...sign
the Logbook anywhere you see the 
icon
Anthony
Clarke, UK - Monday, July 7, 2014 at 23:04:02
Would
love to contact BI Officer Hugh O'Gorman. Met him on the Dunera in
1961 as a schoolboy and kept in touch for a few years. Please
help! Was so fortunate to travel twice on the Dunera as a boy
when she was a schoolship and it has left me with wonderful
memories. Just wish my children could have had the chance.
Jennifer
Bunn/Fowler, US - Monday, July 7, 2014 at 20:40:36
In
response to the posting by Chris Lovelidge, Canada. My father,
Capt. L A Bunn was with the B.I. until his retirement in the
late sixties. Not sure how to get in touch with you? I live
in Olympia WA. Not too far from BC.
John
Miller, US - Monday, June 30, 2014 at 06:07:39
My
grandparents and great grandparents were passengers on several
BI ships between 1927 and 1967
Susan
Bicknell, UK - Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 21:18:11
I
am hoping that you can point in the right direction with regards
to someone I have recently come across in my family tree. His
name is Arthur Prattinton Turner born 1851 and died at sea
12 November 1898. He was the master of the Matiana.
This information has come from a memorial to him in St Mary's
Church Warwick, which was provided by his brother officers.
I am not sure if he was still working for the BI at the time
of his death, but I would really appreciate any advice you
could give as to further research on the circumstances of his
death. Arthur is my dad's great great uncle and he knows very
little about the Turner side of this family. He has only recently
found out that his Mom had 2 sisters who died in childhood. Thanks
in advance.
...sign
the logbook
Dudley
Horscroft, Australia - Saturday, June 21, 2014 at 04:20:08
Re
query on Chinkoa. The
Safina-e-Nusrat was originally the Hain Line ship Tregenna,
built in 1949, sold 1959. I have
not found any photos of her, and there does not appear to be
much info re her at all. The Yousef Baksh was possibly
the "Heros" then "Hermes" before
becoming the Yousel Baksh. There are photos of her on fire
in the Downs, and it is evident that she would more similar to
the BI I class - Ikauna, Itria,
etc, except that she had no No 3 hatch amidships - built as a
motor ship.
Dinesh
Dayal, Australia - Monday, June 16, 2014 at 14:17:48
I
would like to find out the current name of the place where
my grandfather was from. His emigration pass indicates his
name was Molhu. His father's name was Baolu. His District
was Gouda and Thana was Tulshipur and village was Seugraura
(?). Depot No. 1940. Ship was ss Sangola proceeding
to Fiji. No. 518. Particulars of Registration - Place: Gouda;
Date: 12.02.09;
No. in Register: 147
Jennifer
Teh, Australia - Thursday, June 12, 2014 at 03:17:22
Thank you for a very interesting site. I am interested in Edinburgh's
involvement in import and export to and from Calcutta, particularly
during the years 1870 to 1890
Mary
Mosch, Australia - Monday, June 9, 2014 at 07:31:04
I
am looking for the name of the chief purser on the Jumna which
sailed from London for Brisbane
on 22 Sept 1900 He may be my grandfather
Margaret
Reid, UK - Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 16:39:47
I
am trying to find out about the voyage made by my mother and
I from Calcutta to Tilbury/London in 1945. My mother said that
we were on the first ship after the war, possibly a troop ship.
It might have been the Empire Trooper.
I was aged 4 and was born in Calcutta where my father worked for
Unilever. My mother's name was Catherine Stoddart.
Martin
Seymour, UK - Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 15:36:22
R/O
ex Dumra and Bombala 1968-1970
Mary-Ann
Childs, South Africa - Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 11:10:01
My grandfather was on the Amra. I am looking for photos or information.
If anybody has any pictures please contact me.
Ashutosh
Bhatt, India - Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 16:33:22
I
am looking for the passenger manifest of BI ss Modasa in
1943 sailed Bombay/UK my late Father Ram Nivas Sharma (under
Bevan Scheme). Shall be grateful if someone can give any info.
