merchant navy records 1939 to 1945 merchant navy records 1939 to 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. American Merchant Marine Databases includes: . This enabled them to arrive at Freetown on the 25th for fuelling and water before sailing on 28th for Durban. Instead, these details were recorded on movements cards held and maintained at the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. Monarch of Bermuda arrived in Durban 30th July and carried out repairs. It supported Britain's Bomber Command from 1943 to 1945, contributing a huge strike force. I was held in Stalag X-B for two years, and I will never forget that smell it lingered constantly. Search and download () records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen (BT 395). To access the records in this section you will either need to visit usor, where you can identify a specific document reference, order a copy(). heavily illustrated book presents the details of those ships and describes the fate of those lost between 1939 and 1945. 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. There was also no minimum qualifying period if service was terminated due to death or disability while on active duty. Find out dates of departure and arrival by consulting: Search the alphabetical register (BT 115) on Findmypast () which was compiled from crew lists. During the war this fleet underwent tremendous expansion as Canadian shipyards produced 403 merchant vessels. 1.30 a.m. Friday 14th of May 1943 Jim Wafer was seen apparently asleep in Seaman Gunners Quarters by Able Seaman Stanley Poole. Arrangements for those who succumbed to seasickness consisted of 40 gallon drums which slid about the deck with unpleasant splashings. . The story was hand written and falling apart but I have typed it up for preservation. Edit Search New Search. Despite the fact that merchant crews were not compelled to sail on the dangerous ocean passages, most indeed did. Fireman. You can search ()the records in Discovery, our catalogue, by filling in the form below. Contents Part Two 11. At 7.05 p.m. Matthew Towers A.B. The following books may also prove useful: In general, seamens records for the period 1913-1972 can be found at TNA (unfortunately, most records for the First World War period do not appear to havesurvived). All Web: UK, World War II Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945 results for Ruth Mcmillen. Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by By 1895, they were essentially out of business. TNA has detailed research guides on the Fourth and Fifth Registers of Seamen and other records. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 261046 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible. The database includes every British registered ship from 1855 to the early 1950s with official numbers 1 to 200000. Our The stokehold and engine-room were soon flooded and with the engines stopped, the ship lost way and within eight minutes, Captain Elliott reported that Anselm was badly down by the head. How do I find out where my uncle was stationed during his stint in the Navy? 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. Search and download ( charges apply) records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen (BT 395). The ship turned out to be a disguised German raider. 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. Merchant seamen who were discharged from the navy between 1940 and 1972 had their records filed in what became known as 'seamen's pouches'. This meant that Monarch of Bermuda with eight other liners and the cruiser HMS Royal Sovereign increased speed from 13 knots to 16 knots. The convoy would have various naval escorts during the trip which would join and leave as the convoy passed their bases. On August 26, 1939, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) took control of all shipping. He said he always craved the soil under his boots. Histories of the United States Merchant Marine from 1900 to 2000 Histories of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II (1939 - 1945) World War II Instruction Manuals for Mariners United States Government Reports on the Merchant Marine in World War II Histories of the United States Merchant Marine in the Korean War (1950 - 1953) By now the United States had entered the war and Japanese forces were invading Malaya. At Halifax she embarked American troops to Reykjavik in Iceland and arrived back on 17th October a total journey time of three months. *Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab include seller's handling time, origin ZIP Code, destination ZIP Code and time of acceptance and will depend on shipping service selected and receipt of cleared payment. Military ; Card Catalog ; Member Search ; DNA. 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. The official record of these two mens' deaths falls so short of telling the whole story. (BSLOC_2013_11_114) Everett Collection Mary Evans","spans":[{"start":0,"end":131,"type":"em"}]}]}}],"metaTitle":null,"metaOgTitle":null,"metaDescription":null,"metaOgDescription":null,"metaCanonical":null,"addNoIndexTag":null,"_meta":{"__ref":"PrismicMeta:XgIZ8RAAACEA9U7G"}}},"TrustpilotTrustScore:4bdc84ff000064000505d022":{"__typename":"TrustpilotTrustScore","id":"4bdc84ff000064000505d022","trustScore":3.8},"PrismicRelatedDocument:XgIaTRAAACEA9VB8":{"__typename":"PrismicRelatedDocument","id":"XgIaTRAAACEA9VB8","lang":"en-us","type":"article-page-1939","uid":"the-merchant-navy"},"PrismicRelatedDocument:XgIaGBAAACEA9U96":{"__typename":"PrismicRelatedDocument","id":"XgIaGBAAACEA9U96","lang":"en-au","type":"article-page-1939","uid":"the-merchant-navy"},"PrismicRelatedDocument:XgIaORAAACIA9VAa":{"__typename":"PrismicRelatedDocument","id":"XgIaORAAACIA9VAa","lang":"en-ie","type":"article-page-1939","uid":"the-merchant-navy"},"PrismicMeta:XgIZ8RAAACEA9U7G":{"__typename":"PrismicMeta","id":"XgIZ8RAAACEA9U7G","firstPublicationDate":"2019-12-24T14:00:46+0000","lastPublicationDate":"2019-12-24T14:00:46+0000","alternateLanguages":[{"__ref":"PrismicRelatedDocument:XgIaTRAAACEA9VB8"},{"__ref":"PrismicRelatedDocument:XgIaGBAAACEA9U96"},{"__ref":"PrismicRelatedDocument:XgIaORAAACIA9VAa"}]}},"pathname":"/1939register/the-merchant-navy","publicPath":"/titan/dist/","browser":{"name":"Safari","fullVersion":"15.5","majorVersion":"15","osName":"Mac OS","isBot":false}}, Discover the sailors in your family history with the 1939 Register. The records are held in alphabetical order by seaman's name . The convoy arrived in Freetown on 1st March. For each officer registers provide: Look for a certificate entry in theregisters of certificates (they are arranged by certificate number) listed below. 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. 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. ", JEng. 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. Have you found an error with this catalogue description? On 13th December the weather reached gale force which repeated the heavy rolling and misery in the troopdecks experienced on the first leg of the voyage. The qualifying service period for the Atlantic Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. Alternatively, search The National Archives Library to see what is available to consult at Kew. Alternatively, search more than 1 million objects from IWM collections Menu. The movement control staff in Durban were receiving signals from London changing the instructions for the destinations of the various troops. 