Working
on the Waterfront
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Introduction
The Port of Calcutta and the river Hooghly were still a
vital part of the city's and even India's economy in the 1940s, and a great
many people were involved with it at all levels. With Calcutta as the main city
and re-supply station for the Burma and China fronts there was tremendous
pressure on all the facilities and people involved. In addition to that the port and its approaches were often under
attack by the Japanese. The 1940s leave
us with many vivid memories of Calcuttans relationships with ships and boats
and rivers and the sea.
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The
Merchant Navy
_____Pictures of 1940s
Calcutta_________________________
_____Contemporary
Records of or about 1940s Calcutta___
_____Memories of 1940s
Calcutta_________________________
We did not make it
I made several trips from Australia to Sumatra
and Singapore, taking away stocks of aviation fuel from Singapore to the Dutch
East Indies ahead of the advancing Japanese.
On the last of these voyages the Japanese got to
Singapore first. We loaded at Sumatra and headed for Batavia, Java (what is now
called Jakarta). We were in a convoy of six tankers. Three were sunk and two
others were hit by Japanese bombers. We were the slowest ship, but we got
through to Batavia unscathed. After unloading the fuel, we set sail for the
Persian Gulf via Sundra Strait, arriving at Abadan without incident.
After loading fuel we proceeded to Colombo,
Madras and then headed for Calcutta.
We did not make it. A Japanese task force attacked and we were forced to
abandon ship. We took to the life boats but one crew member was killed. We made
landfall on the coast of Orissa. The beaches were lined with seafarers (many
seriously injured) from other ships that had been sunk on the same day. It is
estimated that this Japanese task force accounted for approximately 60 vessels
in the Bay of Bengal.
The port of Calcutta was closed by this action and I eventually got to
Bombay overland - a 2 day journey.
John Simpson, Cabin Boy on a
Norwegian Tanker ‘Elsa’, Bay of Bengal, 1942
(source: A7892175 Return to England at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/
Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
The Sinking of the SS Nancy Moller
on 18th March 1944
[…] a convoy of seventeen ships leaving Calcutta
was met about 100 miles out, in the Bay of Bengal by a Japanese cruiser - and
not one of them escaped! Among them was the TakSang,
on which my son Jim had been Chief Officer, but had left the ship that voyage
to take up the position of Assistant Harbour Master in Calcutta!
Jim later went to sea again, when a call came
for navigation officers for the mercantile fleet. He was made captain of the SS Nancy Moller, which was torpedoed on a
voyage from Durban to Colombo, and Jim went down with his ship. Poor fellow!
The Chief Engineer of that ship, who was saved, along with some thirty Indian
crew members, came to me in Calcutta and gave me a brief history of the whole
occurrence.
The torpedo struck them amidship and went into
the engine room, where it killed all the men down there. In less than two
minutes, the hull was below water. My son, the Chief, and Second Officer were
on the upper bridge trying to loosen the holding bolts of an Oerlikon gun they
had up there. The ship was sinking with a heavy list to starboard.
The submarine was on their port side, still
below the surface, but they couldn't fire on it, unless they got the holding
bolts off. Suddenly, while they worked feverishly with that object in mind,
another fatal explosion occurred from below. The bridge gun and all three men
were flung sky-high into bits! In another minute, there was no sign of the
ship, except an oil spot on the water.
Two rafts had got away from the ship; on them
the rescued crawled. Amongst them were, besides the Chief Engineer and the
Indians, two Chinese. The submarine came to the surface - it was one of the
big, new ones – came alongside the rafts, and asked for the Captain, Chief
Officer and Chief Engineer. The Engineer remained in the water and hung onto
the raft by one of the life lines and, so, could not be seen by the Japs. The
Indians replied: 'All killed. We only crew.'
The Jap then called the two Chinese up on the
fore-deck of the submarine. They obediently clambered up. 'Where do you come
from in China?'
Both replied: 'Canton.'
On that, the Jap commander pulled out a revolver
or pistol and shot them both dead! A Jap sailor then kicked the two bodies into
the sea!
At that time, an aeroplane was heard in the far
distance. The survivors saw the submarine do a crash dive and, by the time the
plane passed far overhead, there was no sign of the sub.
The survivors drifted about on the rafts for two
days and nights, and were then picked up by an English cruiser bound for
Mauritius. From there they were sent to Durban. Later the Chief Engineer was
sent to the shipping pool in England, while the Indian crew was kept in Durban
for over a year. When the crew returned to Calcutta, two of them came to my
office and related the same story that I had had from the Chief Engineer.
I suffered a great setback in general health
after the sad news of my son Jim and went down in weight, day by day. I had
always been around 175 pounds, but went right down to 125! I kept working,
nevertheless. I was due a leave, but to go to Europe now was out of the
question and only a little time was left for me in the Customs Service.