Ross
Glen, UK - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 21:07:00
I
am looking on behalf of my dad Charlie Glen (engineer Devonia 1964)
to trace Jack (John R) urquhart. He
was best man at their wedding on 1st august 1964. They
are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary this August
and would love to hear from him. [Unfortunately,
attempts to contact Jack Urquhart have failed - Editor]
Maria
Dmello, India - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 10:46:42
Can anyone tell me about the ship Battala Kasiprasad and its crew
members name in the year 1920 at (Trichinopoly) during British
India. now know as Tiruchirapalli
Sheelagh
Wanstall, UK - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 10:35:18
This is regarding my granfather Captain J N Collins. There is a
reference to a letter that he wrote on 19/7/67 about his father
and a medal awarded for The Defence of Lucknow. Is it possible
to have a copy of the letter? I am researching my great grandfather.
John
Jackson, UK - Saturday, May 17, 2014 at 18:12:48
Would
like to trace names of vessels my father served on as engineer
officer in 30s, 40s, up to 1955 finishing as chief engineer.
Is this possible?
Pamela
Nunes (nee Arnold), Australia - Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at
02:03:21
Looking
for any records of Stephen Leslie Arnold (my father) Chief
Engineer for BI from the forties onward til about the seventies.
Donald
McKinnon, UK - Sunday, May 11, 2014 at 16:30:06
I was an Marine Engineer on BI and Sailed
on Nyanza. The best ship of my career.
John
Peake, UK - Sunday, May 11, 2014 at 10:55:53
Looking
for information on my grandfather John Andrew Peake. I know
he died in 1931 serving on Manela.
He was taken ill and transferred to the British hospital in
Marseilles, where he died. I wish I knew where he is buried.
Veronia
De France, Netherlands - Friday, May 9, 2014 at 17:45:18
The
Lloyd's register 1877-78, the Maritime
Museum in Amsterdam at the list of owners of ships; 'Mackinnon,
Wm, 115, St Vincent Street, Glasgow.
I.s. Alice....226
In Maritime Enterprise and Empire by J Forbes Munro page 23 was
noted 116 St. Vincent Street.
Some years back I already have asked if Sir William Mackinnon owned
a steamer named 'Alice'. The answer was negative, but Lloyd's Register
on this issue shows otherwise. Have learned that William Mackinnon was
also concerned with the faith of the poor Africans. May I ask if
the name of the vessel was in honour of the 'Alice' Missionary
Post near Lovedale in East Africa, with its railroad from East
London (Africa) to the place of 'Alice'? In 1878, the changes of
H.M.Stanley was very grim, due to John Kirk's raport to the foreign
office the Earl of Derby. The report was dated on the first of
May. I have seen that it is not clear when or how Mr Sanford came
in contact with W Mackinnon. Is it so strange to look in the direction
of Mr, later Sir H M Stanley? Looking forward to your answer if
any.
...sign
the logbook
Ian
Pitt, Australia - Thursday, May 8, 2014 at 14:54:42
I am trying to trace a record of my father
John William Pitt who served as a Purser with the BI during
and for a short period after The First World War. After WWI
he came to Australia and was employed by Macdonald Hamilton & Co.,
the agents for BI, P&O, AUSN,
E&A and other group companies. He served in Brisbane
and Sydney and later as Manager in Perth and Adelaide. He
died in 1949. My father told me that he was torpedoed by
a German submarine near the English coast and was recued by a British
naval ship. Unfortunately I was too young at the time before
his death to ask him further questions or details. I
have researched BI ships that were torpedoed near Britain using
a system of elimination and have come up with s.s. Mantola as
a most likely ship. The ship was in fact torpedoed near Britain
and nearly all passengers and crew were rescued by a British naval
vessel namely HMS Laburnum. I am trying to ascertain
whether there is a crew list in existence that could verify that
my father was in fact a member of the crew of Mantola.
