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. From 1845 onwards a system of examinations was introduced for masters and mates. 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. Now, many warships had immediately packed the harbour, so, the navy men and merchant seamen had all gone to St. John's for their off hours. The image you order will usually come with a number of medal records for other seamen. Contact the appropriate state or national archive. If they appear on the same page, you should only pay one fee. This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. All surviving agreements and crew lists with their logbooks are held by The National Archives, . . Find answers to your research questions at, How to File a FOIA Request for Archival Records. From 10.00 a.m. 11.00 p.m. he was seen on his rounds attending to blackout by J. Lowe. You do not have to fill in all fields to search. 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). First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve records can also be accessed online. The British Merchant Navy fleet was the largest in the world in 1939 and around 185,000 men served in it during the war. All Web: UK, World War II Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945 results for Giron. He died on 21st Aug 1973. When the war began, Canada had 38 ocean-going merchant vessels. The 1939-1945 Star was also awarded to recipients of a gallantry medal, with no minimum qualifying period. The column on the right of each record contains a reference number to the entitlement file held by the Registry of Shipping and Seamen. 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. On August 26, 1939, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) took control of all shipping. Merchant mariners or merchant seamen are assigned to vessels that primarily transport cargo and passengers during peacetime. giving a true reflection as to when the name-change was made. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. If you don't have an account please register. Operational and non-operational service may be counted, providing that it was of 28 days or more duration. Here's some details: Full Name: Harold Dowle Born: 7th June 1911 I have a card with a discharge A number in the name of H Dowle of 714335 for 12/7/1938 on a ship called Lornaston (148881) from Liverpool. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence These entries record a single voyage during which the seaman was engaged on a particular ship. 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. The National Maritime Museum holds the registers (see below). Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. . Then, as European-built iron-hulled sailing ships replaced wooden square-riggers, Canadian shipbuilders found it harder to compete. You can find more details here. 09:00 to 17:00. These records were compiled at the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. She was ordered into the Clyde and the 990 RAF and 419 troops on board were going to disembark. By 1895, they were essentially out of business. Search indexes to crew lists from 1861 to 1913 by name on findmypast (). Birth, Marriage & Death, including Parish ; Military ; Wills & Probate ; Immigration & Travel ; Schools, Directories & Church Histories ; Public Member Trees ; . 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. This information will help us make improvements to the website. 3rd Radio Off. The official records state the purser took possession of his discharge book, his I.D. 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, . 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. Awarded after the Battle of the Atlantic for service between 3 September 1939 and 8 May 1945. The movement control staff in Durban were receiving signals from London changing the instructions for the destinations of the various troops. You need to sign in to tag. Operations in and around the Dodecanese, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia and Yugoslavia after 11 June 1943 would also qualify. Generally the qualifying service period for the Italy Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. On the 23rd November the convoy was ordered to split into slow and fast convoys. Narrow your search by using double quotation marks to find a ships or persons full name, such as Sydney Star or John Williams. The Atlantic Star was also awarded to those awarded a gallantry medal, with no minimum qualifying period. recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items. 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. Owners and gross tonnage (G.T.) 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. He describes why . 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. The world has been led by intensive and extensive waves of darkness from renaissance all the way down to the Covid crisis. World War Two 1939-1945 - Archives New Zealand Skip to main content Our reading rooms are open. The National Archives at St. Louis does not provide information for benefits or separation documents, such as DD-214s, for these records. However the majority are held by the Maritime History Archive. Two days later the Coroner held an inquest into Grandad's death and the verdict was given as unascertainable. to help with the costs of keeping the site running. photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. Main image:Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic in 1942 during World War 2. 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) On 28th of May 1943 he was buried in El Alia Cemetery Algiers. All Web: UK, World War II Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945 results for ae. The often slow-moving shipsand the civilian merchant mariners who maneuvered themwere easy targets for enemy fire. Sanitary arrangements were, as usual, inadequate. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. 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. 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. I was held in Stalag X-B for two years, and I will never forget that smell it lingered constantly. The first chapter of this books presents the three waves operations of social, political, economic, technological, military and educational aspect of world affairs under the following subjects. Object category. For ability and general conduct both men are reported as very good. As fast as they drew up new convoy plans, the instructions would change. Fireman. Underneath, the caption reads: `The life-line is firm thanks to the Merchant Navy`. 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. Once you have obtained a certificate number from the index in BT 127, consult the table below for the respective record series reference: Certificate numbers with a letter(s) prefix NWS were issued in the colonies. Help us improve catalogue descriptions by adding tags. Awarded for service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Against J. They give the seaman's name, age, rank, rating/grade etc with details of the ships on which they served. The certificate number obtained from the index indicates: Certificate numbers with a letter(s) prefix NWS were issued in the colonies. My name was and still is on the wall of remembrance in the Mission to Seaman in South Shields. You may also like to read ourguide on Merchant seamens medals and honours. Shortly after, Samaria set sail for Algiers via the River Clyde, Glasgow. v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Merchant Navy campaign medal records 1939-1945. are on the same page. On the 18th the weather worsened to force 6 with a rough sea and short, heavy swell with poor visibility. 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 Tragically, 30,248 merchant seamen lost their lives during World War Two, a death rate proportionally higher than in any of the armed forces. 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. The card entries do not all start or end at the same time. 