August
Peter Hansen, Customs Inspector, Calcutta 1944
(source:
page 209 of August Peter Hansen: “Memoirs of an Adventurous Dane in India :
1904-1947” London: BACSA, 1999)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non
commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with 1999
Margaret [Olsen] Brossman)
We did not make it
By April 1942 I was on board the Elsa, a tanker
operated by a Norwegian shipping line, in the Bay of Bengal. It was dawn. I
woke up to the noises of shellfire. I looked out towards the horizon and saw
guns flashing on a Japanese cruiser. I actually saw holes appearing in the
decks, as the shells were arriving quite accurately. I was on the starboard
side at the after end of the ship, with the accommodation block ahead of me. I
walked that way to see what was going on, and saw the holes appearing, from the
shells landing at a flat angle and going through the deck and out the far side.
Meanwhile the Second Mate was organising the
lowering of the lifeboat. It all happened so quickly. The main concern was to
get off this explosive vessel. Fortunately we were not carrying aviation spirit
on that occasion - the ship had been condemned in Abadan for carrying aviation
fuel, and they loaded power kerosene, six thousand tons, and we had discharged
some at Colombo, and some at Madras. The rest was for Calcutta, but we never got there.
In the final count of heads on the two boats,
there was just one man missing, the brother of one of the Norwegian sailors. We
can only assume that he went back to his quarters - he had been the lookout -
and he was past saving. We were told not to go back to the quarters, so I was
in the boat in my pyjamas. I had nothing with me at all. But it didn't matter.
Nobody salvaged anything.
The captain and the mate and the Third Officer
got away from the bridge in the captain's gig, a small boat, along with the
chief steward. The port boat got away with some men in it, and the starboard
boat had most in it; there was enough room in any boat for the whole of the
crew, either port or starboard.
We got clear of the burning vessel, and in the
head count the Chief Engineer was missing. They decided to set the captain's
gig adrift and use the port lifeboat as a sturdier option, and had moved off
about a mile when they saw something moving in the gig. The Chief Engineer had
apparently dived overboard at the last minute and managed to reach the gig. He
was an old chap, about 60. The explanation for him being there so late was he
was looking for his dog. The dog, of course, was terrified and had gone and
hidden somewhere and he couldn't find it. Eventually he realised he had to
leave it or die with it. So he lost his dog, and he was very upset about that,
but he was in one piece.
What I did like was that when the attack was
over the Japanese ships steamed past us with all the ratings lined up on the
deck as if they were on review. Fantastic. We all thought they would
machine-gun us for sure, the Norwegians thought that, and everybody started
holding the gunwale of the boat, watching for the machine-gun fire, because you
can see the shots landing before the bullets get to you, all ready to dive into
the water. But nothing happened, which I thought was very good. They seemed to
show a mark of respect instead of attempting butchery.
There were 60 ships sunk that day in the Bay of
Bengal.
We sailed overnight. Just before dark we sighted
land. Of course, we couldn't risk going in during the night, so we put the sea
anchor out and rode the night out offshore. With daybreak we could see what we
were doing, so we rowed the boat in like a surf boat and everybody hopped out
onto the beach. We had landed in the state of Orissa, in North-East India. The
only serious injury among us was the mate, with a big lump of his face blown
off by shrapnel. We improvised a stretcher and carried him in turns, and the
natives, the Indians, directed us walking inland through what was pretty much
jungle - I saw a cobra hanging in a tree - until we were eventually picked up
by transport, lorries, and taken to Cuttack, the capital of Orissa, and put up
in the university and given food and clothing. They seemed to be well
organised, the Indians, and I was given khaki shorts and a shirt and underwear.
The next day we were sent by rail to Calcutta, where we were put up in the
Grand Hotel on Chowringhee. We were there for about three weeks while the port
was closed due to enemy action. Then we were sent over to Bombay, a two-day
journey. In Bombay we were put up at the Norwegian Seaman's Rest Home, a
delightful place north of the racecourse.
I was given the option of returning to the UK or
to the place of embarkation, which was Australia. So I opted to return to
Australia to see my girlfriend!
We got paid, by the way, during all this hassle.
We got paid. The Chief Steward did the wages, the accounts, for everybody. He
had to estimate what you were owed, and on his say-so they paid out that
amount. There were no delays, you had money in your pocket. That was where I
got my Indian passport, given to me in Bombay to replace the one lost by enemy
action.
I managed to get a wardrobe of clothing in
Bombay - trousers tailor-made, flannels, shoes and whatever. I had enough money
to purchase whatever I needed in the way of clothing as India was not very
expensive in those days. Whiteway Laidlaw, a Scottish firm, had stores all over
the Far East, and they employed English tailors, English cutters, in India.
I got on the Dominion Monarch in Bombay as a
DBS, a distressed British seaman, and was returned to the place of embarkation.
We arrived off Sydney Head - while it was under attack by Japanese submarines!
John Simpson, Cabin Boy on a
Norwegian Tanker ‘Elsa’, Bay of Bengal, 1942
(source: A8458833 Sinking of the Elsa at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/
Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
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The Port
_____Pictures of 1940s
Calcutta_________________________
G.I. dock workers
GI dock workers of the Port companies created
order out of chaos at Calcutta's great docks and thousands of tons of vital war
supplies flowed through to china, Burma and India. The MP is on hand to see that the coolies do not pilfer from the
rations they are carrying.
