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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

sorry to bang on but


Muerrisch

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Third distress cry. No replies.

Distress Rocket cum marroon. B A N GGGGG!

Must be an expert out there.

The Irrawaddy was a R. Irrawaddy paddle steamer, either RIMS or HMIMS used c. 1907 on that river and probably same vessel as one pressed into service in Burma War 1885. I can find absolutely no pictures, and only the briefest reference in Janes. Photo etc needed for new edition Old Soldier Sahib by Frank Richards, who describes being on a 'flat' attached to the ship.

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LB,

The only refs to the Irrawaddy that I can find are as follows.

IRRAWADDY / CHAS D. LANE 1873

2517 g.t., length 351ft, clipper bows. Launched 22.12.1873 by Wm. Denny & Bros and transferred while fitting out to the newly formed British & Burmese S.N.Co. 1894 sold to P. Henderson & Co. (Burma service). 1897 sold to Trinidad Shipping & Trading Co, Glasgow. 1898 purchased by West Indies Shipping Co., New York. 1901 renamed CHAS D. LANE for the Wild Goose Mining & Trading Co, San Francisco. 1904 scrapped.

IRRAWADDY / MARAVAL 1903

5,144 gross tons, length 395.7ft x 50.2ft, single screw, speed 11 knots. Accommodation for 74-1st class passengers. Built 1903 by W. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton as the IRRAWADDY for Burmah Steamship Co. (P. Henderson & Co.), Glasgow. 1914 Sold to Trinidad Shipping & Trading Co. Ltd, Glasgow renamed MARAVAL. 1920 transferred to Bermuda & West Indies S.S.Co. Ltd (Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd), Hamilton, Bermuda. Traded Trinidad - New York. 1934 scrapped.

No mention of a paddle steamer but this may have been a renamed vessel. I cannot recall your original post regarding dates etc. Hope this adds to the confusion.

Roop

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Very many thanks, will pursue these leads: the NMM provided photo of Irrawaddy/ Maraval but clearly not a river paddle steamer, an ocean goer. Will pursue, strange how other people's googling gets them different results!

Again, very many thanks.

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Hi LangleyBaston1418

Re- Replying to sorry to bang on but (IRRAWADDY)

Hopefully the following may be of interest,-

IRRAWADDY (1)

Built 1873 Builder R Duncan Glasgow Disposal Ceased as steamer in 1906,

Sunk at Kobane, laden with stone in 1913.

Took part in the 3rd Burmese War 1885. On 14th November the Goverment steamers IRRAWADDY and KATHLEEN silenced the forts at Sinbaungwe and captured the stern-wheeler YAISHANAYINBYAN, bringing her down to Thayetmyo.

IRRAWADDY (11)

Built 1917 Builder Caired & Co Greenock Hulked 1929 Bogale

The picture which I have sent ( in case it does not appear) states,-

Fig 6 PS IRRAWADDY 1873, probably the handsomest of her class. NMM Negative

B2726 (W).

Further information regarding Photo's at NMM,-

List No. 12

Name IRRAWADDY

NNM Negatives Number and Notes A9641 (K)/B2726 (W)

The above is taken from NNM THE IRRAWADDY FLOTILLA COMPANY 1973

Regards

John

post-166-1111782250.jpg

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LB,

The IRRAWADY given in Dittmar is shown as a River Paddle Steamer of 338 tons but year of launch is not given which is a pity. It was armed with 2 machine guns. Looking at all the options given I think the one in the photo is the one.

as spithead gives:

PS IRRAWADDY 1873, probably the handsomest of her class. NMM Negative

B2726 (W).

she looks around 300 tons.

Aye

Malcolm

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Regimental Records say that on Christmas Eve 1907, 2RWF embarked on RIMS [sic] Irrawaddy and two attached flats and proceeded up the Irrawaddy river. Pte. Frank Richards confirms that it was a paddle ship, and makes it clear that it was too small for the task. Regimental Records not exactly error-free, by the way.

All of the ocean-going Irrawaddys [or Irrawadys] can be discounted.

Janes Fighting Ships 1418 confirms the Dittmar tonnage and armament, 338 tons, two machine guns, and again gives no year of construction.

There is a bit of a problem with longevity: it is not impossible that the 1907 vessel was the one launched in 1873 and pressed into service in Burmese War 1885, however, if it ceased as steamer 1906 and sunk in 1913 it can neither be the one used by RWF, nor the one in Dittmar, Janes etc.

I know of a photo. of an Irrawaddy at Cambridge Uni., where I hold a Reader's Ticket. They should also have the book referred to. Cambridge next stop. Clearly I cannot put a photo of an Irrawaddy PS claiming it to be THE ONE without collateral [well, I could, but it is not ethical].

Very many thanks to all helpers. More to come when I can be definitive.

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Forgot to mention following details-

IRRAWADDY (1)

Length 247.2 (inches)

Breadth 28 "

Depth 7.5 "

Gross Tonnage 516

Machinery CD 2 cyls 34.60x54 str

John

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Whoops! sorry

Inches were meant for Engine size,-

Engine particulars are given in inches thus:

CD 2cyls 34 (cylinder) 60 (cylinder) x 54 (stroke)

John

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CD 2cyls 34 (cylinder) 60 (cylinder) x 54 (stroke)

Refers to:

Double compound steam engine.

Possibly a Maclannan Engine (or something sounding like that) if built in Scotland.

Still a few of these about in S. America.

Roop

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