Troopship movements: The Crocodile 1878-1881

Data gathered from The Times (T) by Garen Ewing © 2007 - www.angloaghanwar.info

The Crocodile was launched on 7 January 1867 (built by Wigram at Blackwall), and discontinued her Naval service in January 1894. During the Afghan War she was captained by Frederic Proby Doughty (1834-1892). One of five Euphrates Class troopships built specifically to transport troops through the Suez Canal to India, she measured 360 feet in length and 49 feet wide (painted white with a yellow band), with a displacement of 6,211 tons. The Crocodile was armed with three 4-pounder guns and could accommodate about 1,800 men with baggage, besides the officers and crew of the ship. She sailed at an average speed of between eight and ten knots.

The Crocodile 1878

Date Location Source Notes
13/01/78 Portsmouth T 14.1.78 left. Captain P R Sharpe 1st RA (55 men), 2nd RA (72 men) 8th RA (95 men), 2/11th (174), 1/21st (155) 65th (95), 89th (153), 70th (102), and other drafts total: 22 sergeants, 1013 privates 56 women, 104 children. Named officers
23/01/78 Malta T 25.1.78 arrived
24/01/78 Malta T 26.1.78 left
28/01/78 Port said T 29.1.78 arrived
30/01/78 Suez T 31.1.78 left for Bombay
16/03/78 Suez T 18.3.78 arrived from Bombay
17/03/78 Port Said T 19.3.78 left
22/03/78 Malta T 25.3.78 arrived
23/03/78 Malta T 25.3.78 left for Portsmouth
01/04/78 Portsmouth T 03.4.78 arrived 516 invalids, 175 time expired, 65 women 136 children, named officers
01/10/78 Portsmouth T 30.9.78 left. Capt Doughty will embark 2/14th Rgt at Queenstown 11th RA (64 men, 11 women, 23 children) 39th Rgt (1 officer, 119 men, 1 woman, 1 child); named officers
02/10/78 Lizard Point T 03.10.78 passed by, via Cork
16/10/78 Malta T 17.10.78 arrived
17/10/78 Malta T 19.10.78 left
21/10/78 Port Said T 23.10.78 arrived
22/10/78 Suez T 24.10.78 left
07/11/78 Bombay T 08.10.78 arrived
22/11/78 Bombay T 23.11.78 left
06/12/78 Suez T 09.12.78 arrived
08/12/78 Port Said T 12.12.78 left
25/12/78 Potsmouth T 23.12.78 expected to arrive. 581 time expired, 74 women, 177 children Named officers

The Crocodile 1879

Date Location Source Notes
15/01/79 Portsmouth T 16.1.79 to Bombay. Captain Doughty 21 women, 20 children 2 staff sergeants, 9 sergeants 1114 rank and file, officers named
27/01/79 Malta T 29.1.79
01/02/79 Port Said T 04.2.79
03/02/79 Suez T 05.2.79
10/02/79 Aden T 11.2.79
05/03/79 Bombay T 06.3.79 left Bombay for Portsmouth
21/03/79 Port Said T 24.3.79
26/03/79 Malta T 27.3.79 arrived
27/03/79 Malta T 31.3.79 left
06/04/79 Portsmouth T 07.4.79 arrived. 1/2nd. 38 sergants, 578 rank and file, 42 women, 117 children. Officers named. 437 invalids for Netley, 9 time expired men 65 men to join depots
15/04/79 Portsmouth for refit
01/09/79 Portsmouth T 02.9.79 left for the Cape. Captain Doughty empty save a few reliefs, women and children
06/09/79 Madeira T 08.9.79 passed
11/09/79 St.Vincent, Cape Verde T 13.9.79 left for Natal and Bombay
30/09/79 Simon's Bay T 17.10.79 arrived. 88th Foot for India
28/10/79 Bombay T 29.10.79 arrived
11/11/79 Bombay T 12.11.79 left
19/11/79 Aden T 21.11.79 arrived
26/11/79 Suez T 27.11.79 arrived
27/11/79 Port Said T 29.11.79 left
02/12/79 Malta T 04.12.79 left.
13/12/79 Portsmouth T 15.12.79 arrived. E/6 RA (4 officers, 143 men, 14 women, 21 children) G/6 RA (4 officers, 127 men, 10 women, 15 children) H/C RHA (4 officers, 124 men, 10 invalids, 15 time-expired, 9 women, 37 children) wives & families of RHA left sick in India Officers named.

