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Captain Hugh J. Chubb
Cutting from the Commerce & Shipping Telegraph, 1962:-
Born at Plymouth on November 16th 1893 Capt. Chubb was educated at Devonport High School and the Liverpool Institute High School before joining the Sierra Shipping Co.’s steamer “Sierra Blanca” as a cadet in May 1909. He served his time in this steamer which was employed in the South American trade and on acquiring his second mate’s certificate joined the British India Steam Navigation Co. When he was appointed to the “Neuralia” (9,082 gross tons.) He subsequently served as forth, third and second officer in a number of the company’s steamers including the “Muttra,” “Bharata,” “Dunera,” “Santhia,” “Taroba,” “Orna” and “Oolabaria.”
From January to December 1915 Capt. Chubb served as third and second officer in a number of ships of the allied Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. During his service in the “Bharata” Capt. Chubb took part in the East African campaign and assisted at the evacuation of Tanga.
For a brief period he served as third officer in the Cunard liner “Ascania” which was later wrecked off Cape Ray in June 1918.
In 1919 Capt. Chubb went to Burma to take up an appointment with the Irrawaddy Flotilla Co., serving as Chief Officer of the “Panthay” on the Mandalay cargo service and holding a similar position in the Delta passenger steamers “Naikban” and “Bandoola” He was soon appointed to Command the last-named vessel.
Capt. Chubb served for 23 years with the Irrawaddy Flotilla gaining much experience in salving grounded craft in narrow reaches of tropical rivers during the period.
In 1931 and 1932 he was responsible for the two heaviest tows every undertaken on the Irrawaddy river when the dredgers “Margaret” of the Indo-Burma Oil Co. and “Balbus” of the Burma Oil Co. were towed from Rangoon 650 miles up-river to the oilfields.
In 1942 Capt. Chubb was ordered to sink his vessel, the hospital ship “Siam,” at Katha, in Upper Burma to prevent her being operated by the Japanese. He then made his way to India, where he joined the Indian Army as a second Lieutenant.
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The following are his personal recollections from his notes held at the Maritime Museum, London:-
The outbreak of war in Europe in 1939 at first made very little difference to trade on the Irrawaddy, but from 1940 onwards there was a steady increase in the volume of goods shipped via Rangoon into China eventually 10,000 tons a week were being shipped to Bhamo and thence by lorry via the Burma Road to Kunming. The entry of Japan into the war was, however, the beginning of the end of the Irrawaddy Flotilla. Rangoon was bombed on 23rd December 1941 by 60 Japanese aircraft and again on the 25th December and over 3,000 civilians were killed. The Company's steamer Nepaul was machine-gunned alongside Botataung jetty and her relief Commander and Chief Engineer were killed, a bomb dropped between the Ananda and the Java but fortunately did little damage. From this date onwards people began to leave Rangoon in large numbers and by all possible means. European and Anglo-Indian women left for India by sea and others were evacuated up river to such an extent that the large steamers of the main-line service were each carrying up to 5,000 passengers. Many thousands left by rail, as long as the Burma Railways functioned and others by road and on foot. The Port of Rangoon never functioned again.
As steamers arrived downstream they were kept at the western end of the Twante Canal and brought into the port as and when required. My own vessel, the Siam was waiting at Twante for 12 days during which time I changed her from the Company's colours to grey. We eventually came into Rangoon on the 6th February 1942 and were filled up with 5,000 evacuees. We sailed at 5 p.m. on the 10th February. As I had sailed late on the tide I was unable to clear the Canal and was obliged to anchor the vessel stem and stern at the 8th mile. That night there was another heavy air-raid on Rangoon.
The voyage to Mandalay took 14 days instead of the normal 5 1/2 days, channels were bad and the Burmese had cut adrift many of the buoys marking the channel. During daylight I was obliged to put the steamer alongside the bank every four hours for sanitary purposes and as the galleys were in use 24 hours out of 24 fires were constantly breaking out on the upper deck due to the galley funnels and steel deck plating becoming red hot and causing the wooden planking to catch fire.
On reaching Lepanbu below Prome we found 26 vessels of all kinds anchored below the Kyathai Channels and 12 above it, as the Mindoon was aground in the channel blocking it completely, this caused a delay of four days. The Siam arrived at Mandalay on the 24th February and was ordered down river again to tow up flats and other craft, we continued doing this also carrying large numbers of evacuees from place to place until mid-march when the vessel was converted into a Hospital ship. This was carried out at Yenangyaung by transferring the contents and equipment of the B.O.C. Hospital, all of which had been taken over by the Army.
We took on board 875 casualties and proceeded up to Sagaing to land them. Our next trip was only as far as Myingyan as the Japanese advance had been very rapid and being once again fully laden with casualties we left upwards as the Japanese entered Myingyan on the 28th May. By now ships were being sunk to prevent their falling into the enemy's hands and our Chittagonian crews were deserting in large numbers and trekking across the mountains to India. In fact, on our last trip our firemen were Sikh soldiers under Lt. Robertson - a very gallant officer under whom I was later destined to serve when he was Colonel Commanding No. 4 I.W.T. Group in the Arakan Campaign of 1943.
