My grandad worked as a barge engineer RE on the Chindwin river in Burma in 1945. I've seen from research they used Unicraft single and twin screw tugs, unicraft barges, RCLs, Higgins barges, salvaged craft, Rodda craft and Burley boats in the fleet to transport men, supplies etc dpwn the river to Myingyan. I cannot find any information on what a Burley boat was, any ideas ? Thanks Rob
I would say a boat built like a brick outhouse On a serious note would it be the builder of the boat Graces guide might give a bit of a clue I am sure other forum members will be a long shortly to help out Regards Clive
Possibly aligned to CL1’s suggestion, might it have been a local nickname for a Folding Boat Equipment?
having a google could it be the as QF suggested a folding boat Burley could have been the canvas manufacturer?
Thanks guys, it seems from the link and elsewhere I read that they are supplementary boats so would have been smaller. So, indeed they may be as QF states the Floating Boat Equipment boats.
INLAND WATER TRANSPORT ON THE RIVER CHINDWIN [Allocated Title] The dopesheet includes an unusually long narrative preamble that is in parts surprisingly lyrical and melodramatic. For example: 'The air round Kalewa is full of dust and and resounds to the sound of a thousand hammers. Close your eyes and you might be in Clydebank or Jarrow, or Barrow; open them and there amid the Burmese fishermen and their lovely river is a shipyard of unique variety'. Appendix 16 of the official history gives the following details of the various classes of barge. The steel Unicraft tug and barge were designed after a 1942 visit to India by Major-General D J McMullen, Director of Transportation at the War Office. It was designed on the 'Meccano' principle and could be transported by road or rail for assembly in-theatre. The RCL and Higgins barge were North American designs (Canadian insignia can be seen at various points in this film) for use on inland waterways and had a load capacity of 25 and 60-70 tons respectively. The 'Rodda Craft' and 'Burley boat' were also used. From 1 February to 30 May 1945 total tonnage carried by Inland Water Transport forward of Kalewa was 43,533 tons at a peak of 662 tons per day. Might be some film of one TD
some background material on the "shipyard: https://www.nzsappers.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/1949-March.pdf pg 25
Thanks Itdan there have been several great historical articles in the RE Journal that I have now that have helped me research my grandad. I also have now seen and copied the war diary it has been quite a journey of discovery !
Thanks TD, I live in London and love visiting the IWM. This film looks super interesting. My grandad was working on tugs/barges as a barge engineer on the Chindwin in April 1945 so I definitely want to watch this film once restrictions allow ! Many thanks
