Esso Providence

[Morten Jessen]

Ohøj Mates!

I am an aviation historian who are in the process of completing a manuscript about the air war over Sicily in the summer 1943. In connection with that I am looking for a photo of the Esso Providence, which was hit by German aircraft on Tuesday the 24 August 1943.

The entry in the book will sound along the lines of:
"Around half a dozen Focke Wulf 190s from II./Schnellkampfgeschwader 10 attacked Augusta harbour from the north-east at 07:00, and although two British Spitfires were scrambled, they failed to make contact. The German aircraft scored a direct hit on a tanker, along with two near misses. The ship hit was the Esso Providence, a 9,057-ton tanker loaded with 71,029 barrels of Navy special fuel, which was at anchor in Augusta harbour. Before the watch could sound the general alarm, a bomb struck the water off the starboard beam. A second bomb hit the ship in one of its starboard tanks, and a third struck the water on the port beam. Six of the ship’s tanks were badly damaged, and there was a fifteen metre hole in the vessel. Despite the damage, the tanker delivered its remaining cargo and eventually sailed to Malta, arriving there on 2 December for emergency repairs. It returned to service in May 1944. Only two of the 71 men onboard were wounded in the attack."

Can anyone help me find a fairly high quality photo of Esso Providence, showing the entire ship (there are some online, but they are not publishable)? Any leads will be greatly appreciated.

All the best
Morten Jessen, Copenhagen

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Morten
Welcome to thesite,i hope you will get good Pc of her soon!
Dont know if this is the one in questio,but possibly is!
Not a very good shot of her but better than nothing
Good luck
Cheers


http://www.armed-guard.com/essoprov.html

[Morten Jessen]

Hej Castleman,

Thanks for your quick reply. It is exactly pictures like that I am looking for ... in a bit better quality ;-)
I wrote the web master yesterday, but have not heard from him yet.

Cheers
Morten