# Marie Felling & other Mombasa tugs



## Kaskazi

I am interested in photos of the earlier Mombasa tugs.

Most particularly, is anyone able to direct me to photos of the Marie Felling please? Built 1928, scrapped 1980s) I have a few, but am looking particularly for close-ups and on-board photos. 

Other Mombasa tugs of special interest would be the TIDs Tiddler (140) Bunduki (136) and Toroka (137); also Nyati and Simba, both built 1951.


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## robin

Hi, Info on TID 136, Code letters;-M.X.P.B listed in 1963. Engine No. 7537/3 or 753713 built by Walmsley Ltd. of Bury, Lancs. Boiler No. 7104 built by Rankin & Blackmore of Greenock, Scotland. 
The TID 136 was sent to Rangoon for the Government of Burma, she was shipped onboard the S.S. Belray. She was shown as being at Kilindini working for the RNAD and was named BUNDUKI on the 20/03/1948. Her crew listed in 1957 as being one Asian Coxswain, one Engineer, one African Greaser, one Stoker and two Seamen. She was sold on the 28/04/1960 to the East Africa Marketing Co, of Nairobi.

TID 137 Was completed on the --/04/1956 and was shipped from Liverpool to Colombo for Rangoon. She arrived on the 15/04/1946 at Rangoon. February 1948 sold toTanganyika Railways. 1951 sold to East Africa Railways & Harbour Board and renamed TOROKA.

TID 140 completed on the 14/05/1945, she too was shipped from Liverpool for Rangoon. On the 28/01/1948 lifted onboard S.S. BELRAY to Trincomalee for reserve. --/11/1948 sold to East African Railways and Harbour Board and renamed TIDDLER.

Hope that this small bit of info is of help ?
Regards, Robin.


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## 6639

hi,I have some lovely photos of a model of the Marrie Felling that I have just sold,if those are of any interest to you?cheers,neil.


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## Kaskazi

Thanks Robin. Some of this I had, some not, so your contribution is much appreciated. Strangely, I had not previously noticed that I share a birthplace with Bunduki's engine! 

"Bunduki" is the Swahili word for a gun. I wonder if the engine was in some way explosive?!


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## Kaskazi

nhp651 said:


> hi,I have some lovely photos of a model of the Marrie Felling that I have just sold,if those are of any interest to you?cheers,neil.


We used to live in a house overlooking Mombasa harbour, so MF was part of my boyhood and when I recently found that Caldercraft had a kit, I just had to build one. So I am just starting. Yes please, I would love to see your photos. I will PM you.

Meanwhile, I attach the only photo of MF that I took myself - mid 1950 when she was working a ship I was on.


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## R736476

Kaskazi said:


> I am interested in photos of the earlier Mombasa tugs.
> 
> Most particularly, is anyone able to direct me to photos of the Marie Felling please? Built 1928, scrapped 1980s) I have a few, but am looking particularly for close-ups and on-board photos.


Hi Kaskazi,
Just spotted your message.
If you look on Page 17 of my Member Gallery there is a pic of the after deck of Marie Felling which I took in November 1965 as she was bringing RFA Wave Ruler into Mombasa.
Regards


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## Kaskazi

R736476 said:


> Hi Kaskazi,
> Just spotted your message.
> If you look on Page 17 of my Member Gallery there is a pic of the after deck of Marie Felling which I took in November 1965 as she was bringing RFA Wave Ruler into Mombasa.
> Regards


Thanks - I had already seen and admired that one. It contains the only guide I have found to the height of the bulwarks - hip! And there is another similar photo on this site at http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/9508/si/Mombasa/what/allfields 

I bet you never found my photos of Wave Ruler taken from our living room at http://www.mccrow.org.uk/EastAfrica/EAWarships/RNEastAf.htm
I can't be sure of the date, but '60s and pre 1967. I suppose you were supporting the Beira Patrol? My own photo of M Felling is on that same site, different page, "EAR&H Marine Division".

Regards

Ron


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## R736476

Hi Kaskasi,
Thanks for the intro to your website! There's some great shots and history in there and of course I loved the ones of Wave Ruler!!
We actually pre-dated the Beira Patrol. We were working out of South Africa and left in a hurry with HMS Jaguar just as Rhodesia was declaring UDI - see pics in my gallery of jackstay transfers with Jaguar - it would have been embarrassing to stay. After cruising around the east African coast we eventually ended up in Mombassa and did a long overdue boiler clean. We passed through Simonstown quietly from the evening of 24/12/65 to early 26/12/65 (giving them back their oil!) and headed home to Devonport arriving mid January 1966! 
Cheers,
Alex


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## andysk

Kaskazi said:


> I am interested in photos of the earlier Mombasa tugs.
> 
> Most particularly, is anyone able to direct me to photos of the Marie Felling please? Built 1928, scrapped 1980s) I have a few, but am looking particularly for close-ups and on-board photos.
> 
> Other Mombasa tugs of special interest would be the TIDs Tiddler (140) Bunduki (136) and Toroka (137); also Nyati and Simba, both built 1951.


Hi Kaskazi ....

I took a pic of SIMBA in Mombasa in Feb 1978, all I know is that she was built by A & J Inglis in Glasgow in 1951. I have no fate or disposal details for her, can you or anybody else help in that regard please ?

Cheers

Andy


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## andysk

When I looked for SIMBA on Miramar last year, there was no entry, but now she is there !

So, I've answered my own question ...


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## kiawa

*African Greaser*

My Dad William Komo Kiawa was the greaser for the TID, and was also in the Marie Felling crew, a young man then. I grew up in same area overlooking the port entry in Kizingo in the late 70s. Boats I can remember of the 70s and eithies are the Nyangumi, Kiboko, Simba, and the skimmer Mafuta.




robin said:


> Hi, Info on TID 136, Code letters;-M.X.P.B listed in 1963. Engine No. 7537/3 or 753713 built by Walmsley Ltd. of Bury, Lancs. Boiler No. 7104 built by Rankin & Blackmore of Greenock, Scotland.
> The TID 136 was sent to Rangoon for the Government of Burma, she was shipped onboard the S.S. Belray. She was shown as being at Kilindini working for the RNAD and was named BUNDUKI on the 20/03/1948. Her crew listed in 1957 as being one Asian Coxswain, one Engineer, one African Greaser, one Stoker and two Seamen. She was sold on the 28/04/1960 to the East Africa Marketing Co, of Nairobi.
> 
> TID 137 Was completed on the --/04/1956 and was shipped from Liverpool to Colombo for Rangoon. She arrived on the 15/04/1946 at Rangoon. February 1948 sold toTanganyika Railways. 1951 sold to East Africa Railways & Harbour Board and renamed TOROKA.
> 
> TID 140 completed on the 14/05/1945, she too was shipped from Liverpool for Rangoon. On the 28/01/1948 lifted onboard S.S. BELRAY to Trincomalee for reserve. --/11/1948 sold to East African Railways and Harbour Board and renamed TIDDLER.
> 
> Hope that this small bit of info is of help ?
> Regards, Robin.


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