The Mantola was launched in 1916. She entered
service in 1916 but struck a mine off Aldeburgh whilst enroute
from Middlesbrough to London. After repairs she continued
her first voyage to Calcutta on 4th February 1917 under the command
of Captain David James Chivas. She carried a crew of 165 and 18
passengers and on the 8th of February whilst 143 miles off Fastnet
she was torpedoed by German submarine U81 under the command of
Raimund Weisback. The submarine surfaced and commenced shelling
Mantola. It
was soon after this that the order was given to abandon ship. HMS
Laburnum an Acacia class sloop came on the scene, chased the submarine
away and took on survivors.Laburnum endeavoured to
tow the still floating hulk of Mantola but was hampered
by rough seas and eventually had to discontinue the tow and leave
Mantola to
sink on the 9th Febuary 1917. The Laburnum carried
survivors and landed them at Bantry Bay in the South West of Ireland. Seven
seamen were lost when their lifeboat capsized.The wreck was discovered
in 2011 by Odyssey Marine Exploration whist searching for the wreck
of another BI ship by the name of s.s. Gairsoppa which
was also torpedoed by a German submarine on it's way from India
in 1941. Both these ships had something
in common, they both had large quantities of silver in their holds. Gairsoppa
7 million ounces (200 tonnes) and Mantola 6,000 ounces. I
understand that The Department of Transport has awarded Odyssey
salvage contracts for both wrecks. This is all very
interesting BI history but my aim in writing was to find out if
there are records in existence that would verfy whether my father
was in fact a crew member of s.s.Mantola or was he
on another BI ship torpedoed during WW1 where the crew were picked
up by a British naval ship near the coast of England. By
the way, I was also employed by Macdonald Hamilton and served in
the BI Freight Department for a few years and I later spent time
as a Purser with The Eastern & Australian Steamship Company
trading between Australia, Hong Kong, China and Japan. Any
help or directions on how I should go about trying to find information
relating to my father's time at sea with BI would be very much
appreciated. Sincerely.
Jessie
David, Malaysia - Thursday, May 8, 2014 at 12:35:38
My
dad came to Malaya by ship from Madras, India to Penang, Malaya
in 1937. I would love to know the name of the ship.
Anne
Menelaou, UK - Saturday, May 3, 2014 at 16:06:58
I
never knew my grandfather as he died from malaria when my mother
was a small child. I have a silver large serviette ring? not
really sure what it is but it has a list of the ships I assume
my grand father sailed on. His name was Frederick George Pittam
and I've found on the list of BI history - ships and commanders
he was commander of the Onda in
1914. Also this silver ring lists a number of ships listed
in the history. I was told by my mother that he founded an
island (large rock)? in the indian ocean which was called Pittams
Island after him. I have always been fascinated by this story
but have never been able to find anything about him. I was
hoping you might be able to give me some more information or
pass me onto someone who could. Thanking you in anticipation
Anne
Edgar, UK - Friday, May 2, 2014 at 12:15:49
I
am reseaching and writing the history of my ancestor Sir Edwyn
Sandys Dawes (1838-1903) of 'Gray Dawes & Co. His
correspondence and diaries mention many BI ships in detail. It
is very interesting to see what happened to some of these ships
in the end.
Ian
McWhannell, India - Friday, May 2, 2014 at 11:34:03
Although
I have my home in India which is due to being in the BI, I
also have a home in France. Brian Agnew is the only ex BI friend
who has visited. In India my home is in Goa and I have over
the years met many Goans who remember with fondness the BI
...sign
the logbook
William
Finlayson, UK - Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 16:51:34
Researching
husband's service with BI from 1945 to 1954
M
Pillay, Netherlands - Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 14:11:54
I
am piecing together my family tree and have information that
my Grandfather & great grandfather
sailed on the ss Chindwara from
Mauritius. I have lost the connections so will be grateful
if a logbook of the journeys could be found. Specifically dates
and ports of departures.
Ann
Jameson, UK - Sunday, April 20, 2014 at 12:46:21
I
got to this logbook as part of my research on a first cousin
of my father's named Ivy Violet Iseult Coryton, born 1891 in
Muzaffarpur. She was sent to London in 1900 on the schooner Golconda.