Clyde Waddell, US military man, personal press
photographer of Lord Louis Mountbatten, and news photographer on Phoenix
magazine. Calcutta, mid 1940s
(source:
webpage http://oldsite.library.upenn.edu/etext/sasia/calcutta1947/? Monday, 16-Jun-2003 / Reproduced by courtesy of David N. Nelson,
South Asia Bibliographer, Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania)
Sail and steam-power river boats on Hooghly River downstream from Howrah Bridge
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River boats, Rf012, "Sail and steam-power river boats on Hooghly River downstream from Howrah Bridge." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
River activity, Calcutta side of Hooghly, upstream from Botanical Garden
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River activity, Rf015, "River activity, Calcutta side of Hooghly, upstream from Botanical Garden. " seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Activity on a barge upstream from Hooghly Bridge a short distance, Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Activity on a barge, Rf018, "Activity on a barge upstream from Hooghly Bridge a short distance, Calcutta." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
River traffic as seen from Howrah Bridge, Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River traffic, Rf020, "River traffic as seen from Howrah Bridge, Calcutta." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Riverfront activity, Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Riverfront activity, Rf021, "Riverfront activity, Calcutta." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River shipping activity, Rf025, "River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River shipping activity, Rf026, "River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River shipping activity, Rf028, "River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River shipping activity, Rf029, "River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Unloading melons, Calcutta riverfront above Howrah Bridge, Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Unloading melons, Rf033, "Unloading melons, Calcutta riverfront above Howrah Bridge, Calcutta." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Human conveyor belt loading river barge, near Howrah Bridge and on Strand Road side of river. Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Human conveyor belt, Rf034, "Human conveyor belt loading river barge, near Howrah Bridge and on Strand Road side of river. Calcutta." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Unloading pottery containers, across from Howrah Station, Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Unloading pottery containers, Rf036, "Unloading pottery containers, across from Howrah Station, Calcutta." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Small boy enjoys his days on Calcutta's riverfront. Upstream from Howrah Bridge
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Enjoying the riverfront, Rf037, "Small boy enjoys his days on Calcutta's riverfront. Upstream from Howrah Bridge." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Loading barge upstream a short distance from Howrah Bridge, side opposite Howrah Station
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Loading barge, Rf001, "Loading barge upstream a short distance from Howrah Bridge, side opposite Howrah Station." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Calcutta harbor scene, downstream from Howrah Bridge
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Calcutta harbor scene, Rf002, "Calcutta harbor scene, downstream from Howrah Bridge." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Stevedores handling cargo on sinking gangplank, Calcutta, upstream from Howrah Bridge a short distance
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Upstream from Howrah Bridge, Rf003, "Stevedores handling cargo on sinking gangplank, Calcutta, upstream from Howrah Bridge a short distance," seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Balance scale in use in warehouse district not far from Howrah Bridge
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Balance scale, B001, Balance scale in use in warehouse district not far from Howrah Bridge. seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
_____Contemporary
Records of or about 1940s Calcutta___
THE PORT OF CALCUTTA
THE PORT OF CALCUTTA: Calcutta, which stands on
the left bank of the River Hooghly, is one of the largest shipping centers of
the world. The port extends for 9 miles above and 16 miles below the city.
(source: “A Guide Book to Calcutta, Agra, Delhi,
Karachi and Bombay” The American Red Cross and the China-Burma-India-Command.
[1943]: at:
http://cbi-theater-2.home.comcast.net/redcross/red-cross-india.html#INDIA)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
The River Hooghly
In the days when Calcutta was more or less a
swamp, with a few straggling buildings
housing the intrepid factors of the East India Company, large frigates and high
wooden galleons came slowly up the Hooghly feeling their way against unknown
currents and treacherous sandbars, to anchor by muddy flats -and unload their cargo of merchandise for the East
India trade.
As
business increased, however, and the city grew in size and importance, sailing
vessels gradually gave place to steamships and with the passing of the years,
bigger and faster ships forced their way up the historic river.
To-day
the Hooghly is one of the busiest rivers in the world. Ships from the China seas
rock at anchor with American vessels that have crossed the Atlantic ; tramps
from African coast towns steam past stately liners from European waters ; fussy
little tug boats are everlastingly busy shepherding into positions the
leviathans of the outer seas. It is an indescribable scene; it tells us the
important part the Hooghly has played in the making of Calcutta.
John Barry, journalist,
Calcutta, 1939/40
(source pages 4-5 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)
(COPYRIGHT
NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non
commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John
Barry 1940)
The
Port of Calcutta
The Port of Calcutta, one of the largest
shipping centres in the world, is under the control of a Port Trust, a public
body constituted in 1870 with a Board of 19 Commissioners. The Port proper extends from Konnagar to Budge Budge, a
distance of 25 miles, and is situated some 90 miles from the sea. The
pilotage of ocean going vessels is in the able hands of the Bengal Pilot
Service, a Government Department, whose name is a byword for safety and
efficiency up and down the Hooghly.
