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Irrawaddy Flotilla Co.
"Personalities"
"Personalities"
Capt. Hugh J. Chubb
The Irrawaddy Magazines and many of the photos on the I.F.C.
pages come from his collection held at the National Museums Liverpool.
pages come from his collection held at the National Museums Liverpool.
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.
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 Lieutenant-Colonel as a technical assistant to the Central Control Commission at Hamburg, serving until December 1947.
The above is from a newspaper cutting in the "Commerce & Shipping Telegraph, 1962."
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.
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 Lieutenant-Colonel as a technical assistant to the Central Control Commission at Hamburg, serving until December 1947.
The above is from a newspaper cutting in the "Commerce & Shipping Telegraph, 1962."
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Jan. 1929 - Issue No. 1.
James Hall Duncanson Mr Duncanson was born in Edinburgh in 1873 and after completing his apprenticeship at Bertrams Ltd. Sciennes, in that City, he served in various grades on board the steamers of Messrs. James Currie & Co., Leith and the London & Edinburgh Shipping Co. until he obtained his First Class B.T. Certificate. He then joined the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in 1897 and served there for part of the time as Chief Engineer in the Mandalay Mail Service until 1915 when he was appointed Fleet Engineer. He was a member of the Burma Boiler Commission, Examiner of Engineers qualifying for certificates and a member of the Council of the European Association. Mr Duncanson was highly esteemed by all who knew him, both in the Flotilla and outside of it, his genuine kindly manner, fund of information and humour, making him many friends. He was a man of exceptional physique but was laid low by a heat stroke in the hot weather of March from which, in spite of every care and attention, he never recovered. By his death on the 3rd May 1919, the service lost a good servant and Burma a popular personality. |
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Oct. 1928 - Issue No. 5
A. Cloudesley Again we have to record the retirement of a well-known Flotillaite. Mr Cloudesley retired in June this year after 32 years service. He served his apprenticeship at Duncan Stewart’s in Glasgow and joined the Service in October 1896. He served in the “Shan” “Okpho” “Thambyadine” “Maulong” and various other vessels. He was also appointed to Dalla Dockyard, Rangoon Foundry and Moulmein Dockyard at various times. His last position was Creek Launch Superintendent Engineer, in which post he had been many years. Mr Cloudesley was well liked by all and we wish him many happy years of retirement and leisure in Polloksheilds. |
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April 1928 - Issue No. 3
Comdr. F.K. Thimm R.N.R. Having joined the Irrawaddy Flotilla Co. in March 1885, I was appointed mate of the P.S. “Panthay” I was in Mandalay when the ultimatum to King Thibaw was sent up by the Govt. We were one of the last vessels to leave downward bound. On November 10th 1885, we left Rangoon with two flat in tow with the 9-1 Cinque Ports Mule Mountain Battery on board. We caught up with the main body of the whole Flotilla fleet at Thayetmyo on the 15th.
On the 16th the Battery was landed at Sinboungwai and the position was shelled and the village burnt. On Wednesday, 18th, Minhla was captured and the fort garrisoned. On the 19th Magwe was passed and found to be deserted. From there all stations were passed till the Flotilla reached Pagan, which was shelled on the 21st. On arrival at Myingyan the place was shelled and surrendered and on the 26th Ava was evacuated. The following day the King’s Army surrendered. The fleet then proceeded to Mandalay arriving there on Saturday the 28th . The Battery was landed, mule lines formed and the guns parked. On Sunday, 29th, King Thibaw and Queen Supayalat embarked on board the “Thooreah” for Rangoon. I accompanied the Mule Battery to the Palace on the 29th and saw the surrender of the King. We had on board the official photographer to the Expedition and as I had been civil to him he gave me a full set of the pictures taken of the Expedition. The Queen’s Maid of Honour who was the widow of one of our Captains and retained by the Queen as she was an expert photographer, gave me copies of the, possible, only authentic photos of the King and Queen in ordinary attire and also in full Royal robes. I obtained my first commission in the R.N.R. for my War service and I got command of the old “Col. Fytche” shortly afterwards. I took the “Panthay” up to Mandalay as Capt. C. Smith had gone on leave and Capt. Fenton, taking the “Panthay” made over the ”Col. Fytche” to me. I was in one of the first steamers up the Chindwin and was on the Bhamo run for 5 years. I resigned from the Company in 1902. (Capt. Thimm received the Burma Medal for this war and also served 5 yrs. during the late war. – Ed.) |
