4 Sorry so long to reply to your post but only now just seen as was on a long sabbatical for a time.. see you were with Zapata so will be well aware of their war cry “ It doesn’t matter, we”re with Zapata “. When with LOF did you know Dunbaven was Master and then Supt. with them for their new buildings in Italy. ? Regards JS

[j.sabourn]

#6.. I was on the Veesea Topaz the first one Vector brought out as a SBV. She was fitted out in Sunderland. As these Vessels were originally supply vessels the oil company’s immediately wanted to utilise them as dual purpose vessels , thus taken away their dedication duties to safety. Think this was stopped . However I wasn’t in the frame of mind to follow all the ifs and buts which followed the P.A. Disaster . Lasted until 1991 3 years in the same mode and quite happy to get away to fairer climes. I did follow one lot of suggestions put forward by the oil company’s to do away with SBVs and rely on helicopters , that suggestion could only have been proposed by someone with a complete lack of knowledge . If used as supply vessels promises were made to keep at least 1/3 of the deck clear for survivors, can you imagine them dragging themselves over drill pipe and casing. Complete and utter idiocy , and people listen to such. JS

[Michael Ousby]

I was in the BI between 1956 to 1960 and how could you say anything bad about a company, on of whose regulations was that, after eleven o'clock at night, you had to pour your own drinks out... Jesus, they were tough..!

When I think back, the catering was first class, unless the flour became infested with weevils. I remember sailing with Nev Mason, who left to work in PNG. He was third and I was his fiver.
Luckily I left before the breakup. I left as third. Went to work for Hamworthy Engineering in Poole with their Combustion Division. Travelled all over the world both supervising and commissioning. Nearly went to work for Denholme Ship Management in Glasgow. Still have saltwater in my veins and steam oil in my joints. I'm seventy five years old now and have been in Engineering all of my working life.
Happy days, happy memories.