The Port
is provided with up-to-date Docks and jetties equipped with the latest devices for the efficient handling of
cargo. The most important of these is
King George's Dock, situated a short distance above Garden Reach. The tidal basin is 2.300 feet long, 800 feet
wide and 36 feet deep with a quayage of 4,724 feet. The lock entrance is 700
feet by 90 feet and runing parallel to it are the two dry docks in tandem, one
575'-6" and the other 590’-6” long, which can be used separately or as one
by removing the centre caisson. They can be entered only from the Wet Dock; and
although provision has been made for entrance from the River, at present this
is not in use The width of the entrance at the bottom is 80 feet and vessels
drawing over 30 feet of water can be docked here for repairs.
Immediately upstream,
and separated from King George's Dock by Brace Bridge Road, are the five
riverside berths, with a quayage of 2,947 feet, con- sisting of four produce
berths, each capable of receiving vessels up to 600 feet in length, and one
coaling jetty for ships up to 463 feet. These berths and King George's Dock
were specially constructed for ocean-going steamers, at a cost of over Ł 9,000,000. They were
completed in 1928 and formally opened by Lord Irwin, Viceroy and
Governor-General of India, in December of that year.
About half a mile
higher up are the Kidderpore Docks, the construction of which started in 1884
and a portion brought into use in 1892, but it was not until 1912 that they
assumed their present form. The Kidderpore Docks consist of two Wet Docks in
tandem with a total of 28 berths, a tidal basin in which there is a general
export berth and three Graving Docks,
Wet Dock No. 1 is 2,700 feet long and 600 feel wide, with a quayage of
5,400 feet; No. 2, 4,500 feet long and 400 feet wide, with a quayage of of
6,9.16 feet. These are separated from
each other by a leaf bridge and connected with the river by a lock entrance 580
feet long by 80 feet wide.
The Calcutta Jetties, six in
number, with a river frontage of nearly a mile, are situated, between Armenian Ghat and Chandpal Ghat.
Steamers drawing up to 30 feet of water can lie alongside.
Budge
Budge, 16 miles downstream from Calcutta, is the oil depot of the city. It has a storage capacity of over 50,000,000 gallons of dangerous and
non-dangerous petroleum, in addition to a large stock of crude, industrial and
motor oils and greases, road and roofing materials and various other
by-products of the petroleum industry.
The docks and jetties
are served by extensive warehouses and transit sheds capable of scoring
enormous quantities of merchandise such as machinery, sugar, spices, baled jute, tea, shellac, hides and skins, pig
iron, manganese, cotton
and woollen goods, grains and pulses wines, etc. Communication between the various points in the Docks and
Jetties, including all the Commissioners' warehouses, is maintained by the
Commissioners' Railway which has
over 182 miles of permanent way
and connects with the East Indian Railway, the Bengal Nagpur Railway and the
Eastern Bengal Railway, the main railway system serving Calcutta. Goods can therefore be railed from any point
on the Commissioners' premises to any part of India.
The total net tonnage
of goods exported during the year
ending March 1938 amounted to 6,433,164 tons while 2,506,591 tons were imported.
Ships entering the port during this
period totalled 1,274 with an aggregate
tonnage of 7,270,520. In all 8,939,755 tons of sea-borne traffic passed
through the port in the year under review. The heavy export is partly explained
by the fact that, Calcutta despatches by far the greater quantity of tea and
coal for world consumption and that she holds the world monopoly for jute and shellac.
Both banks of the
river are lined with jute mills, brick kilns and factories, warehouses, jetties
and engineering workshops, all of which confirm the appropriateness of the
title "London in the East" bestowed
on the City by His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught.
John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40
(source
pages5-7 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940”
Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non
commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with John Barry 1940)
Port Commissioners'
Lower down the thoroughfare, at the angle
formed by Strand Road and Koila Ghat Street, is the Port Commissioners'
building surmounted by a clock tower on which weather signals are hoisted.
John Barry, journalist, Calcutta, 1939/40
(source
page 14 of John Barry: “Calcutta 1940” Calcutta: Central Press, 1940.)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair
dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational research project. The
copyright remains with John Barry 1940)
_____Memories
of 1940s Calcutta_________________________
at anchor in the River Hoogly for 28 days
On nearing Alexandria,
we received a radio message to cancel our previous orders and proceed to Port
Said to load bulk salt for Calcutta. We took fresh meat and vegetables and two
tons of ice on board, but by the time we sailed down the Red Sea and across the
Indian Ocean, the ice had all melted and the little remaining meat had to be
put in brine with saltpetre to pickle it. Ships with no refrigeration usually
carry more canned foods and all the butter is canned. It was around the hottest
part of the year in those parts and I cannot imagine anything more insipid than
tinned boiled mutton, or tinned corned beef spooned out of the time because it
was so hot. The butter was just oil and tasted more like swede. The crew were
very good and didn’t complain, but, of course, they knew that we could not do
anything about it and most of the men had been on ice box ships previously. I
swore many times it would be my one and only experience.
