merchant navy records 1939 to 1945

This number made up around one third of the entire global merchant fleet at the time, with many of the seamen coming from all over the Empire, including India, Hong Kong and West Africa. The War Medal 1939-45 was awarded for 28 days full-time service in the Armed Forces between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Robert Malcolm Barber MV Patella (d.16th Feb 1944). You can search for ships official numbers through the Crew List Index Project. privacy policy, Registry of Shipping and Seamen: War of 1939-1945; Merchant Shipping Movement Cards, Available in digital format unless otherwise stated. My name was and still is on the wall of remembrance in the Mission to Seaman in South Shields. Merchant seafarers were involved in the Second World War from the first day to the last. The convoy would have various naval escorts during the trip which would join and leave as the convoy passed their bases. As fast as they drew up new convoy plans, the instructions would change. Merchant Seaman records sometimes identify a vessel an individual served on only by the Ships' Official Number. 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. Merchant seamen who were discharged from the navy between 1940 and 1972 had their records filed in what became known as 'seamen's pouches'. Merchant ship movement card (catalogue reference: BT 389). The cards give the name of a ship and details of its movements, namely, the ports at which it docked, and passage between ports. Awarded for service between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943, serving in the Mediterranean. The ships formed up with the Clyde contingent for convoy WS 16 west of Orsay on the 17th. They contain the following information: Search BT 352, a combined index to masters, mates, engineers and fishing officers certificates of competency covering home and foreign trade. (M.N. These records have been selected on the basis that they reflect the economic, social and demographic condition of the UK, as documented by the state's dealings with individuals, communities and organisations outside of its own formal boundaries (2.2.2.1 of PRO's acquisition policy). I was held in Stalag X-B for two years, and I will never forget that smell it lingered constantly. The minimum qualifying period was one day. The passage to Durban took longer than anticipated because the route diverted to sail closer to the African coast and the convoy speed dropped to 6.1/2 knots to enable the RN escorts to rendezvous with a tanker for refuelling at Point Noire. 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Ships & Convoys. Merchant mariners or merchant seamen are assigned to vessels that primarily transport cargo and passengers during peacetime. Object category. The British Merchant Navy fleet was the largest in the world in 1939 and around 185,000 men served in it during the war. Friends of The National It sank many submarines, but it also lost a large number of warships. For each officer registers provide: Look for a certificate entry in theregisters of certificates (they are arranged by certificate number) listed below. The book's structure follows the chronological evolution of geographical opinions and retains a geohistorical narrative. "The World's largest shipping company". The third statement, quite surprising, from W. Orr, is missing from the official records although he is listed as giving evidence to the inquiry into Matty Towers death. Records of masters and mates passing the voluntary examination are in series BT 143 (which includes a name index) and in BT 6/218-219. Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. Some of these records are alsoavailable on the subscription websitewww.findmypast.co.uk. Gunner, R. W. Orr D.E.M.S. The Miramar ship index can be useful for obtaining this information. The official records state the purser took possession of his discharge book, his I.D. The funeral for 46 year old Jim Wafer was held on Tuesday 1st of June 1943 at St Dominic's Roman Catholic Church then burial at Ford Cemetery. Please ensure the tag is appropriate for the record. George James William "Dick" Durling BEM. Arrangements for those who succumbed to seasickness consisted of 40 gallon drums which slid about the deck with unpleasant splashings. 09:00 to 17:00. A silver rose on the ribbon bar signifies the award of a bar. Two days later the Coroner held an inquest into Grandad's death and the verdict was given as unascertainable. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence Germany turned submarines, battleships, aircraft and mines on Britains supply lines, while British and American shipyards worked tirelessly to replace those ships that were sunk. Genealogical enquiriesshould be made in writing and search fees are 30. "On the 16th July 1940, I was on 4-8 watch when according to the 8-12 watch a ship flying Yugoslav colours had opened fire from the port quarter, killing the radio operator and setting fire to the bridge. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. Awarded for service in the Burma Campaign between 11 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. These records were compiled at the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. The Atlantic Star was also awarded to those awarded a gallantry medal, with no minimum qualifying period. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Records of Royal Naval Reserve ratings in service between 1914 -1955 are available online atwww.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-reserve-service-records.htm. As the U-boat is forced to hide beneath the surface of the sea a cat- . For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday the intended destination, details of the cargo expected to be collected at the next port of call, the initials of the clerk making the entry and the date it was made, vessels requisitioned for military service. In the Merchant Navy there is a requirement that the 28 days should have been served at sea. 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. please Instead, these details were recorded on movements cards held and maintained at the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. These records are digitised cards recording the movements of British and Allied merchant ships during the Second World War. After the outbreak of war, Germany declared that every vessel of the British mercantile marine was to be regarded as a warship, meaning that the sailors of the Merchant Navy faced tremendous risks. The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation run by volunteers. What ship was Admiral Harold Stark on during D-Day? According to a later report by the ship Cathay, the previous nights U-Boat dispositions siutuated a submarine close to the position of Anselm and which, despite the three corvette anti-submarine screen, allowed U-96 to put in a successful attack at 05.37 when a torpedo struck the port side reserve bunkers of Anselm. This meant that Monarch of Bermuda with eight other liners and the cruiser HMS Royal Sovereign increased speed from 13 knots to 16 knots. You may be searching for a vesselfor which these cards were never used. This information will help us make improvements to the website. Next Apply for your own . The registers survive at TNA in BT 120, BT 112, BT 113, BT 114, BT 116 and BT 119. Index record for Ryan, John McMahon in the World War II Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 from Ancestry.com, historical military records. Germany turned submarines, battleships, aircraft and mines on Britains supply lines, while British and American shipyards worked tirelessly to replace those ships that were sunk. Some idea of the danger awaiting convoys is given by the following story. The poster shows an ultra-realistic drawing with a coxswain at a ship's wheel, and an officer with binoculars drawn by Charles Wood. 