# Huntings and John I Jacobs Tankers



## bilbur (Nov 22, 2005)

Hi,any change that someone out there has photos of Mv Luminous, one of Moss, MV Hollywood,one of JI Jacobs,or even one of Huntings the Mv Avonfield, be very grateful.
Bilbur


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## R58484956 (Apr 19, 2004)

Greetings bilbur and welcome to the site, no doubt photos will appear before too long. Bon voyage.


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

Bilbur, a warm although a somewhat belated welcome to you. Thank you for joining the community and for posting a comment - no doubt someone will track down a photograph of the 1953 built tanker, *Avonfield *as well as the others you are after. Enjoy the site and all it has to offer and we very much look forward to your postings. _Bon Voyage._

ps. I have edited the title of your post so it may atract more response.


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## tanker (May 26, 2004)

Here AL KHAFJI in Genoa 1983 ,former LUMINOUS 1977.
Gp


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## ruud (Dec 6, 2004)

Ahoy,
Here the AVONFIELD,unfortunately not the best shot.


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Photo of Hollywood on www.photoship.co.uk


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## bilbur (Nov 22, 2005)

*tankers Luminous, Avonfield, Hollywood*

Sorry Lads these aint the right vessels, thanks though,I'll keep on searching
Bilbur


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Hello Huntings lads - Are you aware that Huntings managed a tanker named EMPIRE UNITY ? She was an ex German ship BISCAYA and was captured by AMC SCOTSTOUN on 19th Oct 1939 when attempting to reach Germany..
I sailed AB in her 14th Nov 1944 to 29th Feb 1945 - an eventful trip..
Joined Thameshaven - then Grangemouth -Hamble - Swansea - Purfleet and here we loaded petrol for Antwerp..Antwerp had been liberated by British forces on 4th Sept 1944 but the port could not be used for another ten weeks as the Germans occupied the Flushing area at mouth of river Scheldt...Also there were many mines to be cleared and scuttled ships to be removed...
The first ships arrived on 28th November and from that time our service was in carrying petrol from the Thames to Hoboken Antwerp ...
Our fourth trip found us alongside at Hoboken on 31st December 1944.
During this period Antwerp was under constant attack by flying bombs and V2 rockets causing a tremendous amount of damage and many casualties among the people...the front line was only 60 miles from there..
About 10pm on this New Years Eve I left the ship with two shipmates intending to celebrate the New Year in a local bar,Blue Dove..as we walked through the refinery a V2 struck a petrol storage tank ahead of us and the resulting blast blew us off our feet. A huge fire ensued and as a strong wind was blowing the flames toward us we ran back to the ship and assisted in disconnecting the pipeline and releasing the moorings. Before the engines could be started the ship was blown accross the river onto the oposite bank and with ebb tide we were soon high and dry..The fire attracted German bombers during the night and some bombs fell into the mud around us,I remember it as a very uncomfortable night...
We refloated at dawn and sailed down river in single file with other ships and we were under attack by many German aircraft.Many dogfights in the sky - it was New Years Day 1945 and at the time of Battle of the Bulge ...I believe that more than 200 German aircraft were destroyed on this day...
As we passed the anchored tanker SAN ROBERTO she shot down an attacking bomber which had dropped a bomb - the bomb exploded on her foremast truck..
I am in correspondence with the 3rd Mate of SAN ROBERTO during that incident and I made an eleven month voyage in that ship -1948 - 49...
We made another trip to Antwerp then a cargo of diesel oil from Stanlow to Iceland .We refuelled heavy units of the Royal Navy at anchor there...why was our oil not taken directly to Iceland from the US instead of via the UK??
Returning to the Mersey we were paid off..
The Master was Capt.Friskney and his brother was 3rd Mate...
EMPIRE UNITY was returning from another trip to Iceland when she was hit by a torpedo - but survived


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## Ian (Mar 27, 2004)

Anyone Know the fate of "Laurelwood" 60s


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## Broad Arrow (Jul 5, 2007)

Hi I have just joined the site. My father Joseph Bradley was an engineer on this ship in may 1945. I am trying to locate photos of the ship or any information on her war service as my father died in 1951


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## brian walters (Feb 28, 2007)

*Ref ..Laurelwood.*



wa002f0328 said:


> Anyone Know the fate of "Laurelwood" 60s


Hi there ! I was on Laurelwood ..1956 - 58, and actualy saw her renamed ( and painted Grey) as the Fleet Tanker "Cherryleaf"

Hope that helps ..are you ec John I Jacobs ??


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