merchant navy records 1939 to 1945

Search for the National Maritime Museums records of master and mate certificates (1850-1927) on Ancestry.co.uk (). As the outbreak of World War II edged closer in 1939, the British merchant fleet remained the largest in the world, employing some 200,000 men and women. As the U-boat is forced to hide beneath the surface of the sea a cat- . The two aircraft carriers escorting the convoy lost aircraft due to crash landings, considered by Admiral Somerville to be due to lack of training and experience of deck landing to a regrettable degree. Index record for Merchant, Leslie Arthur in the World War II Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 from Ancestry.com, historical military records. Research guide C12: The Merchant Navy: Ship registration and Custom House records; Research guide E1: . If anyone knows of my father, Captain Len Chapman I will be pleased to hear! At 7.05 p.m. Matthew Towers A.B. : s.n., between 1939 and 1940) AWM call number: 387.5071094 M554; Online. We landed in Bordeaux a few weeks later and were taken to the prison camp Caserne Colonial Bordeaux. During that period the ship may have been on several voyages, and he may have been engaged for some or all of the period. Women also sometimes served at sea in the Merchant Navy. Visit the Crew List Index Project (CLIP) website, which has information about merchant seamen on British registered ships from 1861 to 1913. ", JEng. It lists nearly 24,000 Welsh merchant masters, mates and engineers who were active between 1800 and 1945. He was torpedoed and sunk twice but fortunately rescued on both occasions. They subsequently sailed on convoy WS 17. Samaria sailed from Clyde 19th of May to Algiers and arrived 27th of May 1943. Merchant Seaman records sometimes identify a vessel an individual served on only by the Ships' Official Number. We can either copy our records onto paper or deliver them to you digitally, Visit us in Kew to see original documents or view online records for free, Consider paying for The poster shows an ultra-realistic drawing with a coxswain at a ship's wheel, and an officer with binoculars drawn by Charles Wood. In early 1945, in the face of advancing British forces, the camp was evacuated, and we were marched to Marlag und Milag Nord, from where I was later repatriated. Enter the tag you would like to associate with this record and click 'Add tag'. Generally the qualifying service period for the Pacific Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. 1939-1950. Domestic and Foreign Policy (1945-1958) 17. Medals and awards Refer to our research guides: Campaign and service medals Australian military honours and awards Where to look for photographs He survived. You do not have to fill in all fields to search. 1939-1945. Awarded for service in the Burma Campaign between 11 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. I think the tag '' should be removed from: Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events, All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, BT - Records of the Board of Trade and of successor and related bodies, Division within BT - Records of the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen and successor, Merchant shipping movement cards 1939-1945, Merchant Navy ships' records: movement cards 1939-1945, Merchant Navy ships' records: registration of merchant ships, About our - Merchant Navy during the Second World War -. research. Generally the qualifying service period for the Burma Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. Merchant Navy mariners were recorded in the 1841 census but unfortunately not those on board ships either stationed on shore or at sea. Unfortunately, many cards contain a lot of abbreviations and there is no known key for them. In the top left corner of the record is the ships name. Genealogical enquiries should be made in writing and search fees are 30. (These were originally described as 'Asian seamen' but that is misleading. On the outbreak of the 1939-1945 war between the United Kingdom and Germany (3 September 1939), British-registered merchant ship masters were sent radio messages instructing them to open the sealed envelope which had been deposited in ships' safes as much as a year previously. At 05.55 all the boats but one had cleared the ship, by which time the foredeck was completely submerged and the water almost up to the level of the promenade deck. This information will help us make improvements to the website. Military ; Card Catalog ; Member Search ; DNA. Look at the websites of other archives and organisations which hold agreements and crew lists, including the Maritime History Archive in Newfoundland, the National Maritime Museum, the National Records of Scotland, the National Archives of Ireland, and local archives. Divided first by country and then by shipping company, the book includes the ships of such great v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Merchant Navy ships records: movement cards 1939-1945, Friends of The National She was torpedoed and shelled by the German U-boat U30 without warning, becoming the first merchant vessel casualty of the Second World War. In these instances the cards have been separated and placed alphabetically according to the name shown without a deletion. Monday, July 16, 1945 o First atomic bomb exploded Heat generated by the blast was 4 times the temperature at the center of the sun Blew out windows in houses more than 200 miles away Killed every living creature