I want to know how common it was for a little girl of 9 to
be sent alone on such a voyage. How long was that voyage? Would
she have been seasick? Would any crew-member be charged
by her parents to look after her? Anything about her experiences
on the voyage would be very welcome!
Veronica
De France, Netherlands - Saturday, April 19, 2014 at 06:21:24
Re
my entry yesterday, I made a mistake in my question. The ship
' Alice' in Lloyd's 1878-79
went over to W.D. Doeg in Grngmh.
See information; Veronica de France have sign in yesterday 18/04/2014.
All the best
Veronica
De France, Netherlands - Friday, April 18, 2014 at 19:46:18
Hallo,
From Lloyd's Register of British and foreign shipping 1877-78
(Maritime Museum Amsterdam) I found this information.
ALICE
7
code-23402
Iron ScwSr-226
332
332
-152.5/23.0/14.9-.2Cy.34"-36",70HP-Nwcstl-1854-WMckinnon-Grngmh
If this vessel did not belong to William Mackinnon, who was
then the owner?
In 1878 this vessel went to Mr Gregory Turnbull & Co of
Glasgow.
Can you please enlight me further on this subject. Detail important
for my research. Thank you.
Ian
McWhannell, Goa and France - Monday, April 14, 2014 at 09:33:24
Good
to read that a great shipping company has been so loved by
my fellow sailors that this site continues to keep going. At
80 years a read of this site brings back such good memories
of ships and the men that sailed in them. I still use my nickname "Angus" when
I was a cadet. I live in Goa being one of very few that married
in India. So a half my life time in India that started with
the BI at 16. I also have a home in France see noyersmaisondesreves.com
TomClifton,
UK - Friday, April 11, 2014 at 15:58:16
I'm
the great-grandson of Francis Cook, a captain at some point on
board the ss Aronda, possibly from
the late 30s or early 40s forwards. If anyone is able to give
any information regarding his position, history or demeanour
I would be greatly appreciative.
Peter
Farrell, UK - Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at 23:18:05
Although
I have no connection with maritime life myself, being ex Army
I do however own a BISN Co Ld Mappin and Webb officers galley
silver sugar shaker. Anyone with an interest, send me an email.
Regards.
William
Harvey, UK - Friday, April 4, 2014 at 15:54:22
I
wonder if I can view records of my brother David B Harvey who
was an engineer with BI from 1953-1965
Carol
Bradbury, Canada - Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 01:54:56
I
sailed onboard the Nevasa as part of a school cruise in Nov-Dec
1972. My school was Ascension Collegiate in Bay Roberts,
in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We,
along, with other schools from Goose Bay, Wabush, Churchill Falls
and Burin, were the first students in our province to embark on
the trip of lifetime.
Ian Pitt,
Australia - Tuesday, March 18, 2014 at 23:57:27
I
am trying to find out the name of the BISNCo ship my father
was torpedoed in during WWI. He
was the Purser of a ship that carried cadets and passengers.
The ship was torpedoed near England and he was rescued by
a British Naval ship. My father's name John William Pitt and
he was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire 9 September 1900
Chris
Lovelidge, Canada - Monday, March 17, 2014 at 23:40:38
I
was with BI from 1958 to 1968 starting as cadet to 2nd Mate.
I am looking for any ex BI people living in or around Vancouver
BC now. My email contact has been supplied.
Thank you
...sign
the logbook
Peter
Maynard, UK - Thursday, March 13, 2014 at 11:14:02
Ref
request from Ron Marsh 29th Jan. I have a reasonable image
of Dumra anchored at Muscat 1970
if you are still looking - can email to you.
