British Bombardier was an 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.
Empire Fusilier was built by Harland and Wolff Ltd, Belfast.[1] She was yard number 1158, and was launched on 8 August 1942. She was completed in February 1943 as Empire Bombardier.[1] The ship was 465feet long, with a beam of 56feet and a depth of 34feet. She was propelled by a four stroke, Single Cycle Single Action diesel engine which had eight cylinders of NaNinches bore by NaNinches stroke. The engine was built by Harland & Wolff.[2]
The MoWT placed Empire Bombardier under the management of Dodd, Thomson & Co Ltd. Her port of registry was Belfast.[2] Empire Bombardier was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
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.[5] In 1955, the British Tanker Company was renamed to BP Tanker Company.[6] 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 were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. The ship had the UK Official Number 168521. Empire Bombardier used the Code Letters BFJY.[2] British Bombardier is recorded as using the same code letters in 1946.[5]