Add a Name to this List Although the Merchant Navy was a civilian service, during the periods of hostilities some mariners served in uniform with the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Naval Reserve Trawler Section, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945; . Second World War (1939-1945) Archival records and resources from the Second World War Archival resources from Canada's participation in the Second World War. To find out about a seamans entitlement, contact the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. In May 1943 S.S. Samaria was in West Huskisson dock at my grandfather's home port of Liverpool. The Socio-political Structure of Saudi Arabia after its Creation 14. I hope to also take a digital diary when it is finished to the Arctic Convoy Museum at Loch Ewe. Our The Miramar ship index can be useful for obtaining this information. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday 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. 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. Read tagging guidelines. This collection records the movements of ships ordinarily engaged in foreign going trade. The ship had to wait in Aden until the Monster liners Mauretania, Ile de France and Nieuw Amsterdam from convoy CM 15 had passed through ahead of her to disembark at Suez before she did. These entries record a single voyage during which the seaman was engaged on a particular ship. The image you order will usually come with a number of medal records for other seamen. v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Merchant Navy campaign medal records 1939-1945. are on the same page. Royal Australian Navy History, WWII Merchant ship movement records - Australia; Ron Wylie, Australian merchant navy: stories of the war at sea Background information. 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! Please ensure the tag is appropriate for the record. The poster shows an ultra-realistic drawing with a coxswain at a ship's wheel, and an officer with binoculars drawn by Charles Wood. As the U-boat is forced to hide beneath the surface of the sea a cat- . 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. Please ensure the tag is appropriate for the record. The story was hand written and falling apart but I have typed it up for preservation. The minimum qualifying period was one day. 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. "Along with this new series have come some new experiences. Not all changes in ships names are logged on the cards and in such cases it will be necessary to obtain the ships official number (not usually recorded on the cards) and check against that number for all possible name changes. The weather was initially fair but by the 16th November they were in heavy seas in a Force 8 gale which was right on the beam causing the ships to roll heavily. In Britain, New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries, 3 September is Merchant Navy Day. The family believed that the torpedoed ship was the Tacoma Star of the Blue Star Line but I believe that ship was lost with all hands and Ronnie's name does not appear on the casualty list. On 28th of May 1943 he was buried in El Alia Cemetery Algiers. The National Maritime Museum holds the registers (see below). 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. duty by S. Pentith 3rd officer. This was simply a record of the. The trip back to Liverpool was via Durban, Capetown, Trinidad and Halifax. This information will help us make improvements to the website. A merchant seaman had to have served a minimum of 28 days at sea. The cards give the name of a ship and details of its movements, namely, the ports at which it docked, and passage between ports. v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Merchant Navy ships records: movement cards 1939-1945, Friends of The National American Merchant Marine Databases includes: . List view Image view. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. Awarded for service in the Burma Campaign between 11 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. If you are ordering more than one record for seamen with similar names, you should check if their records are on the same page. 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! There was also no minimum qualifying period if service was terminated due to death or disability while on active duty. The library does have collections of books, dealing with . 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. All were willing and did their best to help abandon ship quickly in the short time available. Research guide C12: The Merchant Navy: Ship registration and Custom House records; Research guide E1: . The card entries do not all start or end at the same time. 09:00 to 17:00. George James William "Dick" Durling BEM. He describes why . 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. There were still some men on the after deck, but could not see if they had jumped clear before the ship sank. : s.n., between 1939 and 1940) AWM call number: 387.5071094 M554; Online. Alternatively, search The National Archives Library to see what is available to consult at Kew. Merchant mariners or merchant seamen are assigned to vessels that primarily transport cargo and passengers during peacetime. How do I find out where my uncle was stationed during his stint in the Navy? In 1939, a third of the world's merchant ships were British, and there were some 200,000 sailors. Increased Centralization and the Ikhwan Movement (1926-1934) 13. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Art . A little after 1.30 a.m. the last person to speak to Grandad was Able Seaman M. Towers. At 6.25 p.m. Wednesday 26th of May 1943 P.C. Consult series BT 140 for details. 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. If anyone knows of my father, Captain Len Chapman I will be pleased to hear! 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. 1.30 a.m. Friday 14th of May 1943 Jim Wafer was seen apparently asleep in Seaman Gunners Quarters by Able Seaman Stanley Poole. Many years later he wrote a short fictional story about a Maritime Regiment gunner who brought nothing but bad luck. Robert Malcolm Barber MV Patella (d.16th Feb 1944). (6th June 1944 - 8th May 1945). You can find out whether a medal was issued by looking at the markings on the records. The ships formed up with the Clyde contingent for convoy WS 16 west of Orsay on the 17th. 