Indian Navy

In 1830 the Bombay Marine was renamed the Indian Navy, based at Bombay. The Indian Navy, a combatant force, co-operated with the Royal Navy in policing Asian waters and also carried out regular marine surveys. In 1863 it was disbanded and replaced by two non-combatant marine services based in Bombay and Bengal respectively. In 1877 it was decided to combine the Bombay and Bengal Marines into a new combatant service entitled HM Indian Marine, with Western (Bombay) and Eastern (Calcutta) Divisions - HM Indian Marine was renamed the Royal Indian Marine in 1892 and the Royal Indian Navy in 1934.

FIBIS resources

• Officers of the Bombay Marine - 1802
• Officers of the Bombay Marine - 1830
• Officers of the Indian Navy 1858-1863
• India Navy Pension Fund & Family Details, from the British Library records :Indian Navy Fund: Family Register, compiled c 1855 with additions IOR/L/AG/23/18/2 and Indian Navy Fund: Family Register, compiled Jun 1864 with additions IOR/L/AG/23/18/3

India Office records at the British Library

Military Department Records

• Royal Indian Marine and Royal Indian Navy IOR/L/MIL/16 c1840 - c1947.
• Departmental Papers IOR/L/MIL/7
  • Naval cadetships IOR/L/MIL/7/1345-1348 1881-1904
  • Royal Indian Marine: confidential reports on officers and engineers IOR/L/MIL/7/2208-2215 1889-1919
  • Indian Marine: appointment of Assistant Engineers IOR/L/MIL/7/4105-4136 1879-1916
  • Director of Royal Indian Marine: appointment of etc IOR/L/MIL/7/11211-11235 1876-1943
  • Royal Indian Marine and Royal Indian Navy: appointment of officers IOR/L/MIL/7/15381-15502 1878-1942
• Military Department Library IOR/L/MIL/17/9 1870-1948. Includes publications on the Bombay/Indian Marine/Navy such as Navy Lists; Orders; Circulars; Notifications; Instructions; Regulations; Troop and Transport Service and Administrative miscellanea.

Marine Department Records

• Marine Miscellaneous Records IOR/L/MAR/C 1600-1879. These records include “personnel records of the Company's maritime service (at all levels of employment, but including particularly the appointment and services of commanders and mates of East Indiamen), the Bombay Marine, the Indian Navy, and the Bengal Pilot Service”.

Related articles

• Bengal Pilot Service
• Bombay Marine
• Ships of the Bombay Marine and Indian Navy

External Links

• This India List thread is about the occupation of Master Attendant, equivalent to Harbour Master. Initially it appears these men were part of EIC Marine, and later the Royal Indian Marine.
• Details of the 3 volume China Medal Roll 1856-60 by K.J. Asplin Savannah Publications London 2004 from The Asplin Military History Resources. Includes Volume 1: Royal Navy including Indian Marine, which is described in this link. Available to buy through Amazon.co.uk from the FIBIS Shop. It appears that this volume should be available at the British Library (legal deposit requirement) but it does not appear in the British Library catalogue. Also see 2nd China War
• Naval-History.net includes various information relating to Indian Navy during WW1 and subsequent years including ROYAL INDIAN NAVY Ship Histories, Convoy Escort Movements, Casualty Lists 1939-1947

Historical Books Online

History of the Indian navy. (1613-1863) Volume 1 by Charles Rathbone Low 1877. Covers the period 1613-1830. Volume 2. Covers the period 1831-1863