This was simply a record of the. The troops on Monarch of Bermuda were originally destined for the Far East but would now be discharged at Durban. By 1878, Canada was the fourth largest ship-owning nation in the world, with a merchant fleet of 7,200 vessels. Awarded for service in the Pacific Ocean, South China Sea or the Indian Ocean between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. 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 The ships formed up with the Clyde contingent for convoy WS 16 west of Orsay on the 17th. 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. Royal Australian Navy History, WWII Merchant ship movement records - Australia; Ron Wylie, Australian merchant navy: stories of the war at sea Background information. You may be searching for a vesselfor which these cards were never used. The official records state the purser took possession of his discharge book, his I.D. Ronnie stayed with the Merchant Navy during the war and was torpedoed off the east coast of the USA at some point. As fast as they drew up new convoy plans, the instructions would change. 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. The 1939-1945 Star was also awarded to recipients of a gallantry medal, with no minimum qualifying period. 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. Records available only at The National Archives in Kew To access the records in this. The cards give the name of a ship and details of its movements, namely, the ports at which it docked, and passage between ports. Few if any of the troops had ever crossed the English Channel let alone been exposed to the rigours of the North Atlantic. Little did I know, but back home I was considered missing and presumed dead. If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Show all 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. The Atlantic Star was also awarded to those awarded a gallantry medal, with no minimum qualifying period. Most of the masters and mates were from West Wales. The Lloyd Captains Registers were compiled from the records of certificates issued to foreign-going masters. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. Voyages in the registers were usually recorded either as: Home trade voyages (repeated or reported voyages). Robert Malcolm Barber MV Patella (d.16th Feb 1944). The medals were claimed and issued from 1946 to 2002. 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. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. The first time a foreign team have ever beaten them! The men went to their boats in an orderly and quiet manner. Many thousands of POWs died there. On the 23rd November the convoy was ordered to split into slow and fast convoys. Anyone who qualified for both the France & Germany Star and the Atlantic Star would be awarded the first Star earned, with a Clasp. The swell was of considerable height and the ships became almost unmanageable and steering had to be assisted by engines. 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. 09:00 to 17:00. 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 Many were singing songs while the boats were being lowered. 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. Help us improve catalogue descriptions by adding tags. Before 1747 no formal record keeping of crews on merchant ships existed. A merchant seaman had to serve in the Atlantic, home waters, North Russia Convoys or South Atlantic waters. 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. Enter the tag you would like to associate with this record and click 'Add tag'. You do not have to fill in all fields to search. 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. Service Number . Registers were created to record the awarding of these certificates to officers and what they had done to qualify for them. 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). He said he always craved the soil under his boots. If a seaman is not listed, it may be because they have not claimed their medal entitlement. The National Maritime Museum holds the registers (see below). The Miramar ship index can be useful for obtaining this information. heavily illustrated book presents the details of those ships and describes the fate of those lost between 1939 and 1945. 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,. In the Merchant Navy there is a requirement that the 28 days should have been served at sea. 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. Furthermore, the MID does not appear on the Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards approved from time . George Smith died later of his injuries. Domestic and Foreign Policy (1945-1958) 17. Canada's air support was crucial throughout the war. The date commemorates the sinking of the first British merchant ship in 1939, just hours after Britain declared war on Germany. If they appear on the same page, you should only pay one fee. Monarch of Bermuda sailed on Christmas Eve for Liverpool via Trinidad arriving back on 21st January 1942. Merchant Navy ships' records: movement cards 1939-1945; Merchant Navy ships' records: registration of merchant ships; Add a tag. 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. The convoy would have various naval escorts during the trip which would join and leave as the convoy passed their bases. 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. You need to sign in to tag. Records we hold This website Search 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. ","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. The cards are presented in alphabetical order by ship's name. 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. First World War Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve records can also be accessed online. However, service was considered military in nature for those who served between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946. 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. For ability and general conduct both men are reported as very good. 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. Fireman. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open Government Licence Monarch of Bermuda embarked 2,287 troops and was one of ten liners in this convoy which eventually sailed on 12th November. Merchant seamen 1939-1945. Narrow your search by using double quotation marks to find a ships or persons full name, such as Sydney Star or John Williams. 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. 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 book's structure follows the chronological evolution of geographical opinions and retains a geohistorical narrative. 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 Military ; Card Catalog ; Member Search ; DNA. 1939-1945. Operational and non-operational service may be counted, providing that it was of 28 days or more duration. Alternatively, search The National Archives Library to see what is available to consult at Kew. Unfortunately, many cards contain a lot of abbreviations and there is no known key for them. 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). The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. 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. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. In May 1943 S.S. Samaria was in West Huskisson dock at my grandfather's home port of Liverpool. When he talked to my Grandad he was told that he had a bad headache. 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). Search 5: service details of Merchant Navy cooks 1913-1956 This is a search in record series BT 319. On 28th of May 1943 he was buried in El Alia Cemetery Algiers. This series contains records of Merchant Seamen's Service on Royal Navy Ships. MO has 20th Century military records for discharged and deceased veterans. What are these records? Search and download ( charges apply) records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen (BT 395). was taken ashore by the military authorities for burial. 3rd Radio Off. This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. Records of Merchant Navy from other sources. You may be searching for a ship on dates before or after movement cards were in use on that vessel. 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. research. giving a true reflection as to when the name-change was made. A certificate came with a number (and new numbers were assigned if a replacement certificate was issued following the loss of the original). Monarch of Bermuda arrived in Durban 30th July and carried out repairs. Awarded after the Battle of the Atlantic for service between 3 September 1939 and 8 May 1945. The column on the right of each record contains a reference number to the entitlement file held by the Registry of Shipping and Seamen. Some are at TNA, while a few are held by theNational Maritime Museum. 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. There was also no minimum qualifying period if service was terminated due to death or disability while on active duty. 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. Enter the tag you would like to associate with this record and click 'Add tag'. Brian Roy Clarke SS Sithonia, Sea. American Merchant Marine Databases includes: . By the 26th of June 1943 the crew of the Samaria had heard of the body of Jim Wafer being found in Liverpool. This information will help us make improvements to the website. The official record of these two mens' deaths falls so short of telling the whole story. . LOG BOOKS AND CREW AGREEMENTS 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. We are now on Facebook. Read My Ancestor was a Merchant Seaman by Christopher and Michael Watts (Society of Genealogists, 2002) this title is also available in our shop. v3.0, the day by day movements of the ship (in Athenias case the final entry records her sinking), anticipated movements, i.e. 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. On being examined by the ship's surgeon life was found to be extinct. Samaria sailed from Clyde 19th of May to Algiers and arrived 27th of May 1943. When Germany invaded Norway on April 9-1940, the Norwegian ships that were in allied waters at the time were requisitioned by Royal Norwegian Government, which early on in the war managed to escape to the U.K. (the King was evacuated on June 7). 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. Like this page to receive our updates. At this point the body of Matthew Towers A.B. 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. 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. Then, as European-built iron-hulled sailing ships replaced wooden square-riggers, Canadian shipbuilders found it harder to compete. Search All 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. 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. Some of these records are alsoavailable on the subscription websitewww.findmypast.co.uk. If they appear on the same page, you should only pay one fee. Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck Evan McGilvray 2020-09-30 This military biography explores There have been times when I've thought about the few months of kindness and friendliness shown by Frau Wilmbrock and her family in the village of Kirch, where I and fellow Stalag X-B prisoner Jock Reid worked their farm. the National Archives. 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 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?). 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. 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. Awarded for service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Search and download () records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen (BT 395). Use our guide Abbreviations in merchant seamens records to interpret the records. Tragically, 30,248 merchant seamen lost their lives during World War Two, a death rate proportionally higher than in any of the armed forces. Help us improve catalogue descriptions by adding tags. The British Merchant Navy fleet was the largest in the world in 1939 and around 185,000 men served in it during the war. 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.