within a mile o Ruby Wilkening joined several other women waiting for the blast Worried about her husband who was already at the test site No one knew what to expect o . AB. Want to know what life was like during the War? These records are digitised cards recording the movements of British and Allied merchant ships during the Second World War. During the one-way exchange of fire (the raider kept of range), Able Seaman George Smith was seriously injured and the third engineer, Mr. Gibson, and the steward, Mr. Gernardt, were killed. Military ; Card Catalog ; Member Search ; DNA. When they reached Aden on 15th August the convoy was disbanded. photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. It was the job of the Ministry to decide what cargo the ships would carry and the function they would fulfil in order to best support the war effort, while crewing and provisioning remained under the jurisdiction of the shipping industry. Arrangements for those who succumbed to seasickness consisted of 40 gallon drums which slid about the deck with unpleasant splashings. They were first recorded on board vessels in port from 1851 (1861 for Scotland) and from 1861 measures were taken to record mariners at sea. On the Samaria crew list and report of character, James Wafer and Matty Towers are consecutive number 59 & 60. What ship was Admiral Harold Stark on during D-Day? We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. Particular emphasis was put on implementing the convoy system, by which warships would customarily escort groups of merchant ships to deter attacks from German U-boats. the-raf-in-camera-1939-1945 1/11 Downloaded from uniport.edu.ng on March 2, 2023 by guest . Also some happy times with the Indian Army who were great allies and enjoyed partying English style, as a relief from the war time battles. Samaria sailed out of Liverpool on Friday 14th of May 1943 and was on the Clyde Monday 17th of May. A single oak leaf emblem attached to the War Medal ribbon denotes a Mention-in-Despatches; the silver oak leaf, a Kings Commendation for Brave Conduct. v3.0, except where otherwise stated, guide on Merchant seamens medals and honours, World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen, records of merchant seamen serving after 1917, Abbreviations in merchant seamens records, Friends of The National The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. How do I find out where my uncle was stationed during his stint in the Navy? Services and information Second World War death records Search the war dead service files from the Second World War. The swell was of considerable height and the ships became almost unmanageable and steering had to be assisted by engines. Gunner) fell from the gun platform on A deck to B deck, receiving head injuries. Contact the appropriate state or national archive. The convoy arrived in Freetown on 1st March. This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. At 8 am on December 7, the Japanese submarine I-26 torpedoed SS Cynthia Olson, manned by mariners and transporting lumber for the Army from Tacoma, Washington to Honolulu.All aboard perished, making these merchant mariners among the earliest American casualties of the war. was taken ashore by the military authorities for burial. Suffice it to say the remainder of the convoy including Monarch of Bermuda made the passage safely arriving in Freetown on 13th July to fuel and take on water and sailing on 17th July for Durban. 10thFeb 2023 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. James Wafer S.S. Samaria (d.14th May 1943) James Wafer started service as an Able Seaman during World War 1 and had survived active service as a teenage merchant man on a ship called Romney. These entries record a single voyage during which the seaman was engaged on a particular ship. He died on 21st Aug 1973. IWM collections. Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck Evan McGilvray 2020-09-30 This military biography explores This information will help us make improvements to the website. He may have been in the Devon or Dorset Regiment. Awarded for service between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943, serving in the Mediterranean. Search indexes to crew lists from 1861 to 1913 by name on findmypast (). The two Ellerman ships City of Lincoln and City of Edinburgh had to return to Liverpool and the Clyde because cargo had shifted. If you provide contact details, we will be in touch about your request within 10 working days. 1 With only two decades since the ending of the Great War most serving shipmasters would have been at sea during . Maurice John Case MBE: 20 . Please ensure the tag is appropriate for the record. There was also no minimum qualifying period if service was terminated due to death or disability while on active duty. Edit Search New Search. Merchant seafarers were involved in the Second World War from the first day to the last. Many years later he wrote a short fictional story about a Maritime Regiment gunner who brought nothing but bad luck. This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. In 1939 the Admiralty instructed the Board of Trade, for reasons of security, to prevent masters of merchant vessels from using ships logs or crew lists and agreements to record destinations or ports of call. Order records to view when you visit. A merchant seaman could qualify after six months service with at least one voyage in an operational area. It was the job of the Ministry to decide what cargo the ships would carry and the function they would fulfil in order to best support the war effort, while crewing and provisioning remained under the jurisdiction of the shipping industry. If there is no entry on a card for the early or later part of the war, check the crew lists and agreements in series BT 99, BT 100, BT 380or BT 381which may hold further details. Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by A total of 254 officers and men lost their lives in the sinking of Anselm, of which 176 were RAF, 70 from other services and 4 crew. The official history for the Second World War, Australia in the War of 1939-1945, has been digitised and is available for viewing on the Memorial's web site. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-reserve-service-records.htm, First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve records. Thomas Coakley examined the body and states no violence was used in his death but his body was badly damaged, due to it being trapped for days under the lock gates of the dock. Before 1747 no formal record keeping of crews on merchant ships existed. ). The date commemorates the sinking of the first British merchant ship in 1939, just hours after Britain declared war on Germany. The first chapter of this books presents the three waves operations of social, political, economic, technological, military and educational aspect of world affairs under the following subjects. As fast as they drew up new convoy plans, the instructions would change. We also found evidence after 1943 of his return to the Army, promotion to Captain and his service in India, near Karachi. They sailed up the Irish Sea to join with the Clyde portion to form convoy WS 9B. Search All Records ; . SA. After four months aboard the raider, we were transferred to a prison ship. ConsultBT 139for certificates of competency from 1861-1921, BT 142forcertificates of service from 1862-1921 andBT 140for certificates of service of engineers examined in the colonies from 1870-1921 (index in BT 141). The medals were claimed and issued from 1946 to 2002. Using testimony from new witnesses and hitherto undisclosed public records, he seeks to explain why they were reported missing: believed killed. These records come from The National Archives' record series BT112, BT113, BT114, BT115, BT116, BT119 and BT120. Awarded after the Battle of the Atlantic for service between 3 September 1939 and 8 May 1945. the Armed Forces Memorial roll of honour. The National Archives at St. Louis does not provide information for benefits or separation documents, such as DD-214s, for these records. Personnel records available to the public are now held byThe National Archives (TNA), formerly known as the Public Record Office, the website has helpful research guides. U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945; . This enabled them to arrive at Freetown on the 25th for fuelling and water before sailing on 28th for Durban. I know that during 1939 to 1945 he served on a few Navy ships as an engineering officer RNVR and some time ago I sent a letter to obtain a record of the Naval ships he sailed in. "The World's largest shipping company". Sanitary arrangements were, as usual, inadequate. But by the time its recommendations were implemented in 1994, the 15-year- old deckboys would have been in their mid-60s, while a seaman of 50 when the war ended would have been 100. Inicio; FAQ's; Biblioteca; Ayuda; Bsqueda avanzada; Comentarios/sugerencias . The steamer Anselm had left Liverpool with Monarch of Bermuda to join convoy WS 9B but hadnt been able to maintain the 12 knots speed. This collection of records, BT 395, lists the medals awarded to merchant seamen for their service in the Second World War (1939-1945), with the exception of the. Use the name indexes (indicated below in brackets) to locate a certificate number. Merchant ship movement card (catalogue reference: BT 389). Monarch of Bermuda arrived in Durban 30th July and carried out repairs. Here's some details: Full Name: Harold Dowle Born: 7th June 1911 I have a card with a discharge A number in the name of H Dowle of 714335 for 12/7/1938 on a ship called Lornaston (148881) from Liverpool. I think the tag '' should be removed from: Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events, All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, BT - Records of the Board of Trade and of successor and related bodies, Division within BT - Records of the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen and successor, Merchant Navy seamen in service since 1918, About our Records of Merchant seamen serving in the Royal Navy under T124X and T124T contracts The UK National Archive (formerly the Public Record Office) holds the following records which are available for online access: The reference BT 391 includes the T124X records which detail the sea service of merchant seamen who served on Royal Navy ships. It supported Britain's Bomber Command from 1943 to 1945, contributing a huge strike force. The image you order will usually come with a number of medal records for other seamen. We do not provide copies of online records please download to view, Visit us in Kew to see original documents or view online records for free, Consider paying for We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. This collection records the movements of ships ordinarily engaged in foreign going trade. Fireman. Hello, I have just started to look for my deceased fathers merchant navy records. The only good thing I remember about Drancy was the kindness of the French women who had nothing themselves, but nevertheless threw loaves of bread to us past the guards. A merchant seaman might also qualify serving in operations off the Moroccan coast between 8 November 1942 and 12 May 1943. I was held in Stalag X-B for two years, and I will never forget that smell it lingered constantly. At this point the body of Matthew Towers A.B. There were no clasps awarded with the Italy Star. