The pouches are arranged in three sequences: Each sequence is in alphabetical order by the seaman's last name. Use the name indexes (indicated below in brackets) to locate a certificate number. 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. Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by They cover masters with foreign trade certificates sailing either as masters or mates. 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. Below is the last movement card for the SS Athenia. These records come from The National Archives' record series BT112, BT113, BT114, BT115, BT116, BT119 and BT120. The seamens discharge book numbers are usually listed, and you may find the date and place of birth too. During the war this fleet underwent tremendous expansion as Canadian shipyards produced 403 merchant vessels. TNA has detailed research guides on the Fourth and Fifth Registers of Seamen and other records. How do I find out where my uncle was stationed during his stint in the Navy? When they reached Aden on 15th August the convoy was disbanded. 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. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. All Web: UK, World War II Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945 results for ae. The Socio-political Structure of Saudi Arabia after its Creation 14. "Along with this new series have come some new experiences. 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! 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. Registration of cooks in the Merchant Navy began on 30 June 1908. The ships formed up with the Clyde contingent for convoy WS 16 west of Orsay on the 17th. Some are at TNA, while a few are held by theNational Maritime Museum. 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. After a change of orders she eventually left the Clyde with escorts on 30th June. 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 Arctic Star. The official record of these two mens' deaths falls so short of telling the whole story. Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. 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. On being examined by the ship's surgeon life was found to be extinct. 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) In the Merchant Navy there is a requirement that the 28 days should have been served at sea. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. 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. The database includes every British registered ship from 1855 to the early 1950s with official numbers 1 to 200000. 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. Read tagging guidelines. Woodman here relates the Merchant Navy's colourful history and brings to life the day-to-day experiences of the seamen. 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. Sanitary arrangements were, as usual, inadequate. was taken ashore by the military authorities for burial. If you provide contact details, we will be in touch about your request within 10 working days. research. When the war began, Canada had 38 ocean-going merchant vessels. A Clasp would be worn to signify service for the other Star. At this point the body of Matthew Towers A.B. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence This guide will help you find and interpret records of Merchant Navy officers from 1845 to 1965. Search and download ( charges apply) records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen (BT 395). 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. 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. Captain Elliott concluded that Anselm was abandoned without panic or unnecessary confusion. Records available only at The National Archives in Kew To access the records in this. The medals were claimed and issued from 1946 to 2002. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday ","spans":[]}]}},{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceText","type":"slice-text","primary":{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceTextPrimary","content":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"After the declaration of war in September 1939, the Ministry of Shipping then under the control of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Gilmour took control of the merchant fleet. Despite sharing the word Navy in their titles, the difference between the Royal and Merchant Navies was that sailors in the latter were classed as civilians. 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. He was torpedoed and sunk twice but fortunately rescued on both occasions. 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. They also record the location (by latitude and longitude) and date a ship was sunk. 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. 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. Visit The National Archives bookshop for a range of publications on the Merchant Navy. Merchant Navy Day. The entries are arranged in date order and provide: Apply for a copy of a certificate from the National Maritime Museums Caird Library you will need the certificate number. 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. Awarded for service in the Burma Campaign between 11 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. One statement indicates he fell forward unhindered over the gun deck another says he staggered, gripped a rail and fell backwards to his death. I was held in Stalag X-B for two years, and I will never forget that smell it lingered constantly. Results 1-4 of 4 View Record Name Birth Date; www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-reserve-service-records.htm, First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve records. v3.0. Monarch of Bermuda left Durban on 24th March and returned to Liverpool via Cape Town and Freetown arriving back on 23rd April. ConsultBT 122-126and BT 128 (index in BT 127). James Wafer S.S. Samaria (d.14th May 1943). Conditions on the raider were passable, but the prison ship was deplorable. 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. There was also no minimum qualifying period if service was terminated due to death or disability while on active duty. This collection records the movements of ships ordinarily engaged in foreign going trade. The Oil Concessions 15. Next Apply for your own . 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 Ships & Convoys. However, service was considered military in nature for those who served between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946. 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. In the indexes, names beginning with Mc or Mac are usually found under the letter following that prefix. The official records state the purser took possession of his discharge book, his I.D. For information on how to order an Official Military Personnel File for a veteran who separated from service before 1957, . 