was taken ashore by the military authorities for burial. 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. This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. Gunner) fell from the gun platform on A deck to B deck, receiving head injuries. Even if a person had several mentions, he would only have one emblem. - Merchant Navy during the Second World War -. Sanitary arrangements were, as usual, inadequate. It supported Britain's Bomber Command from 1943 to 1945, contributing a huge strike force. ConsultBT 122-126and BT 128 (index in BT 127). Merchant Navy ships' records: movement cards 1939-1945; Merchant Navy ships' records: registration of merchant ships; Add a tag. An incomplete set of captains registers is available on microfilm in The National Archives reading rooms. Most of these men were not born in Asia; many were Egyptian. The third statement, quite surprising, from W. Orr, is missing from the official records although he is listed as giving evidence to the inquiry into Matty Towers death. These were to be my grandfather's final words on earth. 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. Merchant Navy Day. For details of the Arctic Star see our guide to Merchant seamans medals and honours. All Web: UK, World War II Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945 results for Ruth Mcmillen. The official record of these two mens' deaths falls so short of telling the whole story. (These were originally described as 'Asian seamen' but that is misleading. 1.30 a.m. Friday 14th of May 1943 Jim Wafer was seen apparently asleep in Seaman Gunners Quarters by Able Seaman Stanley Poole. There were no portholes, and ventilation came from the open access hatches which had to be closed at night when the ships were darkened. In 1939, a third of the world's merchant ships were British, and there were some 200,000 sailors. Merchant seafarers were involved in the Second World War from the first day to the last. This collection records the movements of ships ordinarily engaged in foreign going trade. 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. 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. 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. Consult series BT 140 for details. 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 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. 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. 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). The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Description. Tragically, 30,248 merchant seamen lost their lives during World War Two, a death rate proportionally higher than in any of the armed forces. Results 1-2 of 2 View Record Name . All surviving agreements and crew lists with their logbooks are held by The National Archives, . Although the design of this website looks rather old-fashioned, it's still updated and is a good resource for Welsh Merchant Navy records. Many years later he wrote a short fictional story about a Maritime Regiment gunner who brought nothing but bad luck. Samaria sailed out of Liverpool on Friday 14th of May 1943 and was on the Clyde Monday 17th of May. The convoy would have various naval escorts during the trip which would join and leave as the convoy passed their bases. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. Second World War (1939-1945) Archival records and resources from the Second World War Archival resources from Canada's participation in the Second World War. Ships & Convoys. 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. 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. The pouches are arranged in three sequences: Each sequence is in alphabetical order by the seaman's last name. 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. In general Second World War Royal Naval Reserve officers records and post 1950 records are held by CN Pers (Commodore Naval Personnel). The ships formed up with the Clyde contingent for convoy WS 16 west of Orsay on the 17th. 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). For information on how to order an Official Military Personnel File for a veteran who separated from service before 1957, . Nortraship. 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, SAINT LOUIS, December 16, 2019 The public now has access to previously unavailable information concerning former merchant mariners and their maritime service through Merchant Marine Licensing Files, made available by the, The public can access these records in two ways: through a request made via an. We landed in Bordeaux a few weeks later and were taken to the prison camp Caserne Colonial Bordeaux. 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. giving a true reflection as to when the name-change was made. 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. Inicio; FAQ's; Biblioteca; Ayuda; Bsqueda avanzada; Comentarios/sugerencias . Saudi Arabia and the Second World War (1939-1945) 16. She left on 3rd of August with four other troop ships and three ships carrying military equipment still as part of convoy WS 9B. 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 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. Wafer it states "he failed to re-join ship" and for M. Towers it reads "died as result of accident". For each officer registers provide: Look for a certificate entry in theregisters of certificates (they are arranged by certificate number) listed below. At first it was voluntary and applied only to foreign-going vessels. Up to 1854 records are arranged by port and registry number; subsequently by ship's official number. 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. Anyone who qualified for both the France & Germany Star and the Atlantic Star would be awarded the first Star earned, with a Clasp. When he talked to my Grandad he was told that he had a bad headache. When the war began, Canada had 38 ocean-going merchant vessels. Canada's air support was crucial throughout the war. Research guidance for records relating to World War 2. 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. They cover masters with foreign trade certificates sailing either as masters or mates. Welcome to the The British Merchant Navy - Old Friends Plus. It was the Knights of Columbus Hostel on Harvey Road which was frequently used by the servicemen. 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. Royal Australian Navy History, WWII Merchant ship movement records - Australia; Ron Wylie, Australian merchant navy: stories of the war at sea Background information. 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. Some idea of the danger awaiting convoys is given by the following story. 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. The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation run by volunteers. research. To determine eligibility for a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD Form 214, or a Report of Casualty, DD Form 1300, customers will be directed to to, View the National Archives Operating Status. For service before 1845, when registers of Merchant Navy officers were not kept, you must look for records kept for other purposes (such ascrew lists, agreements and log books) but which may include incidental mention of officers. Archives, Open Government Licence The poster shows an ultra-realistic drawing with a coxswain at a ship's wheel, and an officer with binoculars drawn by Charles Wood. . 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. 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. 1 With only two decades since the ending of the Great War most serving shipmasters would have been at sea during . Brian Roy Clarke SS Sithonia, Sea. Little did I know, but back home I was considered missing and presumed dead. He died on 21st Aug 1973. Search and download ( charges apply) records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen (BT 395). Records available only at The National Archives in Kew To access the records in this. Read tagging guidelines. The convoy arrived in Durban on 18th December. : s.n., between 1939 and 1940) AWM call number: 387.5071094 M554; Online. There were still some men on the after deck, but could not see if they had jumped clear before the ship sank. 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). recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items. 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. The qualifying service period for the Atlantic Star could only begin after the 1939-1945 Star had been earned by six months service. 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. All were willing and did their best to help abandon ship quickly in the short time available. 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. Search 5: service details of Merchant Navy cooks 1913-1956 This is a search in record series BT 319. (6th June 1944 - 8th May 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: IWM collections. The world has been led by intensive and extensive waves of darkness from renaissance all the way down to the Covid crisis. Awarded for service in the Burma Campaign between 11 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. Operational and non-operational service may be counted, providing that it was of 28 days or more duration. Robert Malcolm Barber MV Patella (d.16th Feb 1944). We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. 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. Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. 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. In the Merchant Navy there is a requirement that the 28 days should have been served at sea. On the Samaria crew list and report of character, James Wafer and Matty Towers are consecutive number 59 & 60. Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. As the outbreak of World War II edged closer in 1939, the British merchant fleet remained the largest in the world, employing some 200,000 men and women. At 5.10 p.m. he was assigned A.R.P. Divided first by country and then by shipping company, the book includes the ships of such great SA. We can either copy our records onto paper or deliver them to you digitally, Visit us in Kew to see original documents or view online records for free, Consider paying for Instead, these details were recorded on movements cards held and maintained at the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. 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This enabled them to arrive at Freetown on the 25th for fuelling and water before sailing on 28th for Durban. The library does have collections of books, dealing with . 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. 3 hold. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work.
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