Basil Forward’s CRS10
The BP Tankers
BRITISH PRINCESS
ON
140238
7,034 grt; Steam tanker
Built 1917
Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle; Yard Nr 891
For British Tanker Co Ltd, London
22nd March 1924 Collided with
Norwegian cargo vessel SS OTTAR JARL.
July 1944 During the Invasion of Normandy, she was involved along with
a large fleet of merchant ships. The BRITISH PRINCESS, with BRITISH FAITH and
BRITISH STATESMAN, was providing fresh water supplies for the Forces. This was
a dangerous mission, as not even the British Forces ceased fire as the tankers passed through.
The
tanks were not washed, so the water was benzene ridden; American troops, who
tasted it, said “we had put so much ‘spirit’ into their troops that we should
get the credit for the American break-through, and the reason they were moving
so fast now, was to get as far away from our water as they could in the least
possible time!”
The
ships were discharging a daily average of 1,650 tons of water. And the firing
continued all the time.
1946 Renamed BRITISH VETERAN; BP Tankers.
1954 Broken up at
Antwerp, Belgium.
No Picture available, yet, of British
Princess
OTTAR JARL
Built 1913 Verksted, Fredrikstad,
Yard Nr 172.
as the 1,990 grt D/S VØLUND
For A/S Vølund (Aldolf Andersen),
Bergen
1921 Sold to NFDS, Trondhjem;
Renamed OTTAR JARL.
22nd March 1924 Collided with BRITISH PRINCESS,
En route Newcastle to Antwerp with
coal and other goods.
OTTAR JARL sank in position 53.11N : 01.13E; 5 miles South of
Cromer Knoll.
BRITISH GRATITUDE
ON
168355
8,463 grt; Motor tanker
Built 1942 Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd,
Wallsend
For British Tanker Co Ltd, London
12th May 1959 Arrived Tamise, Belgium, for
demolition by J. Boel et Fils.
British Gratitude
British Gratitude
BRITISH COMMODORE
ON
146710
6,895 grt; Steam turbine tanker
Built 1923 Caledon
SB & Eng Co Ltd, Dundee; Yard Nr 283
For British Tanker Co Ltd, London
30th April 1953 Arrived Faslane, Scotland for
scrapping by Metal Industries Ltd.
No Picture available, yet, of British
Commodore
BRITISH MERCHANT
ON
146655
6,994 grt; Steam turbine tanker
Built 1922 W.
Beardmore & Co Ltd, Dalmuir; Yard Nr 622
For British Tanker Co Ltd, London
16th August 1949 Arrived at Blyth for scrapping
by Hughes Bolckow Ltd.
British Merchant
BRITISH PIPER
ON
169467
8231 grt; Motor
tanker; 456.6 ft x 59.5 ft
Built 1946 Harland
& Wolff Ltd, Glasgow; Yard Nr 1197
Oil engines
20th December 1945 Launched as EMPIRE GRENADA
For Ministry of War Transport, London,
1946 Completed as BRITISH PIPER for British Tanker Co Ltd,
London
10th November 1961 Arrived for breaking Newport,
Monmouth
BritishPiper
BRITISH PRESTIGE
ON
162553
7106
grt; Motor Tanker; 440 ft x 59 ft x 33 ft
Built
1931 Lithgows Port Glasgow; Yard Nr 850
Engines
: J G Kincaid & Co Ltd; Oil 4S CSA 8cyl; 653 nhp
1956 Scrapped Briton Ferry
BritishPrestige
BritishPrestige
BRITISH ENTERPRISE
ON
181519
6,095 grt; Motor tanker
Built 1946 Wm.
Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland; Yard Nr 738
For British Tanker Co Ltd, London
1961 broken up on the Tyne by Clayton & Davie Ltd.
British Enterprise, courtesy of Norman
Middlemiss: The British Tankers.
BRITISH WORKMAN
ON
182972
8,575 grt; Motor tanker
Built 1949 Harland
& Wolff Ltd, Glasgow; Yard Nr 1379
For British Tanker Co Ltd, London
18th May 1967 Arrived at Castellon, Spain, for
demolition.
British Workman
British Workman
Raymond Forward