The Crocodile 1880

Date Location Source Notes
02/01/80 Portsmouth T 03.1.80 left. Capt Doughty. 2/5th (28 officers, 50 sergeants, 17 drummers, 675 men); drafts for 29th, 39th, 1/21st, 48th Rgts; Royal Engineers (10 sergants, 9 trumpeters; 339 rank & file). Named officers.
05/01/80 T 05.1.80 reported signalled off St Catherine's Point
12/01/80 Malta T 15.1.80 arrived
13/01/80 Malta T 15.1.80 left for Port Said
18/01/80 Port Said T 21.1.80 arrived
20/01/80 Suez T 22.1.80 left
03/02/80 Bombay T 04.2.80 arrived
12/02/80 Bombay T 13.2.80 arrived from Karachi
T 22.3.80 after taking 2/7th and 4 companies 2/11th from Bombay to Karachi
19/02/80 Bombay T 20.2.80 left
04/03/80 Suez T 08.3.80 arrived
12/03/80 Malta T 13.3.80 left
21/03/80 Portsmouth T 22.3.80 arrived.
until Oct Portsmouth T 02.10.80 for complete repair and refit
31/10/80 Portsmouth T 01.11.80 for Bermuda. Capt Doughty. 9th, 15th, 20th Coys RE; 86th Foot draft of 99th Foot. 1090 men, 79 women, 148 children
20/11/80 Halifax T 22.11.80 arrived
12/12/80 Gibraltar T 13.12.80 arrived. 97th Rgt
13/12/80 Gibraltar T 15.12.80 left for Malta
17/12/80 Malta T 18.12.80 arrived
23/12/80 Port Said T 24.12.80 arrived

The Crocodile 1881

Date Location Source Notes
07/01/81 Bombay T 08.1.81 arrived
16/01/81 Bombay T 17.1.81 left. 19 officers 637 men 92nd Rgt to call at Vingorla to embark 83rd Rgt.
29/01/81 Durban T 31.1./01.2.81 arrived.
30/01/81 Natal T 01.2.1 left for Bombay
31/03/81 Bombay T 02.4.81 left
13/04/81 Suez T 14.4.81 arrived
16/04/81 Port Said T 18.4.81 left for Malta
21/04/81 Malta T 25.4.81 arrived
25/04/81 Gibraltar T 26.4.81 passed by
30/04/81 Portsmouth T 02.5.81 arrived. Capt Doughty H/3 RA 2 officers 118 men 14/8 RA 1 officer, 64 men 248 invalids, 429 time expired 182 men various corps, 87 women, 179 children; (2 children died on voyage). Named officers
01/06/81 Portsmouth T 02.6.81 docked for repair and work
29/09/81 Portsmouth T 30.9.81 Capt Cardale. Succesful trial of machinary
07/10/81 Portsmouth T 08.10.81 left. 7/9 RA, 9/9 RA, 6/10 RA, 7/10 RA 2/West Surrey Rgt (draft), 1/Royal Irish (draft) 1/East Lancashire (draft), 2/Liverpool (draft) 1/South Lancashire (draft), East Surrey (draft) Named officers. 78 officers, 1081 men, 71 women; 79 children. To call at Plymouth
16/10/81 Malta T 17.10.81 arrived
21/10/81 Port Said T 22.10.81 arrived
23/10/81 Suez T 25.10.81 left
04/11/81 Bombay T 05.11.81 arrived
15/11/81 Bombay T 16.11.81 left
21/11/81 orders T 25.11.81 Serapis broken blades, Crocodile to tow her to Malta
26/11/81 Suez T 28.11.81 Croc w/Serapis at Suez. Temeraire to tow her to Malta
02/12/81 Port Said T 03.12.81 left for Malta
05/12/81 Malta T 08.12.81 arrived
10/12/81 Gibraltar T 15.12.81 passed by
15/12/81 Portsmouth T 16.12.81 arrived. Capt Cardale 310 invalids, 186 time expired, 38 for depots 58 women, 137 children. Named officers. died on journey: wives of Surgeon Allen, Private Dowsen (10th Rgt), Private Crawley (13th Hussars).
28/12/81 Portsmouth T 24.12.81 to leave for Bombay...