SANGOLA

SANGOLA, British India Steam Nav. Co. Ltd., London, 8647gt, completed Glasgow 6-1947. 1963 broken up.

The WSS history B.I. gives us the information that she grounded in the River Hooghly leading to Calcutta on 1.7.1953. Badly holed it was feared she would be a total loss. The salvage and repair was intricate involving cutting the ship virtually in half.

She served on the British India service from Calcutta to China and Japan and when this ceased at the end of 1962 she was sold in March 1963 for demolition in Japan. In recent years the BI experts have required my photographic proof to convince them the ship returned to UK waters only months earlier (possibly for the only time since completion?). Potential reasons for such a visit seem to be a mystery.

13.06.07: Always adds to a page, in my view, to receive personal recollections from someone who sailed on a particular ship.

A thought triggered in my mind and it was of a British India Steam Navigation Company's (BISN) ship named , "S. S. Sangola".

I did a search and in less that 5 seconds, that not only did I find this ship on web but it took me to your grand website.

This ship brings back memories as a tiny tot, had sailed on this ship.

This is an unbelievable experience to note that I walked the decks of "Sangola".

I would heartily appreciate if you have some clear photographs of the ship with its "Particulars" (Length, Breadth, Depth, Tonnage, Year Built, Main Propulsion Engines, and Year Scrapped and then as I read the ship mysteriously reappeared.).

Never knew that years would lapse since then and I would be in maritime industry for after completing my college education and sail the seven seas professionally for good 17 odd years. Now I am ashore and with a leading international shipping line and manage a part of fleet of our ships that circumvent the globe. I have 14 ships directly under me.

What a transition of being a tiny tot passenger on Sangola to now managing 14 ships from our headquarters.

Would you believe, I still possess the original boarding cards from "S.S. Sangola" and they are well framed and on a space in my living room.

Would you be able to assist me in providing similar information and as many photo of this ship, "Santhia".

I would wholeheartedly appreciate your help and look forward to hearing from you soon.

With your kind permission, can I download the three photos of "S.S. Sangola" and save them to show to my mother who too sailed with my father (now long since deceased) and my elder brother. I am certain, she will be delighted to see the photos.

Ashok Sarin

Of course, I was pleased to oblige by reference to Miramar details of both ships and later able to point him to a couple of other websites with better photos and details of the SANGOLA in particular. Ashok then replied:

I may be a tiny tot but still remember the ship, the wooden decks, the saloon and our cabin with that distinct shipboard smell that stagnates in air in passageways....and of course the hull and the massive "Union Jack" on the black hull.

In passing I found and passed on to him my third view of the SANGOLA on 23 August 1962!