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday Those giving evidence included J. Cornwall M.N. Medal record of Alfred Harry Badman, BT 395/1. Ordinary Seaman Charles Lomax served with the Merchant Navy in WW2. Anyone who qualified for both the Pacific Star and the Burma Star would be awarded the first Star earned. In any case, there might be a legitimate reason why only some cards indicate the latest name, i.e. You can find more details here. Generally awarded if the seaman qualified for one of the Stars. Medals were not automatically issued, but had to be claimed by the merchant seaman. Nortraship. By now the United States had entered the war and Japanese forces were invading Malaya. The struggle for control over the Atlantic shipping routes, which would eventually become known as the Battle of the Atlantic, was one of the longest campaigns of WWII. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. After five days of normal transportation (i.e., in cattle trucks), we arrived at Bremervorde in northwestern Germany near Bremen, and were then marched several miles to Stalag X-B in Sandbostel, where we were greeted by the stink of death. Nine types of medals were awarded to British merchant seamen who served in the Second World War and who met the qualifications for each medal. For more information on the Arctic Star and advice on how you can still apply for it, see our guide to Merchant seamans medals and honours. Other ways to find service records. As the outbreak of World War II edged closer in 1939, the British merchant fleet remained the largest in the world, employing some 200,000 men and women. The registers survive at TNA in BT 120, BT 112, BT 113, BT 114, BT 116 and BT 119. British seamen who served under the T124X agreement; British seamen who served under the T124T agreement; Non-British seamen who served under the T124X agreement. . Another brother Thomas was in the British Army. Fort Pepperrell was in St. John's and many American servicemen were to resident in the capital city. If you have any unwanted These cards have been selected as they reflect the economic, social and demographic condition of the UK, as documented by the state's dealings with individuals, communities and organisations outside its own formal boundaries (2.2.2.1 of PRO's acquisition policy). MO has 20th Century military records for discharged and deceased veterans. (M.N. Registration of cooks in the Merchant Navy began on 30 June 1908. Have you found an error with this catalogue description? The Lloyd Captains Registers were compiled from the records of certificates issued to foreign-going masters. Awarded for service in the Pacific Ocean, South China Sea or the Indian Ocean between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. The exact number of New Zealand Merchant Navy war deaths will probably never be known with certainty, as the recording of personal information, nationality, next-of-kin and service in the Merchant Navy was not as comprehensive as it was for the armed forces. ","spans":[]}]}},{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceImage","type":"slice-image","primary":{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceImagePrimary","image":{"dimensions":{"width":1200,"height":1882},"alt":"Propaganda poster for the Merchant Navy during World War II. The less said about our stay at Drancy the better. On 5th July when she was 300 miles astern of convoy WS 9B she was torpedoed by U-96 under Capt. Furthermore, the MID does not appear on the Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards approved from time . The convoy was originally supposed to sail at the end of October 1942 as WS 13 but its designation was changed to WS 12Z (a lucky omen?). Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence The following codes may be found on the record: Markings found on the record may include: The letter R over a code can signify that an application for that medal was reviewed and refused. 1.30 a.m. Friday 14th of May 1943 Jim Wafer was seen apparently asleep in Seaman Gunners Quarters by Able Seaman Stanley Poole. The ship remained in Liverpool for five weeks during which time two weeks voyage repairs were carried out so I should imagine that Mum saw a good deal of Dad during that time. The ship turned out to be a disguised German raider. Now, many warships had immediately packed the harbour, so, the navy men and merchant seamen had all gone to St. John's for their off hours. You can search ()the records in Discovery, our catalogue, by filling in the form below. It sank many submarines, but it also lost a large number of warships. The trip back to Liverpool was via Durban, Capetown, Trinidad and Halifax. If they appear on the same page, you should only pay one fee. Search 5: service details of Merchant Navy cooks 1913-1956 This is a search in record series BT 319. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. "Service in the Merchant Marine was considered civilian service under several different civilian personnel agencies.

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