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. Consult series BT 128 for details. Generally the qualifying service period for the Burma Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. We are now on Facebook. The Royal Canadian Navy was the third-largest fleet in the world by the end of the war, having enlisted 100,000 men and 6,500 women. There was also no minimum qualifying period if service was terminated due to death or disability while on active duty. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. The Guildhall Library does not hold crew lists. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. You may be searching for a ship on dates before or after movement cards were in use on that vessel. Edit Search New Search. To view all records for an individual, select 'ALL' in the Service box. Operations in and around the Dodecanese, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia and Yugoslavia after 11 June 1943 would also qualify. Main image:Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic in 1942 during World War 2. By war's end 410 merchant ships had been built in Canada. We weren't sorry to leave there in a cattle truck three days later, when we were taken to Drancy Prison in Paris. This was simply a record of the. 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. If they appear on the same page, you should only pay one fee. All Web: UK, World War II Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945 results for Giron. Tragically, 30,248 merchant seamen lost their lives during World War Two, a death rate proportionally higher than in any of the armed forces. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday Some of the seamen discharged during this period. The convoy arrived in Freetown on 1st March. 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. The Canadian Merchant Marine had only forty-one ocean-going merchant ships at the outbreak of the Second World War. Use our guide Abbreviations in merchant seamens records to interpret the records. You need to sign in to tag. . Medal record of Alfred Harry Badman, BT 395/1. There was also no minimum qualifying period if service was terminated due to death or disability while on active duty. to help with the costs of keeping the site running. The survivors in the water and boats were picked up by HMS Starwort and Challenger approximately 230 on the former and 820 on the latter, but owing to the intense overcrowding an accurate count was not possible. Information about official records for the Merchant Navy (UK) can be found at the National Maritime Museum (UK) Details about the role of the Australian Merchant Navy and the role Australian merchant ships played in World War II can be found at Merchant Ships of Australia in World War 2. 09:00 to 17:00. Let us know. The troop decks in this compartment contained many RAF and RAOC and the number of casualties was probably increased by the wooden laddersbeing smashed by the explosion. Anselm was indeed unfortunate to have been sighted and torpedoed whilst within the supposed protection of an anti-submarine screen by an isolated homeward bound U-Boat. 1939 194 Yeah, reviewing a book Embleme Wappen Malings Deutscher U Boote 1939 194 could . heavily illustrated book presents the details of those ships and describes the fate of those lost between 1939 and 1945. Medals and awards Refer to our research guides: Campaign and service medals Australian military honours and awards Where to look for photographs By now the United States had entered the war and Japanese forces were invading Malaya. This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. research. Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. James Wafer S.S. Samaria (d.14th May 1943). Also awarded, with no minimum service requirement, if service was terminated by death, disability due to service or capture as a prisoner-of-war. Description. On 1 September 1939 this passenger liner set sail from Glasgow with over 1400 passengers and crew aboard. First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve recordscan also beaccessed online. There have been times when I've thought about the few months of kindness and friendliness shown by Frau Wilmbrock and her family in the village of Kirch, where I and fellow Stalag X-B prisoner Jock Reid worked their farm. 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. Merchant Vessel Files: Also included among the Coast Guard records is a series of Merchant Vessel Information Files, 1939 - 1952, which is arranged alphabetically by name of vessel and contains information about merchant vessels that entered U.S. ports during World War II. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. For ability and general conduct both men are reported as very good. Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. You might also find information about an officer by searching the records of ordinary merchant seamen. The two Ellerman ships City of Lincoln and City of Edinburgh had to return to Liverpool and the Clyde because cargo had shifted. The story is called The Jinx. The series generally contains information about radio equipment . The trip back to Liverpool was via Durban, Capetown, Trinidad and Halifax. All were willing and did their best to help abandon ship quickly in the short time available. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. (6th June 1944 - 8th May 1945). The cards are of different colours depending on the type of qualification: Consult registers and renewals of certificates of competency ofmasters andmates in BT 317; masters, mates and engineers in BT 318; just engineersin BT 320 (1913-1935) (in process of transfer from National Maritime Museum under references RSS/ENG/5-6); and fishing officers in BT 396. Visit The National Archives bookshop for a range of publications on the Merchant Navy. Dad signed off the ship on 8th May. ","spans":[]}]}},{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceQuote","type":"slice-quote","primary":{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceQuotePrimary","content":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"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. Find answers to your research questions at, How to File a FOIA Request for Archival Records. What are these records? research. The National Archives holds indexes to the registers covering the period 1913-1956 (the registers themselves, for 1915-1958, are held at the National Maritime Museum). the Armed Forces Memorial roll of honour. 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).