Catalogue description Royal Indian Marine/Navy

The records in L/MIL/16 can be divided into 1) Statements of service and furlough for RIM/RIN personnel c1840-c1947 2) World War II service files mainly for RIN Reserve and Volunteer Reserve officers 3) A series of subject files relating to recruitment, training etc.

1) Published lists of the Bombay Marine, HM Indian Marine and Royal Indian Marine/Navy 1870-1948 also other official publications (general orders, regulations etc) relating to the RIM/RIN and its predecessors, 1824-1948 [L/MIL/17/9]

2) Military Collections relating to HM Indian Marine and the Royal Indian Marine/Navy c1880-c1947 [in series L/MIL/7]

3) War Staff Papers relating to the Royal Indian Navy c1939-1945 [in series L/WS]

4) Records of naval furlough pay, gratuities and service pensions (also pensions paid to dependents) [in series L/AG/20, 21, 23]

Unrestricted except for certain World War II personal files in L/MIL/16/10-2010

See 'The Royal Indian Navy 1612-1950', Donald Jack Hastings (London c1988) [ORW. 1988.a.1098.OIOC]

• Bombay Marine, ? -1830
• Indian Navy, 1830-1863
• HM Indian Marine, 1877-1892
• Royal Indian Marine, 1892-1934
• Royal Indian Navy, 1934-1947
• Naval personnel

Until 1863 the Government of India had its own combatant navy based at Bombay, entitled the Indian Navy (previous to 1830 it was called the Bombay Marine). The Indian Navy 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.