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, The registers survive at TNA in BT 120, BT 112, BT 113, BT 114, BT 116 and BT 119. From things he had said prior to his death, the family believe that the story could actually be based on himself and those he served with. 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. American Merchant Marine Databases includes: . In 1939 the Admiralty instructed the Board of Trade, for reasons of. Showing 1-30 of 261 records. Enter the tag you would like to associate with this record and click 'Add tag'. Some copies of the latter have been digitized and put online by theMaritime History Archivein Canada. Medal record of Alfred Harry Badman, BT 395/1. "Service in the Merchant Marine was considered civilian service under several different civilian personnel agencies. 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?). These records are digitised cards recording the movements of British and Allied merchant ships during the Second World War. The contents of the records vary, but they usually include name, age, place of birth, register ticket, ship names, and dates of voyages. Merchant navy defence courses: general information ([Melbourne? Before 1747 no formal record keeping of crews on merchant ships existed. The medals were claimed and issued from 1946 to 2002. research. 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. 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. Research guidance for records relating to World War 2. 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. Fort Pepperrell was in St. John's and many American servicemen were to resident in the capital city. I remember him telling me that he was actually on his first day of a period of survivors leave when D Day commenced. Consult our guide to records of merchant seamen serving after 1917for advice on searching within registers of seamen and seamens pouchesto establishvoyage details which you may be able to apply to the service of officers. . The minimum qualifying period was one day. After four months aboard the raider, we were transferred to a prison ship. 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. 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. He was torpedoed and sunk twice but fortunately rescued on both occasions. 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. Awarded for service in the Pacific Ocean, South China Sea or the Indian Ocean between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. All Web: UK, World War II Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945 results for Ruth Mcmillen. 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 By war's end 410 merchant ships had been built in Canada. Seamen's records ('pouches') are in: BT 372, Crew agreements and log books are in: BT 380, Coast trade crew agreements and log books are in: BT 381, Fifth Register of Seaman's Service is in: BT 382, Crew agreements and log books for requisitioned or chartered Allied foreign ships are in: BT 387, Special Operations Records, merchant seamen, are in: BT 391, Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, 1872-1992, Have you found an error with this catalogue description? Archives, Open Government Licence 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. Registers were created to record the awarding of these certificates to officers and what they had done to qualify for them. Results 1-4 of 4 View Record Name Birth Date; 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. 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. We are now on Facebook. 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. In general Second World War Royal Naval Reserve officers' records and post 1950 records are held by CN Pers (Commodore Naval Personnel). 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. Royal Australian Navy History, WWII Merchant ship movement records - Australia; Ron Wylie, Australian merchant navy: stories of the war at sea Background information. 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 ship Adrastus had to heave-to to secure cargo which had come adrift and didnt catch up with the convoy until three days later. 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. 1939-1945. Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck Evan McGilvray 2020-09-30 This military biography explores ","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. This enabled them to arrive at Freetown on the 25th for fuelling and water before sailing on 28th for Durban. On the outbreak of the 1939-1945 war between the United Kingdom and Germany (3 September 1939), British-registered merchant ship masters were sent radio messages instructing them to open the sealed envelope which had been deposited in ships' safes as much as a year previously. He survived. The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. At 7.05 p.m. Matthew Towers A.B. Canada's air support was crucial throughout the war. A register entry for home trade voyages, from BT 126. In the eleven months on the ship Dad had spent three months in Liverpool. Search Discovery, our catalogue, by name of person or ship in T 335 to find what the award was, the persons rank at the time, and the ship they were serving on. Show all records. Nortraship. 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. The Lloyd Captains Registers were compiled from the records of certificates issued to foreign-going masters. Some are at TNA, while a few are held by theNational Maritime Museum. From the mid-18th century, masters or owners of most British-registered merchant ships were required to keep a record of their crew before the ship left port. 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. 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. Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million 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. 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. . 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. It was the Knights of Columbus Hostel on Harvey Road which was frequently used by the servicemen. They sailed up the Irish Sea to join with the Clyde portion to form convoy WS 9B. ","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. Increased Centralization and the Ikhwan Movement (1926-1934) 13. This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. 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. At first it was voluntary and applied only to foreign-going vessels. Read My Ancestor was a Merchant Seaman by Christopher and Michael Watts (Society of Genealogists, 2002) this title is also available in our shop. George James William "Dick" Durling BEM. For example, MacDonald will not appear under the letter M but under D. Much of the information would have come from the Royal Navy. Hello, I have just started to look for my deceased fathers merchant navy records. (M.N. The ship turned out to be a disguised German raider. If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Woodman here relates the Merchant Navy's colourful history and brings to life the day-to-day experiences of the seamen. Let us know. 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. 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 cards give the name of a ship and details of its movements, namely, the ports at which it docked, and passage between ports. AB. Samaria sailed from Clyde 19th of May to Algiers and arrived 27th of May 1943. During wartime, however, they can become an auxiliary to the United States Navycalled upon to deliver military personnel and materiel for the military. 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. . For more information on the Arctic Star and advice on how you can still apply for it, see our guide to Merchant seamans medals and honours. The troops on Monarch of Bermuda were originally destined for the Far East but would now be discharged at Durban. 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. Most of the masters and mates were from West Wales. The date commemorates the sinking of the first British merchant ship in 1939, just hours after Britain declared war on Germany. You may be searching for a ship on dates before or after movement cards were in use on that vessel.
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