Awarded for service between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943, serving in the Mediterranean. v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Merchant Navy ships records: movement cards 1939-1945, Friends of The National Read My Ancestor was a Merchant Seaman by Christopher and Michael Watts (Society of Genealogists, 2002) this title is also available in our shop. 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. He listed drowning as the probable cause of death. 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. The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. Numbers were allocated to the certificate of service in BT 130 are as follows: We hold indexes to registers of certificates of competence and service for cooks, 1913-1956 in BT 319. George James William "Dick" Durling BEM. As fast as they drew up new convoy plans, the instructions would change. This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. On the 18th the weather worsened to force 6 with a rough sea and short, heavy swell with poor visibility. From 1835, details of seafarers were recorded in registers by the Register Office for Merchant Seamen, later the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, using information from the crew lists. Instead, these details were recorded on movements cards held and maintained at the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. The swell was of considerable height and the ships became almost unmanageable and steering had to be assisted by engines. Little did I know, but back home I was considered missing and presumed dead. This enabled them to arrive at Freetown on the 25th for fuelling and water before sailing on 28th for Durban. Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. 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. 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 Navy seamen in service since 1918, About our 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. Nortraship. By war's end 410 merchant ships had been built in Canada. Hello, I have just started to look for my deceased fathers merchant navy records. For Matty Towers the three witness statements into his death are very contradictory. By 1878, Canada was the fourth largest ship-owning nation in the world, with a merchant fleet of 7,200 vessels. Want to find out more about your relative's service? To find out about a seamans entitlement, contact the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. ConsultBT 122-126and BT 128 (index in BT 127). 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) Search and download () records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen (BT 395). 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. Add a Name to this List 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. Research guidance for records relating to World War 2. Operations in and around the Dodecanese, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia and Yugoslavia after 11 June 1943 would also qualify. By 1895, they were essentially out of business. Contact the appropriate state or national archive. SS Otranto, Capt. In Britain, New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries, 3 September is Merchant Navy Day. 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. Some useful printed works include: The Roll of Honour of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets 1939-1945, 3 vols (London: Ministry of . 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 Armed Forces Memorial roll of honour. Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by Divided first by country and then by shipping company, the book includes the ships of such great The registers follow a similar format to Registers of Seamen Tickets in BT 113. 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. to help with the costs of keeping the site running. recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items. Photographs CAPTAIN CHARLES FRYATT If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small 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. MERCHANT NAVY SEAMAN'S SEA SERVICE RECORDS Sea Service Records . 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. 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. A merchant seaman might also qualify serving in operations off the Moroccan coast between 8 November 1942 and 12 May 1943. A silver rose on the ribbon bar signifies the award of a bar. 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. (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. Monarch of Bermuda sailed for Suez with an estimated 2,200 troops on board on 28th June in company with seven other ships and escorted by the destroyers HMS Reading and Piorun (Polish). If they appear on the same page, you should only pay one fee. Those giving evidence included J. Cornwall M.N. ","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. Edit Search New Search. 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). During the war this fleet underwent tremendous expansion as Canadian shipyards produced 403 merchant vessels. heavily illustrated book presents the details of those ships and describes the fate of those lost between 1939 and 1945. Merchant Navy service Records of pre-World War I and colonial service World War I service with the Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force an War gratuity cards for World War I and World War II Records of Navy service after 1970 Other contacts We hold the following records about service in the Royal Australian Navy: Search 5: service details of Merchant Navy cooks 1913-1956 This is a search in record series BT 319. Information about official records for the Merchant Navy (UK) can be found at the National Maritime Museum (UK) Details about the role of the Australian Merchant Navy and the role Australian merchant ships played in World War II can be found at Merchant Ships of Australia in World War 2. If you provide contact details, we will be in touch about your request within 10 working days. He survived. All Web: UK, World War II Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945 results for ae. Germany turned submarines, battleships, aircraft and mines on Britains supply lines, while British and American shipyards worked tirelessly to replace those ships that were sunk. Use our guide Abbreviations in merchant seamens records to interpret the records. Canada's air support was crucial throughout the 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. The Lloyd Captains Registers were compiled from the records of certificates issued to foreign-going masters. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration There was also no minimum qualifying period if service was terminated due to death or disability while on active duty. If they appear on the same page, you should only pay one fee. 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. These records come from The National Archives' record series BT112, BT113, BT114, BT115, BT116, BT119 and BT120. please What are these records? A merchant seaman could qualify after six months service with at least one voyage in an operational area. The story is called The Jinx. 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 guide C12: The Merchant Navy: Ship registration and Custom House records; Research guide E1: . 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. This information will help us make improvements to the website. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday An incomplete set of captains registers is available on microfilm in The National Archives reading rooms. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. The passage to Durban took longer than anticipated because the route diverted to sail closer to the African coast and the convoy speed dropped to 6.1/2 knots to enable the RN escorts to rendezvous with a tanker for refuelling at Point Noire. Maurice "Ginger" Archer SS Wendover. Digital copies of Merchant shipping movement cards 1939-1945 can be searched and downloaded. Few if any of the troops had ever crossed the English Channel let alone been exposed to the rigours of the North Atlantic. First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve recordscan also beaccessed online. 