Dave455
Well-known member
Some years ago, an American friend visited the Nottingham area of the U.K. and was somewhat confused to find a statue of what looked like an American oil man. He asked me if there was a backstory, and there was!
In 1942 the U.K. needed oil for the war, but most of it’s oil was provided by Anglo Iranian Oil, from the deserts of Iran. It’s not widely known, but the U.K. does have domestic oil fields. During the war, these were known, but relatively unexploited. Anglo Iranian Oil tried to drill, but their heavy rigs, designed for deep well drilling in the middle east, were totally unsuited to the task.
They despatched a rep (a WW1 veteran) to the U.S. to see if lighter equipment could be acquired “off the shelf”, and to seek any useful advice. The rep, Philip Southwell eventually ended up in Oklahoma, where he met oil man (and fellow veteran) Lloyd Noble, who offered a deal. 42 U.S. oil men would travel to the U.K. - with samples of appropriate equipment, and sink the wells needed. Nobles only condition - his company wouldn’t make a cent profit. They would undertake the contract for expenses only!
The American oil men sunk an astounding 106 wells in the year the contract ran. I’m no oil expert, but I can only begin to imagine the effort needed by just 42 guys to sink two wells per week. Sadly, tragedy struck, and one of the oil men - Herman Douthit, was killed falling from a derrick. 42 men left, but only 41 returned.
The whole affair was kept totally secret, and the Germans never discovered Britains secret oilfields. Even after the war, events remained shrouded in secrecy, but the locals never forgot the hard working American oil men. In the 1990’s, this statue was erected in the area, as a memorial to all the men involved. I rather like it.
A duplicate has also been erected in Oklahoma.
Herman Douthit remains the only civilian to be buried in the American Military Cemetary in Cambridge. 79 years (this month) after his arrival in England, he is not forgotten.
In 1942 the U.K. needed oil for the war, but most of it’s oil was provided by Anglo Iranian Oil, from the deserts of Iran. It’s not widely known, but the U.K. does have domestic oil fields. During the war, these were known, but relatively unexploited. Anglo Iranian Oil tried to drill, but their heavy rigs, designed for deep well drilling in the middle east, were totally unsuited to the task.
They despatched a rep (a WW1 veteran) to the U.S. to see if lighter equipment could be acquired “off the shelf”, and to seek any useful advice. The rep, Philip Southwell eventually ended up in Oklahoma, where he met oil man (and fellow veteran) Lloyd Noble, who offered a deal. 42 U.S. oil men would travel to the U.K. - with samples of appropriate equipment, and sink the wells needed. Nobles only condition - his company wouldn’t make a cent profit. They would undertake the contract for expenses only!
The American oil men sunk an astounding 106 wells in the year the contract ran. I’m no oil expert, but I can only begin to imagine the effort needed by just 42 guys to sink two wells per week. Sadly, tragedy struck, and one of the oil men - Herman Douthit, was killed falling from a derrick. 42 men left, but only 41 returned.
The whole affair was kept totally secret, and the Germans never discovered Britains secret oilfields. Even after the war, events remained shrouded in secrecy, but the locals never forgot the hard working American oil men. In the 1990’s, this statue was erected in the area, as a memorial to all the men involved. I rather like it.
A duplicate has also been erected in Oklahoma.
Herman Douthit remains the only civilian to be buried in the American Military Cemetary in Cambridge. 79 years (this month) after his arrival in England, he is not forgotten.
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