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April 1929 – Issue No. 2
Capt. R.D. Thomson Capt. Thompson was born at Glasson, near Lancaster on the 21st September 1858. Shipping as a boy in sail he served as ordinary seaman, A.B., bosun, 3rd , 2nd and 1st mate in various sailing ships, passing for his master’s certificate in London on March 10th 1880. He then went into steam. Joining the Flotilla on November 30th 1886, he served as 2nd mate and mate of various steamers until he was appointed Commander of the “Daga” on January 26th 1889. Previous to gaining his command he had been 1st mate of the “Rangoon” for two years. He was later in command of the “Gyne” “Syriam” “Nagama” “Bandoola” “Pekin” “Ava” and “Burma.” He retired from the service on June 28th 1908. Capt. Thompson retired to the U.S.A. and settled in Eugene, Oregon. Writing on Armistice Day, 1928, he says, “This country affords many attractions, but none for me that are not entirely overshadowed by the glamour of the Irrawaddy. The Flotilla was good to me. I knew it when I was with them and , believe me, I know it now.” Capt. Thomson married an American lady from Southern California and went to England for his honeymoon. He relates:- “Stopping at a hotel where I had formerly been acquainted I struck up a conversation with the landlady about the Thompsons. “Do you know Bob?” I asked her. “Yes,” she answered, “Bob was the black sheep of the family. He went to sea and got to making broken voyages, staying off on the other side. Yes, he sunk very low. Booze got the best of him. He died some years ago in America.” I looked at my wife and said to the woman “I am Bob Thompson.” “Well,” she replied, “It is a good thing sometimes to hear the truth about ourselves.”” He often attends the Y.M.C.A. and gives lectures on travel and the old sailing ships. In his last letter to us he enclosed a card which informed us that he was giving a lecture on December 15th last on “My sailing ship days.” Long may he enjoy his retirement. Capt. Thomson wishes to hear from any of his contemporaries in the Service if they would write to him at:- an address is given in Eugene, Oregon, U.S.A. |
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July 1928 – Issue No 4
Capt. G. Carey In the Guernsey Star dated December 28th of last year there is an account of an Honour conferred on Mr Geoffrey Carey, one time Acting Marine Superintendent of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Co. “Capt. Carey, as most of we present Flotillaites know him, first started his seafaring life as a cadet on H.M.S. “Brittannia.” He, to use his own words, soon found that he hated anything to do with the sea, and that the sea had no use for him. Oddly enough, with all the above mentioned dislike, he, in 1881, practically ran away to sea. He eventually became 2nd and Chief Officer of that very fine ship R. and H. Green’s “Superb.” After that he was Chief Officer of another fine ship the “Carlisle Castle.” He passed for Master when 22 years of age and then joined the I.F. Co. at the end of1889. Whilst at the Flotilla Company he served as Third, Second and Chief of R.M.S. “Beeloo.” He relieved Capt. Cooper as Marine Superintendent in 1891. His commands were the “Syriam” “Gyne” acted as Bassein Agent, “Naikban” “Ava” “Manwyne” “Dufferin” “Hindustan” “Siam” and “Japan.” He was appointed Superintendent of Creek Steamers in 1906 and retired in 1923. In 1925 he was elected Deputy for Guernsey States and in 1927 was elected Jurat (Jure Justicier) of the Royal Court (LaCour Royale) which is the Privy Council of the Island and the High Court of Justice. It certainly is intensely interesting to hear of the different Old Flotilla hands making their personalities felt in different parts of the world. I am sure we remaining Flotillaites wish Capt. and Mrs Carey many years of happy retirement in the island of Guernsey where he was born. |
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July 1929 Issue No. 8
Capt. J.A.O. Terndrup |
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In our last number we mentioned that Capt. J.A.O. Terndrup had retired from the service from July 31st next. Capt. Terndrup left Burma in the “Yoma” on the 31st March. He intends to retire for a time in the south of France, where the climate is a little milder for anyone from the East, than the cold winters of England.