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. 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. 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. By now the United States had entered the war and Japanese forces were invading Malaya. We are now on Facebook. A register entry for a foreign trade voyage, from BT 124. : s.n., between 1939 and 1940) AWM call number: 387.5071094 M554; Online. These records have only been held at the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. My name was and still is on the wall of remembrance in the Mission to Seaman in South Shields. Friends of The National IWM collections. 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. SS Otranto, Capt. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. It sank many submarines, but it also lost a large number of warships. Medals and awards Refer to our research guides: Campaign and service medals Australian military honours and awards Where to look for photographs The British Merchant Navy fleet was the largest in the world in 1939 and around 185,000 men served in it during the war. If you don't have an account please register. A certificate came with a number (and new numbers were assigned if a replacement certificate was issued following the loss of the original). 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. 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 ship turned out to be a disguised German raider. Search and download () records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen (BT 395). Search indexes to crew lists from 1861 to 1913 by name on findmypast (). Using testimony from new witnesses and hitherto undisclosed public records, he seeks to explain why they were reported missing: believed killed. As well as the registers of certificates of competency for engineers at The National Archives (in series BT 139, see above), the National Maritime Museum holds registers for the following years and certificate numbers: The National Maritime Museum holds the registers, bearing numbers 5001-41021 (reference RSS/CO/1-6). The story is called The Jinx. If anyone knows of my father, Captain Len Chapman I will be pleased to hear! Medal record of Alfred Harry Badman, BT 395/1. All were willing and did their best to help abandon ship quickly in the short time available. card and his grey suit jacket. Archives, Open Government Licence The Canadian Merchant Marine had only forty-one ocean-going merchant ships at the outbreak of the Second World War. His brother Francis David Short was in the First War but I have no details on his service. ","spans":[]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Main image:Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic in 1942 during World War 2. Hello, I have just started to look for my deceased fathers merchant navy records. This enabled them to arrive at Freetown on the 25th for fuelling and water before sailing on 28th for Durban. 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. Records we hold This website Search 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. Another important archive open to the public is theLloyds Marine Collectionat the Guildhall Library which holds the Captains Registers for the period up to 1948, voyage record cards 1927 to 1975 and runs of theLloyds Registers, Lloyds ListsandMercantile Navy Lists. Many thousands of POWs died there. Like this page to receive our updates. After the First World War King George V, in recognition of the contribution made to the British war effort by merchant ships, granted the title of Merchant Navy to non-military sailors. Historically many vessels have had their names changed, sometimes on more than one occasion. Dad signed off the ship on 8th May. What are these records? When he talked to my Grandad he was told that he had a bad headache. 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. 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. Unfortunately, all their hard work diverting troops and stores came to nothing because Singapore fell into Japanese hands. It lists nearly 24,000 Welsh merchant masters, mates and engineers who were active between 1800 and 1945. Then, as European-built iron-hulled sailing ships replaced wooden square-riggers, Canadian shipbuilders found it harder to compete. 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. Log book and Crew Agreements to be found in BT 381, Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, 1872-1992. Please ensure the tag is appropriate for the record. Many years later he wrote a short fictional story about a Maritime Regiment gunner who brought nothing but bad luck. If a seaman is not listed, it may be because they have not claimed their medal entitlement. I hope to also take a digital diary when it is finished to the Arctic Convoy Museum at Loch Ewe. In general Second World War Royal Naval Reserve officers' records and post 1950 records are held by CN Pers (Commodore Naval Personnel). 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. On the Samaria crew list and report of character, James Wafer and Matty Towers are consecutive number 59 & 60. Most of the masters and mates were from West Wales. The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. 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. The often slow-moving shipsand the civilian merchant mariners who maneuvered themwere easy targets for enemy fire. The cards are presented in alphabetical order by ship's name. 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. v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Merchant Navy ships records: movement cards 1939-1945, Friends of The National If they appear on the same page, you should only pay one fee. LOG BOOKS AND CREW AGREEMENTS photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. Other ways to find service 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 shipping movement cards 1939-1945, Merchant Navy ships' records: movement cards 1939-1945, Merchant Navy ships' records: registration of merchant ships, About our Most of these men were not born in Asia; many were Egyptian. 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. Although the design of this website looks rather old-fashioned, it's still updated and is a good resource for Welsh Merchant Navy records. 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). 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?). All First World War records for these formations have been transferred to TNA. Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. 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. 