Troopships

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The trooping season between India and the United Kingdom lasted for about seven months each year, with the full programme being published some months in advance. The five-month gap was the same each year – to avoid the worst of the heat in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. For many years four ships were needed, each doing three round trips each trooping year. To get an idea of the programme, the year 1913-14 has been selected as an example.

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The four ships in that year were HMTs Rewa, Dongola, Plassy and Rohilla. The Rewa and the Rohilla were operated by British India S N Co and the other two by P & O. Their UK port was always Southampton whilst seven sailed to Bombay and the other five to Karachi. The first ship left Southampton on 12 September and the last arrived back on 8 April the following year. The voyage was 21 days each way, with the Aden to India leg accounting for five of these. Only two of the twelve called at Aden on the way out to India and three on the way back. The extra one coming from India was needed to effect the annual relief of the British infantry battalion in Aden. As has been mentioned elsewhere a one year tour in Aden was always the last year of a full five-year Indian tour.

 

 

 

The other troopships calling at Aden brought and collected individuals. For example the Rohilla arrived at Aden from Karachi on 23 November, disembarking three 1st Class (Officers), five 2nd Class (Warrant Officers and Sergeants) and four 3rd Class (Corporals and below) and one family. The ship was already nearly full as after these had disembarked there was space for three 1stClass, six 2nd Class, forty-six 3rd Class and 14 families. In addition there was also space for certain special categories:

 

Insanes in wards                      3

Insanes not in wards               6

Prisoners in cells                      5

Prisoners in the guardroom 12

Dogs in  kennels                      5

 

As well as the troopships the ships of the Royal Indian Marine were used within India and the surrounding area. For example the RIMS Hardinge carried 61 Company RGA from Rangoon to Aden between 2 and 15 September 1913 and on the 16th left for Bombay with 77 Company RGA; she then brought the 109thNative Infantry from Bombay to Aden, arriving on 14 October. She sailed the next day for Karachi taking the 18th Native Infantry which had completed its two year tour in Aden.