Derek
Jukes, UK - Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 14:39:09
My
Father-in-Law who died in 1990 was in the East Lancs Regiment,
in 1932 he was in Egypt, China 1933-1937, 1933,Hong Kong, Kowloon,
India 1937. Amongst his many photo's is a Ship, HMT Duwara,
I've seen it depicted on your site as Dunera. [Are
you sure photo was not of Dilwara,
sistership of Dunera? BI never had a ship named Duwara - Editor]
Deborah
Rea, UK - Wednesday, March 5, 2014 at 12:21:10
I
am looking for the log book for the August 1931 crossing from
London to Madras. I am interested in knowing about Jane
Thomson and her children. Could anyone please tell me
why her children had a line drawn through their names?
Ridwan
Chowdhury, Bangladesh - Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 19:44:25
Hi,
thank you for creating such a detailed and informative site. My
query here is about a previous family member. I believe my ancestors
were somehow related to BI Steam Navigation Company. Back in the
early 1900s, my great great grand-father Foyez Ali Chowdhury was
related to the company. As far as I heard, he was a director of
the company. He was from Chittagong, Bangladesh. Although after
extensive research, I could not find any authenticity regarding
that matter. So I was hoping if you have any detail regarding that
matter, you could send me a mail with more information about this
topic. Thank you very much and once again a fantastic job in creating
this site.
Blair
McLean, Australia - Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 02:10:54
My
dad came out from Scotland on the ss Waipara leaving
London on 23/12/1914 aged 3. Great to see pictures of this
ship on the web.
Suleman
Akhtar, US - Thursday, February 20, 2014 at 04:15:56
While
reading the logbook, I saw the picture of ss Chinkoa.
It reminds me of ss Safina-e-Nusrat, ss Yousuf Baksh and ss
Ocean Enterprise (old one). Perhaps Chinkoa and the above were
sisters? [The most recent Chinkoa was built
in 1952 as part of BI's long C class of cargoships. Some ships
built for other companies did have a resemblance to BI's C class
and could include the vessels you name. However, no close sisters
were built for BI other than those with BI names and as far as
I can tell, none of these was subsequently named with any of names
you give - Editor]
Luigi
Gori, Italy - Friday, February 14, 2014 at 10:22:08
I’m
an italian collector of wristwatches and - when
possibile - I try to find out the history of the watches I own,
since behind the hystory of an object there is the history of
a person. I’ve recently purchased a watch whose caseback
has this engraving: “Presented to A. Show from the
staff at Nuddea 1921-1952”. I wonder if Nuddea in this
case may really be a BI ship and if any Mr Shaw has ever
worked for the Company. If so, I'd like to have information
on his activities on board. Thanks to those who can help
me. [From the way this is written,
using 'at' rather than 'in' or 'on', it seems much more likely
that it refers to the district in Bengal, after which the
eponomous BI ships were named. Also, during the 29 years
mentioned, there were two Nuddea ships, and it would be highly
unlikely that anyone's career would span 29 years, in one,
let alone two ships of the name name - Editor]
Richard
Dewis, UK - Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at 14:29:09
My
father Josiah William Dewis served on BI ships during WWII
as CPO gunner
Ian
Pitt, Australia - Sunday, February 9, 2014 at 13:40:33
I
am Ian William Pitt son of John William Pitt, who was a Purser
on a ship which was torpedoed during WW1. He was picked up
by a British naval ship near England. He
was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire 9 September 1900. I was
wondering if you had crew lists for ships torpedoed WWI near
the UK. He was employed
by Gray Dawes at some stage probably after the war. His grandmother
was a sister of The First Earl of Inchcape. He was later
manager and a partner in the firm Macdonald Hamilton & Co who
were the agents for British India Steam Navigation Co. I hope you
can help me. Name of ship not known but it sank during the period
of the 1st World War. I was also employed by Macdonald Hamilton & Co
and worked in the BI Freight Department in Sydney Australia. Employed
with P & O in Sydney Australia for 40 years and spent 4 years
at sea as a Purser in the Eastern & Australian Steamship Company.
Peter
Davies, UK - Friday, February 7, 2014 at 16:38:45
Requesting
information re-Officers and Crew of ss Rohillla -
sunk off Whitby 30.11.1914. A Remembrance service is being
arranged for 30th Oct .2014 at Whitby. List of Officers and
Crew who survived and those that were lost. Will then attempt
to contact relations/descendants to
invite them to partake in 100yrs anniversary.