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). This caused miserable conditions throughout the overcrowded and claustrophobic troopdecks. Despite the fact that merchant crews were not compelled to sail on the dangerous ocean passages, most indeed did. research. On the 18th the weather worsened to force 6 with a rough sea and short, heavy swell with poor visibility. MERCHANT NAVY SEAMAN'S SEA SERVICE RECORDS Sea Service Records . 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. 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. 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. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday The cards give the name of a ship and details of its movements, namely, the ports at which it docked, and passage between ports. 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. The story was hand written and falling apart but I have typed it up for preservation. "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. At 8.00 a.m. Matty Towers looked in his bunk and then reported Grandad missing to the Bosun, J. Hynes. As fast as they drew up new convoy plans, the instructions would change. These records were compiled at the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. Matthew Towers was 48 years old when he lost his life. AncestryDNA Activate a Kit ; AncestryDNA Learning Hub ; What's Included in Your Results ; . 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. 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. . The T124T records detail the sea service of merchant seamen who served on tugs. 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. If you don't have an account please register. Whilst it is only short, it gives a vivid account of life on board ship as a RA gunner during WW2. These records are digitised cards recording the movements of British and Allied merchant ships during the Second World War. The National Archives at St. Louis does not provide information for benefits or separation documents, such as DD-214s, for these records. ","copyright":"INF13-213 (52)","url":"https://images.prismic.io/findmypast-titan/9794e89f-46cb-4342-8b53-47272a1b0f4b_inf13-213-52-world-war-ii-poster-the-life-line-is-firm-thanks-to-the-merchant-navy.jpg?auto=compress,format"},"caption":"The Life-line Is Firm Thanks To The Merchant Navy Image: INF13-213 (52)"}},{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceText","type":"slice-text","primary":{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceTextPrimary","content":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Despite sharing the word Navy in their titles, the difference between the Royal and Merchant Navies was that sailors in the latter were classed as civilians. If a ship had a former name this would be written in brackets. A microfiche index to their holdings is kept by TNA. Image: Mary Evans/Pharcide"}},{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceText","type":"slice-text","primary":{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceTextPrimary","content":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"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. Alternatively, search The National Archives Library to see what is available to consult at Kew. 1939 194 Yeah, reviewing a book Embleme Wappen Malings Deutscher U Boote 1939 194 could . Merchant Navy Awards 1939-1945 This collection details over 9,000 awards made to those who served in the Merchant Navy from 1939-45. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday By war's end 410 merchant ships had been built in Canada. Contact the appropriate state or national archive. The convoy arrived in Durban on 18th December. . Eight of them are searchable here whilst the ninth, the Arctic Star, was not awarded until 2012 and records of its award do not exist at The National Archives. Before 1747 no formal record keeping of crews on merchant ships existed. For example, MacDonald will not appear under the letter M but under D. From 1845 onwards a system of examinations was introduced for masters and mates. Search for the National Maritime Museums records of master and mate certificates (1850-1927) on Ancestry.co.uk (). This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. Operational and non-operational service may be counted, providing that it was of 28 days or more duration. Become a Member Consult series BT 140 for details. ","spans":[]}]}},{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceImage","type":"slice-image","primary":{"__typename":"PrismicArticlePage1939BodySliceImagePrimary","image":{"dimensions":{"width":1200,"height":742},"alt":"Black and white photo of a group of officers on the SS City of Manila, a cargo steamer of the Ellerman City Line","copyright":"Mary Evans/Pharcide","url":"https://images.prismic.io/findmypast-titan/16661bfe-a635-4d82-a616-66a6b14d10d7_group-photo-officers-of-ss-city-of-manila-a-cargo-steamer-of-the-ellerman-city-line-sunk-in-the-atlantic-by-a-german-torpedo-in-1942-with-just-one-crew-member-lost-mary-evans-pharcide.jpg?auto=compress,format"},"caption":"Group photo, officers of SS City of Manila, a cargo steamer of the Ellerman City Line, sunk in the Atlantic by a German torpedo in 1942, with just one crew member lost. George Smith died later of his injuries. There were still some men on the after deck, but could not see if they had jumped clear before the ship sank. It does not, however, include: You may be searching for a ship using a former name. Generally awarded if the seaman qualified for one of the Stars. The T124X records detail the sea service of merchant seamen who served on Royal Navy ships (or Royal Navy auxiliary vessels). She was torpedoed and shelled by the German U-boat U30 without warning, becoming the first merchant vessel casualty of the Second World War. 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. If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Military ; Card Catalog ; Member Search ; DNA. The convoy would have various naval escorts during the trip which would join and leave as the convoy passed their bases. If you provide contact details, we will be in touch about your request within 10 working days. For details of the Arctic Star see our guide to Merchant seamans medals and honours. Most of the prisoners, including myself, were sent from Drancy to concentration camps. You might also find information about an officer by searching the records of ordinary merchant seamen. This section includes over 21.000 Allied Warships and over 11.000 Allied Commanders of WWII, from the US Navy, Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Australian Navy, The Polish Navy and others.

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