Mantola

Recollections of a BI Cadet

Page 1, the preliminaries.
Page 2, s.s.'Mantola', the start of a career.
Page 3, 'Mantola' comes to life.
Page 4, A voyage to East Africa takes shape.
Page 5, The voyage.
Page 6, 'Mantola', various notes and pictures.
Page 7, 'Obra' and 'Kampala'.
Page 8, 'Kampala Bill'.
Page 9, 'Kampala' photos.
Page 10, The Far East Calls.
Page 11, 'Pentakota' loads for Aussie.
Page 12, 'Pentakota' goes Bombay for Barytes.
Page 13, To Colombo, and Beyond!
Page 14, 'Pentakota Down Under.
Page 15, New Zealand! 'Pentakota' comes!
Page 16, 'Pentakota' in Port Chalmers Dry Dock - and much more -
Page 17, 'Pentakota' Homeward bound
Page 18, 'Chindwara' for one voyage I
Page 19, 'Chindwara' for one voyage II

B.I. Ship

These pages are written for those who may be interested in a Cadet's life fifty years ago, and for our three children who will, when they, too, reach the age of nostalgia, want to know what I did in my early life; and, of course, for our eight grandchildren.

The B.I. was one of the oldest of the British steamship companies, formed in 1856, at a time when forward-looking shipowners realised the age of steam had arrived.

In the 1920's the BI fleet consisted of over 150 ships (166 in 1921) with a total of over 800,000 gross tons. The number of seamen in these ships would have totalled over 6,000. Today, four large bulk carriers would total over 800,000 tons, each one managed by a crew of about 30.

When I took "early retirement" in 1973 the Company name had disappeared and all cargo ships were grouped into the 'P&O General Cargo Division" along with fine vessels from the other P&O Group companies such as Strick Line and the New Zealand Shipping Company. Most of these ships still left were waiting to be sold. All were looking the worse for wear because of restrictions on the use of paint.

Those of us who served with the BI over the years remember the Company from our own viewpoints, and mine may well appear strange to others, who could have been serving in the BI at the same time, perhaps even in the same ship; particularly now that my memory may be playing me false. Please bear with me.

Writing this article gives me the opportunity to bring to mind my good friends and shipmates in the BI, many of whom are no longer with us.

URL: http://www.btinternet.com/~t.barnett/bicadet/index.html