We lay at anchor in
the River Hoogly at Calcutta for 28 days discharging the salt and every ounce
of it had to be weighed on board before it was loaded into barges to be towed
away. Apparently there is a Customs Duty levied on all salt in India so that is
why they were so keen on weights.
The crew asked if
there was any chance of some nice fresh fish so I asked the ship’s chandler for
some. It must have been fresh water river fish; it had long tentacles like
feelers and a head bigger than its body and was the colour of mud. I let the
crew see it and all agreed what we should do with it, give it back to the
ship’s chandler!
When the salt was all
discharged we went into Kidderpore Dock to load 10,000 tons of coal for
Shanghai. This was all loaded by hand. Long planks of timber were placed from
the quay to the deck of the ship and an endless belt of human misery ran up one
plank with a basket of coal, threw the coal down the ships hold and ran down
the other plank. Some people were filling the baskets and partners of two
lifted the baskets on the shoulders of the endless belt of men. It was stifling
hot on the ship as the port holes had to be closed to keep the coal dust out as
much as possible. No one could sleep as the coal was being loaded 24 hours a
day, non-stop, so after consultation we were taken to the Seamen’s Club where
we could bath and sleep in cool rooms. After discharging our coal in Shanghai,
there were all kinds of suggestions as to where we would be going next, but
eventually the Captain returned from the agent’s office with our orders. We
were on a two year charter trading between Haiphong and Kam Fah to Japan,
carrying maize and rice from French Indo China to Japan and anything we could
get on the return journey.
James William
Stanworth, Chief Steward S.S. “Harberton”, Calcutta, 1939
(source: A6021136 J W Stanworth - Memoirs part 3
at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/
Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
The Americans did much more than some give
them credit for
After weeks at sea we
arrived at Bombay end of March 1942. Boat nearly turned over with so many
troops wanting to look at the dock so many had to run to the other side to
right the ship.
Being the R.A.S.C. we
collected trucks, all American with winches, tools etc. worked extensively all
over India for a few years.
Then we became a Tank
Transporter Company with very large American Trucks and 24 wheel trails to
carry the tanks, the tanks were also American, General Stewarts, Lea, Grant and
a few Sherman. Later we had the job of clearing the Calcutta docks of crated
American material to assemble areas, this important job kept us out of Burma.
The Americans closed
the Docks and modernised them to lift much more, the Americans did much more
than some give them credit for. I was in India for four years, because of a
serious illness I went to Darjeeling in the Himalayas twice for convalescence
so paid a visit to Sikkim, Bhutham and Nepal.
Doug J. Wickwar, Army,
Calcutta, 1942
(source: A2776746 From 25,000 Ton Ship to
10,000: Sailing to Bombay at BBC WW2
People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
The clerk of the works in Calcutta docks
In Sri Lanka we had a
short spell of leave and were addressed by Lord Louis Mountbatten. Then it was
on to Calcutta for drydocking and urgent repairs, strangely one of my sharpest
memories of these years is of the clerk of the works in Calcutta docks. He was
distinguished among the other workers by having a rolled up black umbrella
which he constantly carried.
John Emery,
Royal Navy, Calcutta, 1945
(source: A4022902 Happy Landings- the travels of
HMS Largs at BBC WW2 People's
War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
the new born baby strapped on her back
We then traded to
South America and then carrying coal on the Indian Coast loading in Calcutta
for Bombay, Karachi etc. I have never forgotten the sight of the labour loading
coal in Kiddapore Dock, Calcutta, both men and women carrying baskets of coal
on their heads up a very long heavy plank like a gangway — dumping the coal
down the hatches and then back down another plank all day long and all night in
the intense heat and dust. I would never have believed it if I had not seen it
more than once; a pregnant woman doing this in the morning and then later the
same day carrying the coal again and the new born baby strapped on her back as
she was carrying. I sincerely hope conditions are not the same today.
Captain JFW
(Fred) Mitchell, Merchant Navy, Calcutta, 1940s
(source: A1991531 Memories of a Career at Sea at
BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/
Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
and an endless belt of human misery
When the salt was all discharged we went into
Kidderpore Dock to load 10,000 tons of coal for Shanghai. This was all loaded
by hand. Long planks of timber were placed from the quay to the deck of the
ship and an endless belt of human misery ran up one plank with a basket of
coal, threw the coal down the ships hold and ran down the other plank. Some
people were filling the baskets and partners of two lifted the baskets on the
shoulders of the endless belt of men. It was stifling hot on the ship as the
port holes had to be closed to keep the coal dust out as much as possible. No
one could sleep as the coal was being loaded 24 hours a day, non-stop, so after
consultation we were taken to the Seamen’s Club where we could bath and sleep
in cool rooms.