The Talifoo was the first large steamer to be sunk at Mingoon just above Mandalay. She was followed by Punjab, Panthay and Ananda, whilst a large number of smaller steamers such as Kansi, Kaladan etc. were sunk at Mandalay. Many of the Company's large cargo flats were also sunk there. The Kalaw, several large flats and a large number of 125 ton Delta cargo lighters were sunk at Sagaing.
The method used in sinking the steamers was to open the main injection valve and then machine-gun the vessel along the water line from a boat, this machine-gunning was also used on flats and barges. The Ceylon was sunk and set on fire off Mandalay Dockyard. As the river was low at the time many vessels merely settled down a few feet, however, most were covered except for their funnels by 30 June when the river rose. More vessels were scuttled at Kyaukmyaung, 53 miles above Mandalay at the lower end on the 3rd Defile, there is deep water there and Mindoon was sunk here in 54 feet. At other stations between Kyaukmyaung and Katha various steamers and flats were sunk or damaged and at a small wood station below Tagaung six creek steamers were sunk as they had no crew and could not be towed away.
The station vessels at Thabeitkyin were scuttled but two 200 ft. flats were left intact at Bogine and Tagaung. About 75 vessels were sunk at Katha on 2, 3 and 4th May, including Nepaul, Siam, Mysore, Jave, Japan, Taping, Sawbwa, Sinkan, Samalouk, Sagamya, Minlat and finally Mingalay which vessel had the main demolition party on board.
Several vessels however fell into Japanese hands or could not be destroyed in time, notably the Assam, Shwelan, Maha, Minthamee and Kaduma. All these were afterwards bombed by the R. A. F. and destroyed whilst in use by the Japanese Army, excepting the Kaduma which was found stranded on the west bank below Mingoon (near Mandalay) in 1945.
With the final sinking at Katha began the trek to India which is best taken up by Capt. H.A. Watts' story. (The Trek from Katha to Imphal, (245 miles,) 1942) - and will be available shortly... Other vessels, mainly stern wheelers, were sunk in the Chindwin, having been used for the evacuation of General Alexander's troops.
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Capt. Chubb served with the Indian Army for the remainder of the war, rising to the rank of Major. He was demobilised in September 1946 but the next month went to Germany with the rank of Lt.-Colonel as a technical assistant to the Central Control Commission at Hamburg, serving until December 1947.
Born at Plymouth on November 16th 1893 Capt. Chubb was educated at Devonport High School and the Liverpool Institute High School before joining the Sierra Shipping Co.’s steamer “Sierra Blanca” as a cadet in May 1909. He served his time in this steamer which was employed in the South American trade and on acquiring his second mate’s certificate joined the British India Steam Navigation Co. When he was appointed to the “Neuralia” (9,082 gross tons.) He subsequently served as forth, third and second officer in a number of the company’s steamers including the “Muttra,” “Bharata,” “Dunera,” “Santhia,” “Taroba,” “Orna” and “Oolabaria.”
From January to December 1915 Capt. Chubb served as third and second officer in a number of ships of the allied Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. During his service in the “Bharata” Capt. Chubb took part in the East African campaign and assisted at the evacuation of Tanga.
For a brief period he served as third officer in the Cunard liner “Ascania” which was later wrecked off Cape Ray in June 1918.
In 1919 Capt. Chubb went to Burma to take up an appointment with the Irrawaddy Flotilla Co., serving as Chief Officer of the “Panthay” on the Mandalay cargo service and holding a similar position in the Delta passenger steamers “Naikban” and “Bandoola” He was soon appointed to Command the last-named vessel.
Capt. Chubb served for 23 years with the Irrawaddy Flotilla gaining much experience in salving grounded craft in narrow reaches of tropical rivers during the period.
In 1931 and 1932 he was responsible for the two heaviest tows every undertaken on the Irrawaddy river when the dredgers “Margaret” of the Indo-Burma Oil Co. and “Balbus” of the Burma Oil Co. were towed from Rangoon 650 miles up-river to the oilfields.
In 1942 Capt. Chubb was ordered to sink his vessel, the hospital ship “Siam,” at Katha, in Upper Burma to prevent her being operated by the Japanese. He then made his way to India, where he joined the Indian Army as a second Lieutenant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following are his personal recollections from his notes held at the Maritime Museum, London:-
The outbreak of war in Europe in 1939 at first made very little difference to trade on the Irrawaddy, but from 1940 onwards there was a steady increase in the volume of goods shipped via Rangoon into China eventually 10,000 tons a week were being shipped to Bhamo and thence by lorry via the Burma Road to Kunming. The entry of Japan into the war was, however, the beginning of the end of the Irrawaddy Flotilla. Rangoon was bombed on 23rd December 1941 by 60 Japanese aircraft and again on the 25th December and over 3,000 civilians were killed. The Company's steamer Nepaul was machine-gunned alongside Botataung jetty and her relief Commander and Chief Engineer were killed, a bomb dropped between the Ananda and the Java but fortunately did little damage. From this date onwards people began to leave Rangoon in large numbers and by all possible means. European and Anglo-Indian women left for India by sea and others were evacuated up river to such an extent that the large steamers of the main-line service were each carrying up to 5,000 passengers. Many thousands left by rail, as long as the Burma Railways functioned and others by road and on foot. The Port of Rangoon never functioned again.
