This is an album with brown boards, and a sound but weak spine, containing 24 leaves and 198 photographs (circa. 101mm x 76mm) pasted in, and 6 loose photographs. Photographs are captioned but not dated.

This album was compiled by Robert Simms while serving as 3rd Engineer on the SS Bandra (1914) between 4th March 1914 and November 1915. There are topographical views of India, Basra, Baghdad, Madras, Bombay, Malta, Karachi, Aden, Colombo, Abadan and Shatt-al-Arab. Ships include HMS Chatham (1911), HMS Warrior (1905), HMS Indomitable (1907), the Sultan of Muscat’s yacht and Hospital ship Rohilla (1906). Army officers and men and ship’s officers are also included as well as many photographs of horses being loaded onto ships.

The Bandra was launched in 1914 and began her war service taking troops to Mombasa. She then served as an Indian Expeditionary Force transport until 1919 carrying both troops and horses.

Robert Wiles Simms was born in Scarborough in 1885 and according to his grand daughter went to sea at around the age of 17. He rose to the rank of Chief Engineer, retired in 1929 and died in 1966.
Biographical information and copies of his certificates with album.

See NOTES Field for contents.