MV British Bombardier
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Harland & Wolff, Belfast |
| Yard number | 1158 |
| Launched | 8 August 1942 |
| Completed | 18 February 1943 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped 1959 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 465 ft 6 in (141.88 m) |
| Beam | 56 ft 6 in (17.22 m) |
| Depth | 34 ft (10.36 m) |
| Propulsion | 1 x 4SCSA diesel engine |
British Bombardier was an 8,202 GRT tanker which was built in 1942 as Empire Fusilier and completed as Empire Bombardier. She was built for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT); postwar, she was sold to British Tanker Co Ltd, serving until she was scrapped in 1959.
Description
[edit]Empire Fusilier was built by Harland and Wolff Ltd, Belfast.[1] She was yard number 1158,[2] and was launched on 8 August 1942. She was completed in February 1943 as Empire Bombardier.[1] The ship was 465 feet 6 inches (141.88 m) long, with a beam of 56 feet 6 inches (17.22 m) and a depth of 34 feet (10.36 m). She was propelled by a four stroke, Single Cycle Single Action diesel engine which had eight cylinders of 25+9⁄16 inches (64.9 cm) bore by 55+1⁄8 inches (140 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Harland & Wolff.[3]
Career
[edit]The MoWT placed Empire Bombardier under the management of Dodd, Thomson & Co Ltd. Her port of registry was Belfast.[3] Empire Bombardier was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
- HX 242
Convoy HX 242 departed New York on 31 May 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 15 June. Empire Bombardier was bound for the Stanlow Refinery, Ellesmere Port.[4]
- HX 304
Convoy HX 304 departed New York on 17 August 1944 and arrived at Liverpool on 1 September. Empire Bombardier was bound for Thameshaven.[5]
In 1946, Empire Bombardier was sold to the British Tanker Co Ltd and renamed British Bombardier.[1] Her port of registry was changed to London.[6] In 1955, the British Tanker Company was renamed to BP Tanker Company.[7] She served until 1959, when she was sold for scrap to a firm in Tamise, Belgium. She arrived for scrapping on 15 March 1959.[1]
Official Numbers and Code Letters
[edit]Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. The ship had the UK Official Number 168521. Empire Bombardier used the Code Letters BFJY.[3] British Bombardier is recorded as using the same code letters in 1946.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "5617419". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ a b c "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ^ "Convoy HX 242". Warsailors. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ^ "Convoy HX 304". Warsailors. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ^ a b "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS AND MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ^ "the history of our flag" (PDF). BP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2009.