Percy Tufnel(l) Box - Mercantile Marine

[K8T]

I am looking for information on Percy Tufnell Box who served on the SS Maloja in WW1 when it was hit by a mine and was sunk.  He must have signed up prior to the war as I cannot find him on the 1911 census so he must have been at sea.  His family came from Gravesend and I have found them on the 1891, 1901 and the 1911 Census. Anything you can find re his records would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
K8T

[CaroleW]

You probably already have this

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2979788/BOX,%20PERCY%20TUFNEL

[cemetery friends]

His birth was registered at Gravesend dec Q 1890. On the CWGC website his death was shown as 27/2/1916 and he was a linenkeeper and his death is recorded on the Tower Hill Monument to merchant seamen.

Check out http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/merchantseaman1858-1917.htm

[K8T]

Many thanks CarolW and Cemetery friends, yes I have all the info on the CWGC but appreciate your replies. 

[seaweed]

No central Personal Records of Merchant seamen were kept between 1857 and 1913. The central Personal records for the period of the first world war have been destroyed.
They only way to find his details of service is to back track via Crew Agreements.
You know he was aboard MAJOLA official number 132012 if you take a look at her last crew agreement it should give the name of his previous ship
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C2480595
In this way, given luck, you should be able to find out his entire seagoing career. It's not cheap and can be a long process.
All Ships Crew Agreements are searched via the ships official number. 10% are stored in the National Archives, For years ending in "5" NMM Greenwich. The remainder are held at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. http://www.mun.ca/mha/

For official numbers see http://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/vesselsalpha.php

[K8T]

Many thanks for your help Seaweed, I'll give it a go and see how I get on.

K8T