He was born in Denmark in 1860 and at the age of sixteen went to sea in a sailing ship calling at Rangoon several times. In 1879 he left his ship in Rangoon and secured a job as mate of a tug-boat. After a time in the tug he joined the Rangoon Pilot Service as apprentice Pilot but left that to join the Flotilla on December 1st 1900. He was Chief Officer for a time in the “Shintsawboo” under Capt. Morgan, being appointed to his first command on October 3rd 1884 in the “Kahbyu” on the Mandalay-Bhamo run. During his service on the “Kahbyu” he had quite an adventurous time. In December 1884 Bhamo was sacked by the Chinese marauders and when the “Kahbyu” arrived Capt. Terndrup found the Chinese in possession. He interviewed the leader of the raiders and managed to rescue thirty to forty Americans and British missionaries who were living there. For this he received a gold watch from the Indian Government. During the Burmese War in 1885 Capt. Terndrup carried Lord Roberts and General Prendergast in his ship and also did a lot of trooping in the days after annexation. He also accompanied General Prendergast as a guide to the Palace when King Thibaw was taken prisoner. In June 1886 he was appointed to the “Mayglah” and later on in the same year to the “Pulu” and “Talifoo.” From then on he was successively in the “Canton” “Mindoon” “Mandalay” “Yomah” “Beeloo” “China” “Burma” “Java” “Siam” “Ceylon” and “Japan,” being finally appointed to the “Nepaul” on December 8th 1910. He remained in that ship till last December when he retired from the Service. With his departure from Burma one of the last links in the chain of connection of the Flotilla with the Burmese Empire has broken. He was full of anecdotes and yarns of the pre-war days in 1885 and could hold one interested for hours listening to him. He was liked by everyone in the Service and had hosts of friends all over Burma, by who, he will be greatly missed. Before he sailed he was presented with a silver salver from his brother Commanders and Officers as a token “of their esteem on his retirement” On it was engraved a picture of the “Nepaul” and a list of all the subscribers. After presentation was appropriately made on the “Nepaul” in Rangoon by Capt. Haddow. In a short speech Capt. Haddow made, he remarked that we were losing a very good friend and it is certain that all will endorse that statement. Always jovial and friendly, full of life, energetic and hospitable we have had to say, with regret, “au revoir” to our “youngest” Commander. May he and Mrs Terndrup have many enjoyable years of rest and quiet in their retirement in the south of France and also in England when they return there. |
July 1929 Issue No. 8
Capt. W.N. Beckett
Capt. W.N. Beckett
Capt. Walter Newton Beckett was born at Glasgow in 1851. He served his apprenticeship in the sailing vessels of the well-known firm of Messrs. G. Smith & Sons.
His first ship was the “City of Ningpo” in which he served two years in the Calcutta trade. He was then transferred to the “City of Amoy” on a voyage to Bombay, in which ship he finished his time.He then made a voyage in the S.S. “City of Cambridge” as an A.B. and later was an A.B. for a voyage in the “City
of Lucknow.”
He was then appointed 3rd mate of the same ship. After a voyage as 2nd mate of the “City of Quebec” he was two years 2nd mate of the “Mermerus” owned by Messrs. A. & J.H. Carmichael of Greenock.He then joined the barque “Ares” owned by Mrs M. Barton of Glasgow as mate on a voyage to Rangoon and was later mate of the “City of Berlin” on a voyage to Rangoon and Java.
Leaving Smith’s he joined P. Henderson’s and was appointed 2nd mate of the ship “William Davie” on a voyage to Otago N.Z. On his return to England he passed for his Master’s certificate and joined the S.S. “Mandalay” as forth mate.After four voyage in that steamer to Rangoon he joined the I. F. Co. on April 11th 1882.
He was successively mate of the “Doowoon” “Burma” “Pulu” and “Ngawun” being appointed to a command in the “Ngawun” on Dec. 6th 1883. From that time until 1904 he was successively in command of the “Ngawun” “Palow” “Alguada” “Brahma” “Ashley Eden” “Ava” “China” “Dufferin” and “India.”
On April 10th 1905 he was appointed to the “Siam” and in Nov. 1906 to the “Java” On June 21st 1909 he was appointed Commander of the “Assam” in which ship he remained till he retired on March 28th 1914.
Capt. Beckett was a great believer in the Navy League of which Society he had been a member for years.
After his retirement he lived in Wallasey, Cheshire, where he died on March 12th 1929.
His first ship was the “City of Ningpo” in which he served two years in the Calcutta trade. He was then transferred to the “City of Amoy” on a voyage to Bombay, in which ship he finished his time.He then made a voyage in the S.S. “City of Cambridge” as an A.B. and later was an A.B. for a voyage in the “City
of Lucknow.”
He was then appointed 3rd mate of the same ship. After a voyage as 2nd mate of the “City of Quebec” he was two years 2nd mate of the “Mermerus” owned by Messrs. A. & J.H. Carmichael of Greenock.He then joined the barque “Ares” owned by Mrs M. Barton of Glasgow as mate on a voyage to Rangoon and was later mate of the “City of Berlin” on a voyage to Rangoon and Java.
Leaving Smith’s he joined P. Henderson’s and was appointed 2nd mate of the ship “William Davie” on a voyage to Otago N.Z. On his return to England he passed for his Master’s certificate and joined the S.S. “Mandalay” as forth mate.After four voyage in that steamer to Rangoon he joined the I. F. Co. on April 11th 1882.
He was successively mate of the “Doowoon” “Burma” “Pulu” and “Ngawun” being appointed to a command in the “Ngawun” on Dec. 6th 1883. From that time until 1904 he was successively in command of the “Ngawun” “Palow” “Alguada” “Brahma” “Ashley Eden” “Ava” “China” “Dufferin” and “India.”
On April 10th 1905 he was appointed to the “Siam” and in Nov. 1906 to the “Java” On June 21st 1909 he was appointed Commander of the “Assam” in which ship he remained till he retired on March 28th 1914.
Capt. Beckett was a great believer in the Navy League of which Society he had been a member for years.
After his retirement he lived in Wallasey, Cheshire, where he died on March 12th 1929.