As steamers arrived downstream they were kept at the western end of the Twante Canal and brought into the port as and when required. My own vessel, the Siam was waiting at Twante for 12 days during which time I changed her from the Company's colours to grey. We eventually came into Rangoon on the 6th February 1942 and were filled up with 5,000 evacuees. We sailed at 5 p.m. on the 10th February. As I had sailed late on the tide I was unable to clear the Canal and was obliged to anchor the vessel stem and stern at the 8th mile. That night there was another heavy air-raid on Rangoon.
The voyage to Mandalay took 14 days instead of the normal 5 1/2 days, channels were bad and the Burmese had cut adrift many of the buoys marking the channel. During daylight I was obliged to put the steamer alongside the bank every four hours for sanitary purposes and as the galleys were in use 24 hours out of 24 fires were constantly breaking out on the upper deck due to the galley funnels and steel deck plating becoming red hot and causing the wooden planking to catch fire.
On reaching Lepanbu below Prome we found 26 vessels of all kinds anchored below the Kyathai Channels and 12 above it, as the Mindoon was aground in the channel blocking it completely, this caused a delay of four days. The Siam arrived at Mandalay on the 24th February and was ordered down river again to tow up flats and other craft, we continued doing this also carrying large numbers of evacuees from place to place until mid-march when the vessel was converted into a Hospital ship. This was carried out at Yenangyaung by transferring the contents and equipment of the B.O.C. Hospital, all of which had been taken over by the Army.
We took on board 875 casualties and proceeded up to Sagaing to land them. Our next trip was only as far as Myingyan as the Japanese advance had been very rapid and being once again fully laden with casualties we left upwards as the Japanese entered Myingyan on the 28th May. By now ships were being sunk to prevent their falling into the enemy's hands and our Chittagonian crews were deserting in large numbers and trekking across the mountains to India. In fact, on our last trip our firemen were Sikh soldiers under Lt. Robertson - a very gallant officer under whom I was later destined to serve when he was Colonel Commanding No. 4 I.W.T. Group in the Arakan Campaign of 1943.
The Talifoo was the first large steamer to be sunk at Mingoon just above Mandalay. She was followed by Punjab, Panthay and Ananda, whilst a large number of smaller steamers such as Kansi, Kaladan etc. were sunk at Mandalay. Many of the Company's large cargo flats were also sunk there. The Kalaw, several large flats and a large number of 125 ton Delta cargo lighters were sunk at Sagaing.
The method used in sinking the steamers was to open the main injection valve and then machine-gun the vessel along the water line from a boat, this machine-gunning was also used on flats and barges. The Ceylon was sunk and set on fire off Mandalay Dockyard. As the river was low at the time many vessels merely settled down a few feet, however, most were covered except for their funnels by 30 June when the river rose. More vessels were scuttled at Kyaukmyaung, 53 miles above Mandalay at the lower end on the 3rd Defile, there is deep water there and Mindoon was sunk here in 54 feet. At other stations between Kyaukmyaung and Katha various steamers and flats were sunk or damaged and at a small wood station below Tagaung six creek steamers were sunk as they had no crew and could not be towed away.
The station vessels at Thabeitkyin were scuttled but two 200 ft. flats were left intact at Bogine and Tagaung. About 75 vessels were sunk at Katha on 2, 3 and 4th May, including Nepaul, Siam, Mysore, Jave, Japan, Taping, Sawbwa, Sinkan, Samalouk, Sagamya, Minlat and finally Mingalay which vessel had the main demolition party on board.
Several vessels however fell into Japanese hands or could not be destroyed in time, notably the Assam, Shwelan, Maha, Minthamee and Kaduma. All these were afterwards bombed by the R. A. F. and destroyed whilst in use by the Japanese Army, excepting the Kaduma which was found stranded on the west bank below Mingoon (near Mandalay) in 1945.
With the final sinking at Katha began the trek to India which is best taken up by Capt. H.A. Watts' story. (The Trek from Katha to Imphal, (245 miles,) 1942) - and will be available shortly... Other vessels, mainly stern wheelers, were sunk in the Chindwin, having been used for the evacuation of General Alexander's troops.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Capt. Chubb served with the Indian Army for the remainder of the war, rising to the rank of Major. He was demobilised in September 1946 but the next month went to Germany with the rank of Lt.-Colonel as a technical assistant to the Central Control Commission at Hamburg, serving until December 1947.