Magdala & Abyssinia were breastwork monitors that served at Bombay. Magdala was a Cerberus class ship and the slightly smaller Abyssinia was in a class of its own.
| |
| Magdala | Abyssinia |
| Photos courtesy of Spencer Lawes. | |
| Known As | Dates |
|---|---|
| Bombay Marine | 1613-1830 |
| Indian Navy | 1830-1863 |
| Her Majesty's Indian Marine (Western Division at Bombay) | 1877-1892 |
| Royal Indian Marine | 1892-1948 |
"This gun was designed as a 29.6 caliber version of the Mark V, but its design was altered to a more complex set of hoops. Construction was A tube/breech piece, taking breech block, 1B tube, 2B tube to muzzle/C tube over part of 1B and 2B/jacket interlocking with breech piece, trunning ring interlocking with C tube and breech piece, D hoop. These guns were used to arm the Indian monitors Magdala and Abyssinia, replacing their original 10" (25.4 cm) RML guns. The gun was designed by the Royal Gun Factory but all nine completed were built by Elswick, who appear not to have assigned a Pattern letter. Performance was similar to the Mark IV. The original twin mountings, which had been used for 10 inch (25.4 cm) RML guns, were converted by Elswick to hydraulic training and the new guns were now in Vavasseur mountings. Elevation is not certain, possibly the same 13 degrees as the original 10 inch (25.4 cm) guns."
| Ship | Type | Image |
|---|---|---|
Magdala | Breastwork Monitor | |
Abyssinia | Breastwork Monitor | |
Assaye | Torpedo Gunboat |  |
Plassy | Torpedo Gunboat | |
No.1 Baloochi | Torpedo Boat (23 knots) | |
No.2 Kahren | Torpedo Boat (23 knots) | |
No.3 Pathan | Torpedo Boat (23 knots) | |
No.4 Mahratta | Torpedo Boat (19 knots) | |
No.5 Sikh | Torpedo Boat (19 knots) | |
No.6 Rajput | Torpedo Boat (19 knots) | |
No.7 Ghurka | Torpedo Boat (21 knots) |
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The Bombay Guard-Ships
Illustrated London News, 11 February 1871
Magdala entering the Hydraulic Dry-Dock at Bombay
The Graphic, 28 December 1872
Engraved from a sketch by Lieut Francis Palmer R.N. commanding Magdala.
The Indian Harbour Defence Force
Navy & Army Illustrated, 2 April 1897
courtesy of Peter Webster artillerist.vze.com
Images that accompanied above article
Some Officers & Men of the Indian Marine
Ayres, Robert
Gunner, appointed 1869-71 Source
Back, Eric
Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Marine between 1897-99. (My Life & a Few Yarns, Fleet H.L. 1922)
Bartler, J.
Gunner, appointed 1874-77 Source
Bayley, R.
Boatswain, appointed 1869-71 Source
Bellchamber, R.
Boarswain, appointed 1869-71 Source
Brown, P.G.
Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Marine between 1897-99. (My Life & a Few Yarns, Fleet H.L. 1922)
Burch, Charles William service No 188374
Charles William Birch was a signalman on the Magdala. He was drowned on 25 July 1900 in Bombay aged 20 yrs 9 days. (details submitted by his great nephew Anthony Burch)
Chipps, C. W.
Gunner, appointed 1887 Source
Corbett, Cyril
Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Marine between 1897-99. (My Life & a Few Yarns, Fleet H.L. 1922)
Courage, Archibald
Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Marine between 1897-99. (My Life & a Few Yarns, Fleet H.L. 1922)
Cunningham-Foot
First Lieutenant succumbed to the climate and was invalided out between 1897-99. (My Life & a Few Yarns, Fleet H.L. 1922)
Dommett, S.
Carpenter, appointed 1874-77 Source
Fleet, Henry Louis
Captain of HMS Magdala 1897-99. (My Life & a Few Yarns, Fleet H.L. 1922)
Greening, A. E.
Gunner, appointed 1889 Source
Hamblyn, E.
Gunner, appointed 1886 Source
Hamilton, J.
Adjustment of pay 1886-87 Source
Head, I. T.
Carpenter, appointed 1874-77 Source
Hodges, W.T. Petty Officer, HMS Magdala. Case 29334
On the 21st September 1897, W.T.Hodges, petty officer, HMS Magdala, was accidentally knocked overboard from a torpedo boat while at target practice two miles off Bombay Harbour. The boat was steaming about 10 knots, and sharks abound in these waters. Pattison at once jumped in and caught him, and tried to reach the boat, but failed, and had to release his hold, when Hodges sank and was drowned. (Royal Humane Society Bronze Medals Citations Annual Report for 1898, Compiled by Peter Helmore, website)
Ibrahim
Overseer of the native seamen (Lascars and Rhatnaguri) in the Royal Indian Marine 1897-99. (My Life & a Few Yarns, Fleet H.L. 1922)
Ingram, Thomas
Gunner, appointed 1869-71 Source
Latham, Thomas
Carpenter, appointed 1869-71 Source
Main, John
Carpenter, appointed 1874-77 Source
Main, William
Carpenter, appointed 1874-77 Source
McDonald, J. M.
Gunner, appointed 1887 Source
Metters, W. H.
Gunner, appointed 1879-80 Source
Nicholas, G. T.
Gunner, appointed 1879-80 Source
Palmer, Francis Ingram Commanding Magdala 1872. The Graphic, 28 December 1872. See also The Penny Illustrated Paper and Illustrated Times, 5 May 1877
Pattison, John B. Leading Seaman HMS Magdala. Case 29334
On the 21st September 1897, W.T.Hodges, petty officer, HMS Magdala, was accidentally knocked overboard from a torpedo boat while at target practice two miles off Bombay Harbour. The boat was steaming about 10 knots, and sharks abound in these waters. Pattison at once jumped in and caught him, and tried to reach the boat, but failed, and had to release his hold, when Hodges sank and was drowned. (Royal Humane Society Bronze Medals Citations Annual Report for 1898, Compiled by Peter Helmore, website)
Pears, E.
Gunner, appointed 1889 Source
Pickthorn, A.J.
born about 1864, aged 37 years, Staff Surgeon, serving on HMS Magdala in 1901. (Maltese Seamen in the Royal Navy, website)
Simmonds, Peter
Carpenter, appointed 1869-71 Source
Stevenson, John Langford
Fleet Engineer. Served on Magdala and Abyssinia. Born 23 July 1846. Profile
J. L. Stevenson 1880Stone, W.
Gunner, appointed 1874-77 Source
Tull, F.
Gunner, appointed 1886 Source
Ward, F
Gunner, appointed 1874-77 Source
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