You do not have to fill in all fields to search. You need to sign in to tag. Catalogue entries for this series have been enhanced as part of a project supported by volunteers. Captain Elliott concluded that Anselm was abandoned without panic or unnecessary confusion. 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 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). Remember, you'll need to show photo ID to be issued with records. How do I find out where my uncle was stationed during his stint in the Navy? At first it was voluntary and applied only to foreign-going vessels. This meant that Monarch of Bermuda with eight other liners and the cruiser HMS Royal Sovereign increased speed from 13 knots to 16 knots. This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. At 7.45 p.m. the Samaria was about to sail. Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. Consult series BT 128 for details. Each set of cards records: The cards also show if the ship was torpedoed, mined, damaged or sunk. Matthew Towers was 48 years old when he lost his life. 1939-1950. Search for the National Maritime Museums records of master and mate certificates (1850-1927) on Ancestry.co.uk (). Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by ","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. The official record of these two mens' deaths falls so short of telling the whole story. On 5th July when she was 300 miles astern of convoy WS 9B she was torpedoed by U-96 under Capt. As the U-boat is forced to hide beneath the surface of the sea a cat- . The qualifying service period for the Atlantic Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. research. By the 26th of June 1943 the crew of the Samaria had heard of the body of Jim Wafer being found in Liverpool. In themerchant navy the term officer can refer to a master, mate, engineer, fishing boat skipper, second hand or cook. Even if a person had several mentions, he would only have one emblem. 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). Then, as European-built iron-hulled sailing ships replaced wooden square-riggers, Canadian shipbuilders found it harder to compete. If you provide contact details, we will be in touch about your request within 10 working days. 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. Research guidance for records relating to World War 2. 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). 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. Anyone who qualified for both the Pacific Star and the Burma Star would be awarded the first Star earned. Enter the tag you would like to associate with this record and click 'Add tag'. was taken ashore by the military authorities for burial. 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. First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve records can also be accessed online. George James William "Dick" Durling BEM. 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. 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. There were no clasps awarded with the Italy Star. Merchant seamen who were discharged from the navy between 1940 and 1972 had their records filed in what became known as 'seamen's pouches'. They sailed up the Irish Sea to join with the Clyde portion to form convoy WS 9B. Consult series BT 140 for details. The exact number of New Zealand Merchant Navy war deaths will probably never be known with certainty, as the recording of personal information, nationality, next-of-kin and service in the Merchant Navy was not as comprehensive as it was for the armed forces. There was no minimum time qualification for a Merchant Seaman. 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. Although the design of this website looks rather old-fashioned, it's still updated and is a good resource for Welsh Merchant Navy records. 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. In general Second World War Royal Naval Reserve officers' records and post 1950 records are held by CN Pers (Commodore Naval Personnel). 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. 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,. A merchant seaman might also qualify serving in operations off the Moroccan coast between 8 November 1942 and 12 May 1943. The Crew List Index Project (CLIP) offers a searchable index of ships by official number. Also awarded, with no minimum service requirement, if service was terminated by death, disability due to service or capture as a prisoner-of-war. Many years later he wrote a short fictional story about a Maritime Regiment gunner who brought nothing but bad luck. They also record the location (by latitude and longitude) and date a ship was sunk. Use our guide Abbreviations in merchant seamens records to interpret the records. Records available only at The National Archives in Kew To access the records in this. The registers survive at TNA in BT 120, BT 112, BT 113, BT 114, BT 116 and BT 119. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence 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. Records include photos, honours, service files and death records. The often slow-moving shipsand the civilian merchant mariners who maneuvered themwere easy targets for enemy fire. E. A. Huntbatch SS Orama (d.15th July 1941), Fireman James Gilbert Goodwin S.S. San Casto (London). 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. Most of the masters and mates were from West Wales. Services and information Second World War death records Search the war dead service files from the Second World War. Some of these records are alsoavailable on the subscription websitewww.findmypast.co.uk. The National Archives' catalogue This record (browse from here by hierarchy or by reference) Catalogue description Registry of Shipping and Seamen: War of 1939-1945; Merchant Seamen's Service. 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. . Many were singing songs while the boats were being lowered. The ships formed up with the Clyde contingent for convoy WS 16 west of Orsay on the 17th. Below is the last movement card for the SS Athenia. In these instances the cards have been separated and placed alphabetically according to the name shown without a deletion. 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. The convoy would have various naval escorts during the trip which would join and leave as the convoy passed their bases. Those giving evidence included J. Cornwall M.N. It sank many submarines, but it also lost a large number of warships. At the National Archives, researchers can find information on the United States Navy ranging from the wooden hulled ships of the Continental Navy used in the Revolutionary War, to the deployment of massive Carrier Battle Groups and Navy Task Forces. Alternatively, search more than 1 million objects from USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration If you provide contact details, we will be in touch about your request within 10 working days. Much of the information would have come from the Royal Navy. When he talked to my Grandad he was told that he had a bad headache. As fast as they drew up new convoy plans, the instructions would change. The column on the right of each record contains a reference number to the entitlement file held by the Registry of Shipping and Seamen. 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. ConsultBT 122-126and BT 128 (index in BT 127). Medals were not automatically issued, but had to be claimed by the merchant seaman. At 5.10 p.m. he was assigned A.R.P. Other ways to find service records. Ordinary Seaman Charles Lomax served with the Merchant Navy in WW2. The details are in an appendix entitled An Alphabetical List of all the Masters and Mates in the Merchant Service. ","spans":[]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Main image:Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic in 1942 during World War 2. During the war this fleet underwent tremendous expansion as Canadian shipyards produced 403 merchant vessels. The convoy arrived in Freetown on 1st March. United States Merchant . We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. 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. Hello, I have just started to look for my deceased fathers merchant navy records. On 1 September 1939 this passenger liner set sail from Glasgow with over 1400 passengers and crew aboard. 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. This collection includes Merchant Navy Seamen records held at The National Archives. 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. In May 1943 S.S. Samaria was in West Huskisson dock at my grandfather's home port of Liverpool. If a ship had a former name this would be written in brackets. Before 1747 no formal record keeping of crews on merchant ships existed. However the majority are held by the Maritime History Archive. 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. After five days of normal transportation (i.e., in cattle trucks), we arrived at Bremervorde in northwestern Germany near Bremen, and were then marched several miles to Stalag X-B in Sandbostel, where we were greeted by the stink of death. To view all records for an individual, select 'ALL' in the Service box. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence A little after 1.30 a.m. the last person to speak to Grandad was Able Seaman M. Towers. 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. For information on how to order an Official Military Personnel File for a veteran who separated from service before 1957, . 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. A merchant seaman could qualify after six months service with at least one voyage in an operational area. Samaria sailed from Clyde 19th of May to Algiers and arrived 27th of May 1943. There were no portholes, and ventilation came from the open access hatches which had to be closed at night when the ships were darkened. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-reserve-service-records.htm, First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve records. They subsequently sailed on convoy WS 17. When the war began, Canada had 38 ocean-going merchant vessels. Some useful printed works include: The Roll of Honour of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets 1939-1945, 3 vols (London: Ministry of . Merchant Navy ships' records: movement cards 1939-1945; Merchant Navy ships' records: registration of merchant ships; Add a tag. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. 1. "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.

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