Union Castle Line in the early 1960's, Winchester Castle, Castle Boats, Fred Everards coasters, atonality. British Statesman, winston churchill
I will add more to this page as time goes on
Any pictures would be appreciated.
British Statesman
The official postcard
There will be info added as time goes on
Any info and pictures you wish to send me would be appreciated
.
Vessel Identification
Name: British Statesman
IMO: 5053234
Last known flag: U.K.
Technical Data
Vessel type: Tanker
Gross tonnage: 27,586 tons
Summer DWT: 42,251 tons
Administrative Information
Status: Dead
Build year: 1959
Builder*: Harland & Wolff Heavy Industries
Belfast, U.k.
Owner: -
.
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Hi,
I sailed on many ships 1960 to 1965. I am stil trying to get pictures of The British Statesman,
not the 1923 ship but the later one named for Winston Churchill.
We were up the gulf for a while and on the way back we collided with a Greek Freighter off Portugal.
We rescued the Greeks and their ship sank later as far as I know.
We ended up paying off in Newcastle. If you were there let me know.
Lewis
The story continues
Hi Lewis ,a short while back I was looking at a T2 Tanker site somewhere.
And if you read the following article I've copied ,
The T2 tanker mentioned was converted to a dry-cargo vessel called the Theotokos.
She was the one that collided with your British Statesman in 1963.
Cheers from Gulliver.
s.t.REGINALD A. FESSENDEN 1943
1943 WSA (International Freighting Corp, NY)
1948 KINGSTON, First National Oil Corp.- US flag (Sieling & Jarvis Corp, NY)
1950 SEAMAGIC, Colonial SS Corp.- US flag (Orion Shpg & Tdg.Co, NY)
1953 STRAPOURIES, Azteca Cia.Armadora.- Panamanian flag (same managers)
1954 Converted to 7,185 g.t. dry cargo ship.
1955 THEOTOKOS, Cia.Comercial Transatlantica- Panamanian flag (Spiros Polemis, NY)
24.10.63 Damaged in collision with BRITISH STATESMAN near Lisbon. Towed to Lisbon but declared Constructive Total Loss
1964 Scrapped Vado, Italy
My BP Tankers.
Joined Judge in 65 and then was on Captain, Confidence, Statesman,( on her for the collision at Flushing) Unity and finally Dragoon. Cheers janathull
Hi Geoff, wondered what you meant by the collision reference off Flushing,then realised that janathull
was on her when British Statesman had a collision when he was on her. ,just as Lewis did off Lisbon.
Two collisions for the Statesman....how unlucky!
A more tragic BP collision occurred on 3/6/93 in the same area off Flushing ,in which 9 seafarers lost their lives.
'Bob Coutties Maritime Accident Casebook' site describes it.
Sombre reading again I know, but it is only fitting that such incidents are not left forgotten in history.
Regards from Gulliver
Click!
http://www.maritimeaccident.org/abou...e-church-bell/
From......byebyetankers
Hi,
I stumbled on this site and my attention was caught by the details concerning the collision between the Br. Statesman and the Theotokos. I was on the bridge at the time, and a very scary incident it was. I recall five of us on the bridge - the Old Man (Williams?), the Mate (who I think was the Extra Mate - at 32000 tons, the Statesman was then felt to be vast enough to have two Chief Officers), me (the quaking apprentice) the bloke on the wheel, and the forward lookout. Without being melodramatic, I think the lookout owes his life to the Mate - when the Theotokos loomed into view, he stood transfixed on the foc's'le. The Mate leant over the bridge wing and yelled at him to come midships. After the collision, when we went forward to look at the damage, the area was strewn with burst rivets - I imagine anybody who'd been hit by one would have felt it. As we were loaded with crude oil at the time, we were also lucky to have avoided an explosion.
There seemed to be a general consensus that the other ship was mainly to blame, although I believe both the Old Man and the Mate forfeited a lot of sea time. I hope they re-established themselves - they were both decent men.
Me? I went off to do my Second Mates ticket, did a couple of trips as third mate, then quit. I never - never - regretted leaving.
Hi byebyetankers,
It's been awhile but here we are. I was the crew messman and I remember the feeling. For a moment it felt we had gone aground, all the normal vibration in the ship stopped. I took a lot of pictures but unfortunatly forgot to remove the lens cover. The sea was covered in cartons of Kent cigarettes of which some made their way onboard. Our guys were cool and went over to rescue the Greeks who had trouble launching their lifeboats. After that experiance I never moaned about boat drill. One day I'll tell you about 'Terror on the North Atlantic when the QE(1) Burned' and what about that Hurricane?
It was a great life and it was all taken in stride.
Lewis
Email Me
Hi Gullivar.
I'm still confused must be the age thing, or that I've been in the pub to long ?
Are Janathull and Lewis on about the same collision or were there 2 collisions at different times.
Geoff