merchant navy records 1939 to 1945

From 10.00 a.m. 11.00 p.m. he was seen on his rounds attending to blackout by J. Lowe. Some are at TNA, while a few are held by theNational Maritime Museum. Anyone who qualified for both the France & Germany Star and the Atlantic Star would be awarded the first Star earned, with a Clasp. For skippers and mates of fishing boats, registers of certificates of competency are in BT 129and registers of certificates of service are in BT 130 (index in BT 138). Add a Name to this List 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. Under an Admiralty instruction during World War II masters of merchant ships were ordered not to record in the tabular section of the log book the ports at which their ships called or details of their voyages in case this information got into enemy hands. privacy policy, Registry of Shipping and Seamen: War of 1939-1945; Merchant Seamen's Service on Royal Navy Ships. IWM collections. Samaria sailed out of Liverpool on Friday 14th of May 1943 and was on the Clyde Monday 17th of May. giving a true reflection as to when the name-change was made. You can search ()the records in Discovery, our catalogue, by filling in the form below. Generally the qualifying service period for the Pacific Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. 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. Read My Ancestor was a Merchant Seaman by Christopher and Michael Watts (Society of Genealogists, 2002) this title is also available in our shop. 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. 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. Birth, Marriage & Death, including Parish ; Military ; Wills & Probate ; Immigration & Travel ; Schools, Directories & Church Histories ; Public Member Trees ; . Up to 1854 records are arranged by port and registry number; subsequently by ship's official number. When he talked to my Grandad he was told that he had a bad headache. ). Contact the appropriate state or national archive. 2. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. The library does have collections of books, dealing with . By 1878, Canada was the fourth largest ship-owning nation in the world, with a merchant fleet of 7,200 vessels. While in Freetown news came through that the Japanese had landed in Java and Batavia and the Dutch East Indies had surrendered which would mean no more convoys to the Far East. For details of the Arctic Star see our guide to Merchant seamans medals and honours. Results 1-4 of 4 View Record Name Birth Date; 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. Strange that we have sworn coroners statements from my grandfather's inquest placing him on the ship and performing his duties, but the official entry in the log claims he failed to re-join the ship. Hello, I have just started to look for my deceased fathers merchant navy records. Main image:Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic in 1942 during World War 2. The ships formed up with the Clyde contingent for convoy WS 16 west of Orsay on the 17th. Increased Centralization and the Ikhwan Movement (1926-1934) 13. 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. Merchant ship movement card (catalogue reference: BT 389). ", JEng. Monarch of Bermuda arrived in Durban 30th July and carried out repairs. The registers survive at TNA in BT 120, BT 112, BT 113, BT 114, BT 116 and BT 119. Their targets now travel in convoys, fiercely guarded by Royal Navy destroyers, and when contact is finally made the hunters rapidly become the hunted. Edit Search New Search. Genealogical enquiries should be made in writing and search fees are 30. 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. The Oil Concessions 15. The Lloyd Captains Registers were compiled from the records of certificates issued to foreign-going masters. The Atlantic Star was also awarded to those awarded a gallantry medal, with no minimum qualifying period. 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. These entries record a single voyage during which the seaman was engaged on a particular ship. If they appear on the same page, you should only pay one fee. Merchant Navy - The port where the merchant mariner signed on as a member of a ship's crew at the commencement or during the war. ","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. He describes why . They cover masters with foreign trade certificates sailing either as masters or mates. American Merchant Marine Databases includes: . I myself [Captain Elliot] slid into the water shortly before the ship took up a vertical position stern up and then disappeared completely at 05.59. This was 22 minutes after first being torpedoed. He listed drowning as the probable cause of death. 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 popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. Some useful printed works include: The Roll of Honour of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets 1939-1945, 3 vols (London: Ministry of . Royal Australian Navy History, WWII Merchant ship movement records - Australia; Ron Wylie, Australian merchant navy: stories of the war at sea Background information. To have have kept all the cards together would have rendered them out of alphabetical order (in contravention of the specification) with possible adverse consequences for the list. Saudi Arabia and the Second World War (1939-1945) 16. The National Maritime Museum holds the registers (see below). If you are ordering more than one record for seamen with similar names, you should check if their records are on the same page. Use our guide Abbreviations in merchant seamens records to interpret the records. 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 Some idea of the danger awaiting convoys is given by the following story. Merchant Navy Day. Merchant Navy Awards 1939-1945 Merchant Navy Awards 1939-1945 This collection details over 9,000 awards made to those who served in the Merchant Navy from 1939-45. Enter the tag you would like to associate with this record and click 'Add tag'. Catalogue description Registry of Shipping and Seamen: War of 1939-1945; Combined Office Merchant Navy Operations, Seamen's Pouches Search within or browse this series to find specific. Members Featured Photos by AJ Hawker Tankers-At Sea or in Rivers 2468 photos 4219 comments by AJ Hawker Cargo Ships---Engines midships 2392 photos 4199 comments by Russ Kennedy Tugs-Icebreaker & Research & Supply 955 photos 1720 comments by Gary L Tankers-At Sea or in Rivers 2468 photos Operations in and around the Dodecanese, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia and Yugoslavia after 11 June 1943 would also qualify. The National Archives at St. Louis does not provide information for benefits or separation documents, such as DD-214s, for these records. From 1845 onwards a system of examinations was introduced for masters and mates. A silver rose on the ribbon bar signifies the award of a bar. 3 hold. Please ensure the tag is appropriate for the record. The staff had been working 48 hours without sleep planning the convoy and then tearing up the plan and movement orders as changes took place. 