James William
Stanworth, Chief Steward S.S. “Harberton”, Calcutta, 1939
(source: A6021136 J W Stanworth - Memoirs part 3
at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/
Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
500 passengers
We got back to the
ship and was told we would be sailing first light. They filled the dry dock
with water and towed us out with tugs. It was not until we were well out of
port that we knew where we were going. Calcutta again, Geez! The
asshole again. We arrived there after ten days at sea, still the same as far as
mosquitoes, fireflies and the pong. It was different this time, as we loaded
with bales of material and took on 500 passengers. Little did I know until they
came aboard!! They were 500 Rhesus monkeys going to the labs for infantile
paralysis research. Then two ton of sweet potatoes to feed them on. The monkeys
came on in 8 cages, there was an extra big one who we later named Kong. After
loading, the ship’s butcher, who was not afraid of anything, was put in charge
of feeding them and looking after them. I thought better him than me. They were
going to America, but we were going to Australia first, via Ceylon. We had
loaded with stores and water and then we were off on our way over 2,000 miles.
No mishaps then with the monkeys and each day I helped to chop up some sweet
potatoes and feed them if I was off watch. In fact all the lads helped out. And
they got to know feeding time. They would howl and scream.
William Young , Royal Navy, Calcutta,
early 1943
(source: A8118029 Bill's memories-monkeys and
America. Chapter 5 at BBC WW2
People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
Arrivals and Departures
ARRIVAL DEPARTURE
Newport Mon. 7.8.1944
St.John N.B. 28.8.44 22.9.44
New York 26.9.44 29.9.44
Ancona 17.10.44 5.11.44
Brindisi 6.11.44 6.11.44
Augusta 8.11.44 8.11.44
Gibratar 13.11.44 14.11.44
Casablanca 15.11.44 24.11.44
Portland Me. 11.12.44 11.12.44
St.John N.B. 13.12.44 5. 1.45
New York 7. 1.45 12. 1.45
Azores 25.1.45 28. 1.45
Port Said 10.2.45 11. 2.45
Aden 18.2.45 19. 2.45
Bombay 27.2.45 4. 3.45
Madras 12.3.45 16.3.45
Calcutta 21.3.45 21.4.45
Akyab ? ? Ramree Is. 24.4.45 5.5.45
Rangoon 7.5.45 10.5.45
Calcutta 18.5.45 21.5.45
Rangoon 25.5.45 28.5.45
Calcutta 4.6.45 3.7.45
Chittagong 5.7.45 8.7.45
Madras 14.7.45 15.7.45
Ramree Is. 19.7.45 25.7.45
Rangoon 28.7.45 30.7.45
Calcutta 15.8.45 2.10.45
Andaman Is. 7.10.45 14.10.45
Calcutta 21.10.45 29.10.45
Singapore 6.11.45 16.11.45
Calcutta 24.11.45 29.11.45
Singapore 7.12.45 13.12.45
Calcutta 20.12.45 29.12.45
Singapore 6. 1.46 14. 1.46
Calcutta 23. 1.46 3. 2.46
Hong Kong 18. 2.46 21. 2.46
Singapore 27. 2.46 28. 2.46
Bombay 11. 3.46 24. 3.46
Colombo 28. 3.46 29. 3.46
Singapore 4. 4.46 9. 4.46
Kure (Japan) 20. 4.46 29. 4.46
Singapore 9. 5.46 14. 5.46
Sydney 1. 6.46 12. 7.46
Melbourne 14. 7.46 21. 7.46
Fremantle 1. 8.46 3. 8.46
Durban 23. 8.46 31. 8.46
Capetown 3. 9.46 6. 9.46
LIVERPOOL 3.10.46 (End of a voyage that lasted 2
years & 2 months.) Hugh Ferguson was an apprentice; Geoffrey White was the
Chief Radio Officer.
Hugh Ferguson,
Merchant Navy apprentice S.S. Empire
Capulet & Geoffrey
White, Merchant Navy Chief Radio Officer S.S. Empire Capulet , Calcutta, 1944
(source: A8086160 Last Wartime Voyage of EMPIRE
CAPULET at BBC WW2 People's
War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
Indianisation of the Customs Service
It was some years after her [Queen Victoria]
demise that the ill-feeling began and the political pot began to boil over but
the government stood firm. Freedom could not be given yet, they claimed.
Personally, I am of the opinion that India had not developed in general to be
fit for it. Britain did a wiser thing: it began, step by step, to Indianise the
governing of India. One after another, Indians who had been found to have the
necessary qualifications, were placed in executive charge first, on the lower
rungs of the ladder. Later, as they showed adaptability, they came into the
more leading positions. I watched the slow but sure development going on in the
Customs Service.
In 1930, when I joined, all the key jobs were
held by Europeans. On my retirement in 1946, not a European was left. All the
leading jobs, from the Collector downwards, were in the hands of
highly-educated Indians. There were Europeans in the service, but they held
only subordinate jobs. I think all level-headed Indians will support me in
this: that the transition period could not have been shortened to India's
general welfare.