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(). Despite the fact that merchant crews were not compelled to sail on the dangerous ocean passages, most indeed did. We landed in Bordeaux a few weeks later and were taken to the prison camp Caserne Colonial Bordeaux. Furthermore, the MID does not appear on the Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards approved from time . . Using testimony from new witnesses and hitherto undisclosed public records, he seeks to explain why they were reported missing: believed killed. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-reserve-service-records.htm, First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve records. These records are digitised cards recording the movements of British and Allied merchant ships during the Second World War. v3.0, except where otherwise stated, guide on Merchant seamens medals and honours, World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen, records of merchant seamen serving after 1917, Abbreviations in merchant seamens records, Friends of The National On August 26, 1939, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) took control of all shipping. 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, . However the majority are held by the Maritime History Archive. v3.0, the Lloyd Lists which are available at the Guildhall Library or the, record of voyages (certificates up to 1888 only) dates are for when the records were filed and are not arrival dates sometimes records were filed after a series of voyages, date of death (certificates after 1888 only and only sometimes), date, number and place of issue of the masters certificate obtained, any other special qualification, including the steam certificate from 1874, name and number (taken from the Mercantile Navy Lists) of each ship (date of engagement and discharge as master or mate and the destination of each voyage), any special awards (for example, war service), pasted-in summaries of the qualifications and service from 1851 of masters who were still active in 1869, green for skippers and mates of fishing boats. Don Fraser, "'Men of a service . Help us improve catalogue descriptions by adding tags. 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. 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. 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 Some are at TNA, while a few are held by theNational Maritime Museum. 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. Want to know what life was like during the War? The Miramar ship index can be useful for obtaining this information. Also awarded, with no minimum service requirement, if service was terminated by death, disability due to service or capture as a prisoner-of-war. Consult series BT 128 for details. 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 cards are presented in alphabetical order by ship's name. Royal Australian Navy History, WWII Merchant ship movement records - Australia; Ron Wylie, Australian merchant navy: stories of the war at sea Background information. Our James Wafer S.S. Samaria (d.14th May 1943). Merchant mariners or merchant seamen are assigned to vessels that primarily transport cargo and passengers during peacetime. Gunner, R. W. Orr D.E.M.S. Monarch of Bermuda left Durban on 24th March and returned to Liverpool via Cape Town and Freetown arriving back on 23rd April. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. 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. 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. 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. 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. 09:00 to 17:00. 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 we hold This website Search We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. The troops on Monarch of Bermuda were originally destined for the Far East but would now be discharged at Durban. They sailed up the Irish Sea to join with the Clyde portion to form convoy WS 9B. Search All Records ; . 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. This was simply a record of the. 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. 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. Awarded for service between 6 June 1944 and 8 May 1945, in direct support of land operations in France, Belgium, Holland or Germany, in the North sea, the English Channel or the Bay of Biscay (service off the coast of the south of France could qualify for the Italy Star, see below). Merchant seafarers were involved in the Second World War from the first day to the last. He was rescued, repatriated and managed to survive the war. It does not, however, include: You may be searching for a ship using a former name. 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. We weren't sorry to leave there in a cattle truck three days later, when we were taken to Drancy Prison in Paris. The Consolidation of the Arabian Territories around Najd (1918-1926) 12. After a change of orders she eventually left the Clyde with escorts on 30th June. 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. Monday, July 16, 1945 o First atomic bomb exploded Heat generated by the blast was 4 times the temperature at the center of the sun Blew out windows in houses more than 200 miles away Killed every living creature within a mile o Ruby Wilkening joined several other women waiting for the blast Worried about her husband who was already at the test site No one knew what to expect o . Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck Evan McGilvray 2020-09-30 This military biography explores They also record the location (by latitude and longitude) and date a ship was sunk. The steamer Anselm had left Liverpool with Monarch of Bermuda to join convoy WS 9B but hadnt been able to maintain the 12 knots speed. Voyages in the registers were usually recorded either as: Home trade voyages (repeated or reported voyages). Some idea of the danger awaiting convoys is given by the following story. In the eleven months on the ship Dad had spent three months in Liverpool. A merchant seaman had to serve in the Atlantic, home waters, North Russia Convoys or South Atlantic waters. The card entries do not all start or end at the same time. Merchant Navy Day. At 6.25 p.m. Wednesday 26th of May 1943 P.C. Let us know. I hope to also take a digital diary when it is finished to the Arctic Convoy Museum at Loch Ewe. This series contains records of Merchant Seamen's Service on Royal Navy Ships. Historically many vessels have had their names changed, sometimes on more than one occasion. Contents Part Two 11. When he talked to my Grandad he was told that he had a bad headache. 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. 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. Samaria sailed out of Liverpool on Friday 14th of May 1943 and was on the Clyde Monday 17th of May. Brian Roy Clarke SS Sithonia, Sea. Up to 1854 records are arranged by port and registry number; subsequently by ship's official number. This camp bordered on primitive in every sense of the word. Generally the qualifying service period for the Italy Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. Medals were not automatically issued, but had to be claimed by the merchant seaman. 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 general Second World War Royal Naval Reserve officers' records and post 1950 records are held by CN Pers (Commodore Naval Personnel). Owners and gross tonnage (G.T.) The Socio-political Structure of Saudi Arabia after its Creation 14. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. . There were no clasps awarded with the Italy Star.