Rohilla article in BI News No 35 dated April '63.
Mike
King, UK - Monday, February 3, 2014 at 08:11:21
John Alder posted in the logbook last year, would like to find
a point of contact
Lyndon
Johnson, UK - Sunday, February 2, 2014 at 17:57:33
For
Tony Plackett, re his post last Novemeber concerning Christmas
menu on board Sangola. I
am part of the team producing a free newsletter on things BI
(roughly once every 4-6 weeks or so) called "...calling
BI". It may be interesting to
see your scans to see if they could be useful for that publication.
Could you kindly email them to callingbinews@btinternet.com please?
...sign
the logbook
Graham
Smith - Sunday, February 2, 2014 at 15:59:17
For
John Howden who is interested in knowing about Arthur Duncan
Hopkirk. Aurthur was my great uncle's half brother. He married
Jeanie Bruce Howden and they had the daughter Mary Sealda, who
married Thomas Mack.
Peter
Harris, UK - Sunday, February 2, 2014 at 13:29:02
As
Master of a survey ship I spent 2 months at anchor at Suez
and watching the giant container ships pass by. Thought of
the weeks spent in port when in BI, on the cargo ships.
Tom
Kelso, UK - Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 07:35:15
Munir
Ahmed's query regarding the late Abdul Karim, I suggest he
looks at:- www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articlid=5157 or alternatively,
deceasedonline.com
(A number of deceased British and overeas MN seamen who died aboard
ship/or in Glasgow hospitals during WW2, were buried in Cardonald
Cemetery, and probably other Glasgow cemeteries). [If Abdul Karim
was hospitalised ex Queens Dock, the chances are he would be taken
to the nearby Western Infirmary, Glasgow, and buried at the Western
Necropolis]. NB: "articlid" in above website might be "articled"
Tom
Kelso, UK - Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 06:49:28
In
respect of Kenneth Beadle's question, regarding ships his father,
Jack Beadle, sailed on, I am almost certain that the latter
sailed as Second Engineer Officer, on Chantala's
maiden, and, probably,subsequent voyages, March 1950 onwards.
Ron
Marsh, UK - Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at 21:06:13
I
traveled deck class on the ss Dumra in
February 1971 from Bombay on it's route up towards the Persian
Gulf. Unusually we disembarked at Gwadar on the Pakistani
coast when this town was no more than a collection of mud houses.
I came across this website when researching for a book I
am writing about my travels at this time. I was looking for
a photo of the Dumra. Many of the photos which appear seem
to be of ships clearly of the same name but not steam ships.
Does anyone know of the ss Dumra and have a photo of her and
what became of this ship. When we got ashore my two friends
and I were told that we were the first Europeans to have been
seen in this area for 5 years. I would be interested to hear
from anyone who served on this ship at this time. [This
Dumra - the third of the name - was the first of BI's later
D Class passenger cargoships. The four-strong class was built
for the Bombay-Persian Gulf mail run. Dumra entered service
in 1946 and continued on the BI mail service until 1973, when
she was absorbed into P&O group's reorganised fleet. Sold to
Damodar Bulk Carriers and renamed Daman in 1976, she was ultimately
demolished in Bombay in 1979 - Editor]
Maurice
Rocha, Australia - Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 10:09:43
Looking
for a passenger joseph xavier rocha who went to tanzania around
1920 from india to work in the east african railways.
Barrett,
Ausstralia - Thursday, January 23, 2014 at 05:01:38
Left
UK on Palamcotta,
then served
on Dara, Karanja, Itaura and Orna.