August
Peter Hansen, Customs Inspector, Calcutta 1940s
(source:
page 186 of August Peter Hansen: “Memoirs of an Adventurous Dane in India :
1904-1947” London: BACSA, 1999)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non
commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with 1999
Margaret [Olsen] Brossman)
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The
Hooghli Pilots
_____Pictures of 1940s
Calcutta_________________________
_____Contemporary
Records of or about 1940s Calcutta___
_____Memories
of 1940s Calcutta_________________________
They
were all British and they were all wealthy and arrogant
Our alternative route
was much better as on leaving the Gulf we would go straight on and discharge in
India at Karachi,Bombay,Colombo,Madras and finally at Calcutta.Pakistan,of course, did not exist .We repeated these
voyages a few times.Only two happenings were worthy of note.The difficult River
Hooghly serves Calcutta.It is not easy to navigate and it had the best paid pilots
in the world.They were all British and they were all wealthy and arrogant and
on the trip in question the river was just unbelievebly full of floating bodies
and it was horrendous.However when I came on to the bridge I did ask the pilot
for the reason and he put it down to a rice famine that they had had in Bengal
and then added a classic ending by informing me that you could always tell what
sex they were by which side of their body they were floating on.
W.C.B.Gilhespy,Officer
Merchant Navy , Calcutta, 1943
(source: A2152379 World War Two: Memories of the
Merchant Navy Edited at BBC WW2
People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ferries
_____Pictures of 1940s
Calcutta_________________________
Hooghly ferry several miles upstream from Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Hooghly ferry, Rf004, "Hooghly ferry several miles upstream from Calcutta metro area." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Passenger ferry landing upriver somewhere near Belur Math
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Passenger ferry landing, Rf032, " Passenger ferry landing upriver somewhere near Belur Math, Calcutta vicinity." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
_____Contemporary
Records of or about 1940s Calcutta_
_____Memories
of 1940s Calcutta_________________________
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the Riverboats
_____Pictures of 1940s
Calcutta_________________________
Hooghly River
Hooghly River and part of Calcutta's east
bank. But for this giant stream
Calcutta would likely never have been built---and for that matter, many of us
would just as soon it hadn't.
Nevertheless the river affords many spectacles and has accommodated millions
of tons of supplies necessary to the war effort.
Clyde Waddell, US military man, personal press
photographer of Lord Louis Mountbatten, and news photographer on Phoenix
magazine. Calcutta, mid 1940s
(source:
webpage http://oldsite.library.upenn.edu/etext/sasia/calcutta1947/? Monday, 16-Jun-2003 / Reproduced by courtesy of David N. Nelson,
South Asia Bibliographer, Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania)
Hooghly River, Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Hooghly ferry, Rf005, "Hooghly River, Calcutta area." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Cooking a meal on small, Hooghly River work boat, moored on Calcutta side of the river not far upstream from the Botanical Garden
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Work boat, Rf007, "Cooking a meal on small, Hooghly River work boat, moored on Calcutta side of the river not far upstream from the Botanical Garden." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
River activity near Calcutta Botanical Garden
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River activity, Rf010, "River activity near Calcutta Botanical Garden." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Steam-powered, side-wheel ferry loads on Calcutta side of Hooghly River not far upstream from the Botanical Garden
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Side-wheel ferry, Rf014, "Steam-powered, side-wheel ferry loads on Calcutta side of Hooghly River not far upstream from the Botanical Garden" seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Barge loading upstream from Hooghly Bridge, Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Barge loading upstream, Rf017, "Barge loading upstream from Hooghly Bridge, Calcutta." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River shipping activity, Rf027, "River shipping activity, Calcutta. Activity on west bank of river." seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Smaller river craft near the Kali Temple
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: River craft, B009, Smaller river craft near the Kali Temple. seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Water traffic in the vicinity of Kalighat, Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Water traffic, B018, " Water traffic in the vicinity of Kalighat, Calcutta [sic]" seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Water traffic in the vicinity of Kalighat, Calcutta
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Water traffic, B019, " Water traffic in the vicinity of Kalighat, Calcutta [sic]" seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
_____Contemporary
Records of or about 1940s Calcutta___
_____Memories
of 1940s Calcutta_________________________
Launches on the Hooghly
My father
worked for the Calcutta Steam Navigation Company, managed by Hoare, Miller
& Company whose office was at 5 Fairlie Place, across the river from Howrah
Station. They operated a fleet of launches which towed several barges, known as
lighters, which had no power of their own and were therefore totally dependent
upon their towing launches for speed and direction. Most of the sea-going
vessels entering the Port of Calcutta had their cargo off loaded in mid-stream
into these lighters for delivery to the many factories that were on both sides
of the Hooghly river. These ranged from petroleum at Budge Budge, 16 miles
downstream from the City to jute mills, rubber factories, brick –kilns, paint
& varnish makers, engineering companies etc. During the period we are
talking about, of course, there was a vast amount of strategic material also
coming in by river. One of the perks we were able to enjoy was having the use
of a company launch at an occasional week-end to take trips up and down the
river.