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. 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. The database includes every British registered ship from 1855 to the early 1950s with official numbers 1 to 200000. After four months aboard the raider, we were transferred to a prison ship. 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. Whilst it is only short, it gives a vivid account of life on board ship as a RA gunner during WW2. I remember him telling me that he was actually on his first day of a period of survivors leave when D Day commenced. The details are in an appendix entitled An Alphabetical List of all the Masters and Mates in the Merchant Service. Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by As the U-boat is forced to hide beneath the surface of the sea a cat- . The convoy arrived in Freetown on 1st March. MERCHANT NAVY SEAMAN'S SEA SERVICE RECORDS Sea Service Records . The date commemorates the sinking of the first British merchant ship in 1939, just hours after Britain declared war on Germany. The convoy arrived in Durban on 18th December. research. The column on the right of each record contains a reference number to the entitlement file held by the Registry of Shipping and Seamen. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence If you don't have an account please register. . Archives, Open Government Licence In some cases, not all the cards relating to a vessel have been amended to reflect the latest name-change. They subsequently sailed on convoy WS 17. This information will help us make improvements to the website. Next Apply for your own . This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. In general Second World War Royal Naval Reserve officers records and post 1950 records are held by CN Pers (Commodore Naval Personnel). World War Two 1939-1945 - Archives New Zealand Skip to main content Our reading rooms are open. 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 . It should be noted that the cards do not always reflect changes in the ship's name and that it may be necessary to search for a ship under its various names. For information on how to order an Official Military Personnel File for a veteran who separated from service before 1957, . During the war this fleet underwent tremendous expansion as Canadian shipyards produced 403 merchant vessels. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. Archives, Open Government Licence the-raf-in-camera-1939-1945 1/11 Downloaded from uniport.edu.ng on March 2, 2023 by guest . However the majority are held by the Maritime History Archive. Merchant seamen 1939-1945. Alternatively, search more than 1 million objects from (BSLOC_2013_11_114) Everett Collection Mary Evans. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday We weren't sorry to leave there in a cattle truck three days later, when we were taken to Drancy Prison in Paris. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Also awarded, with no minimum service requirement, if service was terminated by death, disability due to service or capture as a prisoner-of-war. Our first night there we had doors for beds. 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. I have a record of him being on HMS Leonian in 1941/2 from a list of people he wanted to write telegrams to from the ship. Against J. The British Merchant Navy fleet was the largest in the world in 1939 and around 185,000 men served in it during the Second World War. Records available only at The National Archives in Kew To access the records in this. In the Merchant Navy there is a requirement that the 28 days should have been served at sea. Results 1-9 of 9 View Record Name Birth Date; View Record. Research guidance for records relating to World War 2. v3.0. Log book and Crew Agreements to be found in BT 381, Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, 1872-1992. Edit Search New Search. Alternatively, search The National Archives Library to see what is available to consult at Kew. Operational and non-operational service may be counted, providing that it was of 28 days or more duration. A certificate came with a number (and new numbers were assigned if a replacement certificate was issued following the loss of the original). Medals were not automatically issued, but had to be claimed by the merchant seaman. 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). A Clasp would be worn to signify service for the other Star. This meant that Monarch of Bermuda with eight other liners and the cruiser HMS Royal Sovereign increased speed from 13 knots to 16 knots. Merchant Navy 1939-1945 Royal Navy 1939-1945 Naval Warfare Atlantic 1939-1945 Malta 1939-1945 British Home Front 1939-1945 British Army 1939-1945 Submarines German Home Front 1939-1945 Prisoners of 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. By 08.20 both escorts were proceeding at 6 knots towing Anselms empty boats, but as speed increased to 13 knots these gradually broke away and were lost. Maurice John Case MBE: 20 . The U-boat War in World War Two (Kriegsmarine, 1939-1945) and World War One (Kaiserliche Marine, 1914-1918) and the Allied efforts to counter the threat. It supported Britain's Bomber Command from 1943 to 1945, contributing a huge strike force. In May 1943 S.S. Samaria was in West Huskisson dock at my grandfather's home port of Liverpool. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. At 6.25 p.m. Wednesday 26th of May 1943 P.C. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. Let us know. A merchant seaman might also qualify serving in operations off the Moroccan coast between 8 November 1942 and 12 May 1943. Before 1747 no formal record keeping of crews on merchant ships existed. Find answers to your research questions at, How to File a FOIA Request for Archival Records. Sanitary arrangements were, as usual, inadequate. Leonard Chapman Royal Fusiliers, We are also getting his diaries scanned as a book by the National Archives which we hope will serve as a fantastic record of a day in the life of a soldier on the convoys, both as a diary and also reflections and impressions which are very creative and moving. the National Archives. Generally awarded if the seaman qualified for one of the Stars. Description. The Miramar ship index can be useful for obtaining this information. Find out dates of departure and arrival by consulting: Search the alphabetical register (BT 115) on Findmypast () which was compiled from crew lists. It may help to know the number of a ship as ships are sometimes referred to in the records by their number rather then their name. On 11th February Monarch of Bermuda embarked 2,500 troops and had to anchor with other troopships in the River Mersey held up by fog until the 16th. You need to sign in to tag. Nortraship. Records 1939 - 1946. All surviving agreements and crew lists with their logbooks are held by The National Archives, . There were no portholes, and ventilation came from the open access hatches which had to be closed at night when the ships were darkened. "Along with this new series have come some new experiences. These records come from The National Archives' record series BT112, BT113, BT114, BT115, BT116, BT119 and BT120. Owners and gross tonnage (G.T.) The cards give the name of a ship and details of its movements, namely, the ports at which it docked, and passage between ports. Even if a person had several mentions, he would only have one emblem. Awarded for service between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943, serving in the Mediterranean. Like this page to receive our updates. At this point the body of Matthew Towers A.B. 3rd Radio Off. research. The less said about our stay at Drancy the better. Chapter one is called The Idea of the World because it reflects the meaning of the efforts of the ancient's philosophers-geographers to know the shape and size of the Earth, discover its position in space, and find out what is around them. Although the design of this website looks rather old-fashioned, it's still updated and is a good resource for Welsh Merchant Navy records. During wartime, however, they can become an auxiliary to the United States Navycalled upon to deliver military personnel and materiel for the military. At 5.00 p.m. on Thursday 13th of May 1943, my grandfather Jim reported for duty on troop ship S.S. Samaria to J. Lowe 2nd officer. The National Archives' catalogue Catalogue description Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Database of World War II Medals issued to Merchant Seamen Search within or browse this series to find. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. While the crew were preparing and lowering the lifeboats which were filled with personnel as they calmly filed up from the troop decks, HMS Challenger approached and skilfully placed her bow under the port quarter of Anselm, Many men jumped on board before the two ships became separated. By 05.47 all remaining boats were being rapidly filled by the use of side ladders and side decks while the remaining personnel jumped into the sea to grasp the lifelines of boats and rafts. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. What are these records? In the longest campaign of the war, the British merchant fleet, with its naval escorts, struggled to bring food, fuel, equipment and raw materials from America and elsewhere across the Atlantic,. Showing 1-30 of 261 records. are also recorded at the top of the card.From left to right, the six columns on the card will tell you: You can search the records in Discovery, our catalogue, by using thesearch boxbelow. reference to the medal papers file (held at the Registry of Shipping and Seamen), DNA: Director of Naval Accounts (the Royal Navy medal issuing authority) or, more recently, Do Not Authorise, Refer to Aust: the medals were not issued to an individual by the Registry of Shipping but referred on to the Australian authorities, Refer to NZ: the medals were not issued to an individual by the Registry of Shipping but referred on to the New Zealand authorities. Digital copies of Merchant shipping movement cards 1939-1945 can be searched and downloaded. Visit the Crew List Index Project (CLIP) website, which has information about merchant seamen on British registered ships from 1861 to 1913. By the 26th of June 1943 the crew of the Samaria had heard of the body of Jim Wafer being found in Liverpool. I remember him telling me about runs to Malta and how soldiers shouldn't have been on ships. 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. List view Image view. Don Fraser, "'Men of a service . First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve recordscan also beaccessed online. I hope to also take a digital diary when it is finished to the Arctic Convoy Museum at Loch Ewe. E. A. Huntbatch SS Orama (d.15th July 1941), Fireman James Gilbert Goodwin S.S. San Casto (London). Medals and awards Refer to our research guides: Campaign and service medals Australian military honours and awards Where to look for photographs Underneath, the caption reads: `The life-line is firm thanks to the Merchant Navy`. If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. v3.0, the day by day movements of the ship (in Athenias case the final entry records her sinking), anticipated movements, i.e. To determine eligibility for a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD Form 214, or a Report of Casualty, DD Form 1300, customers will be directed to to, View the National Archives Operating Status. The official record of these two mens' deaths falls so short of telling the whole story. The often slow-moving shipsand the civilian merchant mariners who maneuvered themwere easy targets for enemy fire. These files have joined our collection in an effort to better serve the public who are looking for proof of their ancestor's service, The first block of this series contained 4,800 cubic feet of records, The Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC) is the approving official for World War II Merchant Marine separation documents. He was rescued, repatriated and managed to survive the war. The British Merchant Navy was the largest in the world and required more crew than Great Britain had merchant seamen, as a result large numbers of Indian, Chinese and West African seamen were engaged to crew ships which regularly traded from Great Britain to ports in those areas.

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