Received the BI Centenary Medallion whilst on Orna from Captain
Mudford in Adelaide in 1956. Wish I had kept my copy of the
BI Centenary Magazine, it was priceless. Finally got home
on Orna via Capetown
Khalid
Omaira, Abu Dhabi - Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at 20:46:03
A
new article BISN Co. was published in this journal:
www.ncdr.ae/liwa/issues/LIWA10E.pdf
Robin
Harrod, UK - Monday, January 20, 2014 at 10:34:19
I
am hoping that there is someone who like me has spent time
at Greewich and can help me interpret the BISNCo records.
My grandfather, John Herbert Humble-Crofts joined BISNCo
in 1898 and worked his way up to 1st Officer in 1904. He
was based in Calcutta and like all officers seemed to have
UK leave every 3 years.
It has become important in my research that I locate where he
was in late 1908, and early and late 1909.
I have searched the Greenwich records twice and there are apparent
gaps in his service at the critical times that I cannot explain.
The records show that:
In June 1908 he was on local leave.
From Jul 11th 1908 he was 1st officer on the Itaura.
I do not know how long he would have been on board or what voyages
she made. There is then a gap.
In Jun 1909 he is listed as staff.
Then on Jun 7 1909 he is on board Canara as
4th Officer for passage home on leave under the 3 year rule. He
was relieved 28/7.
Jan 1910 he set off back to India on board the Golconda.
Can anyone explain please where he might have been between July
1908 and June 1909? Is there any way I can find out? I am happy
for anyone with information to contact me. I have two photographs
of my grandfather on board BISNCo ships,
Neil
McLeod, US - Tuesday, January 14, 2014 at 08:52:16
Travelled
on the ss Kenya to Mombasa
in 1951. Here is a poem for you:
Maiden Voyage
Our departure for Kenya Colony was in August 1951. My mother
was determined not to be separated from her husband a moment
longer. So she sold up house and home, packed what was
going to be needed for a new life in a completely different
world, and boarded the S.S. Kenya, British India’s new
ship on her maiden voyage from London. Six weeks later
we were in Mombasa and after some delay we were met by my father,
who from the ship’s side looked as if he had green hair
from swimming pool chlorine. My mother was nursing and we had
a traveling companion and nanny, Yvette. We were diagnosed
as having mumps and quarantined, and so confined to sick bay
up top by the quarter deck. Later the real circumstances
became clear to us.
From London to the Bay of Biscay
And past the straits at ‘Gib’
By Malta through the blazing Med
To Suez and Port Said.
While we were on the upper deck
Ensconced in quarantine,
In sick bay for we had the mumps
So said Doctor MacBean.
Through Suez down to Aden
“To B.I.” was the toast
Round the Horn of Africa to
Mombasa on the coast.
We were on the maiden voyage
The new pride of the line
The S.S. Kenya, British India’s
New ship on the brine.
When the Red Sea lead us on
We missed nanny Yvette,
For while we all remained abaft
She roamed as doctors pet.
And what seemed very interesting
Is that some years later on
We were diagnosed with mumps again
Something must have been wrong.
From London to the Bay of Biscay
And past the straits at ‘Gib’
We took the Kenya’s maiden voyage
I’m telling you no fib
And when we reached Mombasa
Who came to meet us there,
But my father on the quay side
With swimming pool green hair.
Nenette
Reid, Australia - Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at 07:05:28
Would
love to hear from anyone who was on HMT Banfora when the HMT Rohna was
sunk in November 1943. My
grandfather was an AA gunner on the Banfora and any information
relating to that convoy (and any others) is greatly appreciated.
Kenneth
Beadle, UK - Friday, January 3, 2014 at 20:05:49
I
am retired BI C/E/O/ so was my father, Jack BEADLE I wish to
know which B.I. Ships he sailed on. I also wish to find Peter
Sewell, retired B.I. Deck Officer last heard of in Melbourne,
Australia.
Munir
Ahmed, UK - Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at 20:30:52
Does
anyone know anything about Abdul Karim seaman who died aboard
ss Dilwara on October 11th 1944
at Glasgow queens docks. His cause of death was bronchitis
and cardiac failure. Apart from that we have little further
information. He is a relative and we are anxious to find
out more about him especially his burial site. Any information
will be most welcome. Many thanks.
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