Mike
Devery, schoolboy. Calcutta, 1940s
(source:
Internet communications September 2004)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non
commercial educational research project. The copyright remains with Mike Devery)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Boatbuilders
_____Pictures
of 1940s Calcutta_________________________
Sawing logs into planks for boat building
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Sawing logs, Bb001, "Sawing logs into planks for boat building. One man pushes up, the other pushes down on the saw. Calcutta," seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
Chiseling boat plank
Glenn Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: Glenn S. Hensley: Chiseling boat plank, Bb002, "Shipwright uses chisel to notch boat plank, Calcutta" seen at University of Chicago Hensley Photo Library at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley as well as a series of E-Mail interviews with Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August 2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of Glenn Hensley and under a Creative Commons license)
_____Contemporary Records of or about
1940s Calcutta___
_____Memories of 1940s
Calcutta_________________________
The
Boatyard
And not far away was a boatyard where
woodworking craftsmen built the huge, oar and sail-powered river craft, craft
often seen in the Hooghly and in water near Kalighat. I enjoyed watching the
builders push and pull their saw, cutting, one by one, manually, the long
planks use for hull construction. I also would watch men caulking seams between
planks. I spent quite a few hours there at that boatyard. I wish I had thought
to ask, but I probably couldn't have understood the answer, what kind of wood
they were using for the planks.
Glenn
Hensley, Photography Technician with US Army Airforce, Summer 1944
(source: a series of E-Mail interviews with
Glenn Hensley between 12th June 2001 and 28th August
2001)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced by permission of
Glenn Hensley)
in dry-dock in Calcutta
So we went right down
through the Indian Ocean from there, to Calcutta, to dry-dock, and
we were in dry-dock in Calcutta for about six, eight
weeks, I think. but anyway, the work was being done by Italian prisoners of
war, very clever engineers, the Italians, working on the engines. In their
spare time, I don’t know how they did it, they had got hold of blocks of
aluminium and they were making cigarette lighters out of this aluminium, and
flogging them — they did very well. Nice blokes they were, I’ve nothing against
the Ities. I had to stay there, with nothing to do, and I happened to get
friendly with a chief petty officer in the Royal Indian Navy I bumped into, we
got very friendly, unusual for me, for in those days we considered ourselves
“superior” — which is all the wrong attitude today, it wouldn’t do today we
thought we were the cat’s whisker, we were important, anybody else that didn’t
have the right stripe… you know. — very nice chap. Moslem, we use to go to all
the places he knew. Great, you see, what meals to order, great.
Gordon Richmond, sub-lieutenant Royal Navy, Calcutta, 1944
(source: A5079323 Service in the Chongs of Burma
in an HDML, 1944 at BBC WW2
People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial educational
research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
The secret Sampans
The SIS office in India was known as ISLD
(Inter-Services Liaison Department), and did the same kind of work. One day
when I was in the ISLD office in South Calcutta, imagine my surprise when I saw
“JJ” [see Helford River story] walk in. I had no idea he was coming to
Calcutta. So we saw quite a lot of each other for a while. “JJ” was anxious to
do Helford-River-type operations [sending boats equipped with radio behind
enemy lines to help the restistance] along the coast of Burma. He was given
what was called a “country craft”, which turned out to be a sampan, and a crew
consisting of a Chinese No 1 named Chang, plus a number of Indian sailors.
The sampan had to be fitted out with an engine,
as it was designed for sail only — and very slow sailing, at that. I installed
radio in exactly the same way as I had done on the Helford River boats. Once
the engine was fitted, it was time for tests. This proved to be a waste of
time, because it was impossible to steer. The hull shape of a sampan was fine
for slow sailing, controlled by a very large rudder. However, when it came to
trying to move under power from the engine, it had to be seen to be believed.
The smallest movement of the rudder would make the ship shear off at
right-angles from her course and head for the bank on the other side of the
River Hooghli, quite out of control. I know there was a lot of discussion
between “JJ” and the “powers-that-be”, but nothing seemed to come out of it. In
the end, he told me that he had to take the vessel “by fair means or foul” to
the port of Akyab, on the coast of Burma, where it could be used to supply the
base ship named Blinjoe with stores and coal! He didn’t like the idea of going
out to sea in the Bay of Bengal with a ship that had such bad habits, so he
decided to take a local pilot and to go through the area of the Ganges delta,
which is about 230 miles wide and full of little rivers and interconnecting
streams, and wildlife. I saw him again after he had done this, and as usual he
had some very amusing stories to tell.
John
("Tommy") Tucker, Royal Corps of Signals, Calcutta, 1944
(source: A4211759 Radio installations in MLs for
secret operations along coast of Burma at BBC WW2 People's War' on http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/
Oct 2006)
(COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Reproduced under 'fair dealing' terms as part of a non commercial
educational research project. The copyright remains with the original
submitter/author)
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Fishing
_____Pictures of 1940s
Calcutta_________________________
_____Contemporary
Records of or about 1940s Calcutta___
_____Memories
of 1940s Calcutta_________________________
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If there are any technical
problems, factual inaccuracies or things you have to add,
then please contact the group
under info@calcutta1940s.org