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. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. When the war began, Canada had 38 ocean-going merchant vessels. The official records state the purser took possession of his discharge book, his I.D. In some cases, not all the cards relating to a vessel have been amended to reflect the latest name-change. Maurice "Ginger" Archer SS Wendover. The slower ships left the convoy at Capetown and the convoy increased speed to 14 knots rounding the Cape into a full gale which eventually turned so that they had a following sea. For ability and general conduct both men are reported as very good. Some idea of the danger awaiting convoys is given by the following story. ", JEng. At 8.00 a.m. Matty Towers looked in his bunk and then reported Grandad missing to the Bosun, J. Hynes. Merchant navy defence courses: general information ([Melbourne? William Gibb and Sgt Fox found my Grandad's body in the South West corner of the West Huskisson dock. Back to Search Results Veterans History Project Service Summary: War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945 Branch of Service: Merchant Marine Unit of Service: SS George W. Lively; SS George Sters; SS James Hyram Walker; SS War Bonnet Location of Service: Atlantic; Pacific; Normandy, France; Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands); Guam (Mariana Islands) Highest Rank: Active Boatswain A merchant seaman could qualify after six months service with at least one voyage in an operational area. 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). By war's end 410 merchant ships had been built in Canada. Up to 1854 records are arranged by port and registry number; subsequently by ship's official number. 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 Research guidance for records relating to World War 2. 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. I believe, SS Port Sydney also survived the war so, I am uncertain on which ship Ronnie was serving when torpedoed. Fireman. Genealogical enquiriesshould be made in writing and search fees are 30. A merchant seaman might also qualify serving in operations off the Moroccan coast between 8 November 1942 and 12 May 1943. Services and information Second World War death records Search the war dead service files from the Second World War. This guide will help you find and interpret records of Merchant Navy officers from 1845 to 1965. 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. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence AB. 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. 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. Edit Search New Search. It sank many submarines, but it also lost a large number of warships. 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. AncestryDNA Activate a Kit ; AncestryDNA Learning Hub ; What's Included in Your Results . Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. 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 She left on 3rd of August with four other troop ships and three ships carrying military equipment still as part of convoy WS 9B. 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. Merchant Seaman records sometimes identify a vessel an individual served on only by the Ships' Official Number. The Lloyd Captains Registers were compiled from the records of certificates issued to foreign-going masters. This caused miserable conditions throughout the overcrowded and claustrophobic troopdecks. Search indexes to crew lists from 1861 to 1913 by name on findmypast (). Also awarded, with no minimum service requirement, if service was terminated by death, disability due to service or capture as a prisoner-of-war. The swell was of considerable height and the ships became almost unmanageable and steering had to be assisted by engines. Please ensure the tag is appropriate for the record. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence Catalogue entries for this series have been enhanced as part of a project supported by volunteers. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, Genealogical enquiries should be made in writing and search fees are 30. the National Archives. Gunner and T. Moulton Sectionman. Records of people younger than 100 and still alive, or who died after 1991 are officially closed. ","spans":[]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Main image:Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic in 1942 during World War 2. research. SA. Search and download () records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen (BT 395). Military ; Card Catalog ; Member Search ; DNA. Let us know. World War Two 1939-1945 - Archives New Zealand Skip to main content Our reading rooms are open. The Oil Concessions 15. Thomas Andrew "Tots" Storey (d.7th Sep 1940), L/Bdr Norman Power Maritime Regiment Royal Artillery. He listed drowning as the probable cause of death. A merchant seaman qualified serving within a restricted area in the Bay of Bengal. Some of the seamen discharged during this period. Edit Search New Search. Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. Photographs CAPTAIN CHARLES FRYATT Within the Returns of Births and Deaths of Passengers 1939-1963 there are for 1939-1945 also records of deaths of soldiers on hospital and troopships, but it is necessary to know the name of the ship. Become a Member The qualifying service period for the Atlantic Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. When they reached Aden on 15th August the convoy was disbanded. 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). Modern entries giving wholesale name-changes to a ship's multiple set of cards could not be made to historic records. Show all 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 War Medal 1939-45 was awarded for 28 days full-time service in the Armed Forces between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. research. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. 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. 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.