I am writing a short book about the experiences of seafarers who worked on the ships in the Great Bitter Lake from 1967 to 1975. I aim to publish it on the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War in June 2017.
I am also co-organising a reunion of former seafarers who were on the stranded ships to celebrate the anniversary. The anniversary event will be at the Merseyside Maritime Museum from 2 till 5pm on 1 June 2017. As it is the 50th anniversary of the war, we hope to get some media coverage for the event. The museum curators are also very interested to hear about the experiences of seafarers who were on the stranded ships.
Were you on the Melampus or Agapenor in the Suez Canal between 1967 and 1975? Would you be interested in attending this event? If so, I'll pass on your email address to Ben Whittaker, the museum curator who is organising it with me, and you will receive an official invite in due course.
I very much hope that you will consider attending and look forward to hearing from you.
Found your post and just wanted to inform you about a similar activity here in Sweden. I did 3 turns on m/v Killara (and Nippon) during the years 1967-1970.
I have been asked to show pictures and tell some stories about the life on Killara in Great Bitter Lake at a meeting in Club Maritime in Gavle.
As you probably know, there were many meetings among almost all 14 ships during that time with sailing regattas, grill parties and more.
Wish you a pleasant reunion and kind regards to all,
Found your post and just wanted to inform you about a similar activity here in Sweden. I did 3 turns on m/v Killara (and Nippon) during the years 1967-1970.
I have been asked to show pictures and tell some stories about the life on Killara in Great Bitter Lake at a meeting in Club Maritime in Gavle.
As you probably know, there were many meetings among almost all 14 ships during that time with sailing regattas, grill parties and more.
Wish you a pleasant reunion and kind regards to all,
I was interested to hear about your reunion in Sweden. Do you have photos of it? It would be lovely if we could show some photos at our reunion in Liverpool on 1 June.
In time for the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War in June 1967, I have published Stranded in the Six-Day War, my book about the seafarers on board the ships trapped in the Suez Canal between 1967 and 1975. See front cover attached (with the Melampus and the Agapenor).
I hope it will prove of interest to those were in the Great Bitter Lake and others familiar with the story, and will also help to inform a new audience about this unusual and important episode in maritime history.
Alternatively (UK only), you may send a cheque for £14.50 including P&P payable to Ms C R Senker with your name and address to:
Cath Senker
4th floor
60 Lansdowne Place
Hove BN3 1FG
In time for the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War in June 1967, I have published Stranded in the Six-Day War, my book about the seafarers on board the ships trapped in the Suez Canal between 1967 and 1975. See front cover attached (with the Melampus and the Agapenor).
I hope it will prove of interest to those were in the Great Bitter Lake and others familiar with the story, and will also help to inform a new audience about this unusual and important episode in maritime history.
Have ordered your book and great to see both Blue Funnel ships that I was in while trapped in the canal, on the cover of your book.
Good luck with the book sales and looking forward to a good read.
Thanks Phil. I very much hope I have done justice to the many seafarers who provided their stories, letters and do***ents. I look forward to hearing what you think of it.
Dear Kurt
If you open You Tube you will find the Video of the 40th Anniversary of the GBLA "Gefangem I'm Bittersee" afraid its in German Subtitles although my contribution is in English.
Should be useful for your impending seminar.
Regards
Eur in John l Hughes
Ex 2nd Elect
Melampus June 1967
For those who understand German, this is an excellent do***entary - I drew on it for parts of my book. It contains fascinating footage of the ships in the Suez Canal. At the 50th anniversary event on 1 June in Liverpool, we'll be showing some other footage that has never been shown publicly before.
I now have the full English Subtitled CC of Trapped in there Bitterlakes
Der kurt
Jens Ardnt [German TV do***entary maker] Has sent me a cc of the Film "Gefangem Im Bittersee" it would have been great for your Swedish meeting.
Regards
John
We had a great time at Caths book launch. i great day meeting up with ex crew that I had nit seen for over 50 years
Around 100 people attended the 50th anniversary reunion of the seafarers who were on the stranded ships in the Suez Canal from 1967 to 1975. It was a very memorable occasion. An article about the reunion is in the July edition of Nautilus Telegraph (see attached).
If you'd like to buy my book, 'Stranded in the Six-Day War’, please go to my website: www.cathsenker.co.uk
Alternatively, (UK only) please send a cheque for the amount payable to Ms C R Senker and your name and postal address to:
Cath Senker
4th Floor
60 Lansdowne Place
Hove BN3 1FG
Tonight, the BBC One Show is due to broadcast a short film about the unusual story of the seafarers who were stranded in the middle of the war zone during the Six-Day War. The ships included the Blue Funnel vessels Agapenor and Melampus.
The BBC filmed at the 50th anniversary reunion event at the Merseyside Maritime Museum on 1 June.
I have recently printed a new edition of ‘Stranded in the Six-Day War’, including a few revisions pointed out to me by readers.
The book is about the experiences of the seafarers on board the 14 merchant ships trapped in the Suez Canal between 1967 and 1975. You can read the book blurb here: http://amzn.to/2wPqXjk
It has been well received and has had some excellent reviews, including this one on Amazon by Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East Editor and author of Six Days: How the 1967 War Shaped the Middle East:
‘This is a brilliantly researched and written account of an almost forgotten incident in the 1967 Middle East war. It’s full of tasty nuggets of detail. The war stranded ships that were passing through the Suez Canal, and created a unique community of marooned seafarers. Recommended.’ Jeremy Bowen, August 2017
If you’d like to buy it, please send a cheque for £14.50 incl. P&P (UK only) with your postal address to:
Cath Senker
4th Floor
60 Lansdowne Place
Hove
BN3 1FG
Alternatively, you can buy it using your debit card or PayPal on my website www.cathsenker.co.uk
Please give me your full name and postal address.
If you are buying from outside the UK, please select the correct option, Europe or World.
I recently received some excellent photos from the Great Bitter Lake from David Kemp, master of the Port Invercargill in 1968. They're never been published before. I would like to thank him for generously sharing them.
1. The story of the ships marooned in the Suez Canal during the Six-Day War is gaining its place in the history books.
Swedish publisher Breakwater Publishing is producing a book with a section about the ‘Yellow Fleet’. Karl Franzmann is researching the stamps created by the Polish seafarers.
Meanwhile, in Slovakia, Peter Valdner is compiling a comprehensive catalogue of the wonderful variety of stamps produced by the seafarers throughout the eight years of the ships’ sojourn in the Great Bitter Lake. If you have some unpublished images of GBLA stamps, please get in touch with him: https://valdpete.blogspot.com
New film
Plans are also afoot for a do***entary for Al Jazeera about the Suez ships. Egyptian production company iCatch Productions are currently waiting for visas so a team can come to the UK to interview former seafarers who served in the Great Bitter Lake.
2. I have finally produced an eBook of ‘Stranded in the Six-Day War’. I wanted to make my title available at low cost so that more people can find out about this slice of little-known history – and for those who simply don't buy physical books any more.
If you would like the paperback version, I have plenty of copies left! If you’d like one at the ‘mate’s rate’ of £10 including P&P (within the UK), just get in touch.
Every year, Siegfried Hellwig organises a reunion of seafarers who worked on the German ship Nordwind – one of the German ships that in the Great Bitter Lake for 8 years.
Here is a great podcast about the stranded ships from the USA with some fantastic stamp photos. 99% invisible
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