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. Main image:Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic in 1942 during World War 2. 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, . Records 1939 - 1946. His brother Francis David Short was in the First War but I have no details on his service. The National Maritime Museum holds the registers (see below). Military ; Card Catalog ; Member Search ; DNA. Many merchant seamen came from parts of the British Empire, such as India, Hong Kong and west African countries. These entries do not simply record a single voyage, but a half year (January to June or July to December) during which the seaman was engaged on a particular ship. Domestic and Foreign Policy (1945-1958) 17. It sank many submarines, but it also lost a large number of warships. The certificate number obtained from the index indicates: Certificate numbers with a letter(s) prefix NWS were issued in the colonies. 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. the-raf-in-camera-1939-1945 1/11 Downloaded from uniport.edu.ng on March 2, 2023 by guest . For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday Merchant Navy Awards 1939-1945 This collection details over 9,000 awards made to those who served in the Merchant Navy from 1939-45. In some cases, not all the cards relating to a vessel have been amended to reflect the latest name-change. Friends of The National With all of Britains oil arriving by sea, half of her food, and most of her raw materials more than a million tonnes per week, in total- the smooth functioning of the merchant fleet was integral to the nations survival. A silver rose on the ribbon bar signifies the award of a bar. Few if any of the troops had ever crossed the English Channel let alone been exposed to the rigours of the North Atlantic. Awarded for service in the Pacific Ocean, South China Sea or the Indian Ocean between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. 09:00 to 17:00. We landed in Bordeaux a few weeks later and were taken to the prison camp Caserne Colonial Bordeaux. 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. Please ensure the tag is appropriate for the record. Merchant mariners or merchant seamen are assigned to vessels that primarily transport cargo and passengers during peacetime. The seamens discharge book numbers are usually listed, and you may find the date and place of birth too. After a change of orders she eventually left the Clyde with escorts on 30th June. He listed drowning as the probable cause of death. . 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. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence The Canadian Merchant Marine had only forty-one ocean-going merchant ships at the outbreak of the Second World War. All Web: UK, World War II Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945 results for Giron. First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve recordscan also beaccessed online. These records are digitised cards recording the movements of British and Allied merchant ships during the Second World War. Due to the multifaceted nature of the Merchant Marine, we are very grateful to obtain this collection in order to provide clarity to their service," said Theresa Fitzgerald, Along with this new series have come some new experiences. privacy policy, Registry of Shipping and Seamen: War of 1939-1945; Merchant Shipping Movement Cards, Available in digital format unless otherwise stated. We are researching his time in India but know of some stories but not a lot except playing hockey against and Indian Team and winning! Awarded for service between 11 June 1943 and 8 May 1945, in the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea. Search for the National Maritime Museums records of master and mate certificates (1850-1927) on Ancestry.co.uk (). The minimum qualifying period was one day. 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, SAINT LOUIS, December 16, 2019 The public now has access to previously unavailable information concerning former merchant mariners and their maritime service through Merchant Marine Licensing Files, made available by the, The public can access these records in two ways: through a request made via an. They subsequently sailed on convoy WS 17. Next Apply for your own . Find answers to your research questions at, How to File a FOIA Request for Archival Records. : s.n., between 1939 and 1940) AWM call number: 387.5071094 M554; Online. Digital copies of Merchant shipping movement cards 1939-1945 can be searched and downloaded. The book's structure follows the chronological evolution of geographical opinions and retains a geohistorical narrative. Captain Elliott concluded that Anselm was abandoned without panic or unnecessary confusion. 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 Read tagging guidelines. ","spans":[]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"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. 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. 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. 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. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. This was a process which had started with the award of Merchant Navy War Service medals, and the inclusion of the merchant navy in Anzac Day marches in the mid-1970s. 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 1939-1945 Star was also awarded to recipients of a gallantry medal, with no minimum qualifying period. to help with the costs of keeping the site running. 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. He survived. When they reached Aden on 15th August the convoy was disbanded. (d.13th October 1945), Capt. The men went to their boats in an orderly and quiet manner. Operations in and around the Dodecanese, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia and Yugoslavia after 11 June 1943 would also qualify. Genealogical enquiries should be made in writing and search fees are 30. In themerchant navy the term officer can refer to a master, mate, engineer, fishing boat skipper, second hand or cook. For details of the Arctic Star see our guide to Merchant seamans medals and honours. 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. Archives, Open Government Licence Divided first by country and then by shipping company, the book includes the ships of such great 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. Shortly after, Samaria set sail for Algiers via the River Clyde, Glasgow. When he talked to my Grandad he was told that he had a bad headache. Art . Merchant Navy 1939-1945. The cards give the name of a ship and details of its movements, namely, the ports at which it docked, and passage between ports. 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. Contact the appropriate state or national archive. Another brother Thomas was in the British Army. You need to sign in to tag. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. 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. George Smith died later of his injuries. For Matty Towers the three witness statements into his death are very contradictory. The troops on Monarch of Bermuda were originally destined for the Far East but would now be discharged at Durban. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Merchantmen at War Official Story of Merchant Navy 1939 - 1944 at the best online prices at eBay!