MY GRANDFATHER AND FAMILY TO INDIA 1931

[BW252]

My grandfather Farrier Sgt Herbert Gray and his family went to India in 1931(?).   He was in the Royal Artillery and I believe they went to India on board the SS Dorsetshire.   Do passenger lists exists for these kind of moves?

[barryd]

Normally if he travelled on a regular passenger liner with other civilian passengers he would be on the manifest. I see it quite often but only for travelling officers. On a troopship - possibly not.

[jorose]

There was an HMS Dorsetshire, would have been newly commissioned in 1931. Old footage here:
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/h-m-s-dorsetshire/query/S

ETA: also a HMT Dorsetshire who looks more likely, postcard marked UK-India 1929 at this link:
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Ships/HMTroopshipDorsetshire.html

I would agree with Barry - passenger lists do not, to my knowledge, survive for troopships but you might get lucky if they went on a normal passenger ship either first time around or perhaps find the family returning after a visit home.  You can have a look here for them here:
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-records/passenger-lists-leaving-uk-1890-1960