OCCUPATIONS DURING 2WW FOR MEN OVER 50

[ArnhemBobby]

I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING A GREAT UNCLE OF MINE BY THE NAME OF GEORGE MERCER.
Briefly:
born 1886
Enrolled TA training as a medic 1907
Joined Merchant Navy (MN) 1910 - I have his Discharge books - No. 609629
Continuous sailings until August 1914 - called up into RAMC - survived 1WW - M.I.D.
One week after war ends back on MN ships - continuous sailings until 17th February 1940 then I can find no record of him ANYWHERE until he is back on there MN ships 27th August 1946 with continuous sailings until 17th January 1952 when he retires.
Can anyone suggest what he might have been doing during the 2WW years?
Who was paying his NI contributions?
What was he surviving on financially?
He would have been 54 years of age and too old for active service, he was single.
I have tried many many searches in various archives with negative results all round.
I was thinking maybe some sort of admin or training role perhaps MN or Medical connected maybe
I have tried the following:
Local Home Guard
Princess Alexander's Nursing
St. John's Ambulance
Red Cross
R.A.M.C Museum
RN Land Based Hospitals - UK Navy Lists - The 'G.Mercer' shown there is NOT him - confirmed
Axillary Fire Service
Medal Office
Home Office
RN Personnel records - Whale Island
MN BT/ documents @ PRO
MN CRS/ Documents @ PRO
MN Crew lists - these are listed by ship not surname - not knowing the ship would be prohibitive
I'm running out of ideas ...... got any?
Cheers to whoever, 

[Maiden Stone]

POW?

[ArnhemBobby]

Hello there Maiden,
It was one of my thoughts but I immediately dismissed it as he docked in the UK on the Mataroa 17th February 1940. So, as I found no record of him serving on a MN ship I have to assume he was employed in some way in the UK. Probably a land based role.
I have even approached the tax office with a view to establishing who was paying his NI contributions as this would give me a strong clue as to what he  was doing every day. No joy. They were most unhelpful to say the least.
Nevertheless, thanks for the input. Much appreciated.
Cheers

[seaweed]

Seems strange that he left his last vessel in 1940 and then, resumed his MN career in 1946. Between those dates Britain was desperate for merchant seamen.

Have you searched the records at TNA in the series BT382 ?
Can you give us your man's Full name and his exact date and place of birth?
Have you searched via logbooks and crew agreements for his previous ship prior to his sailing in late 1946?
Can you tell us your source where you found  his discharge number?

As far as I can tell he was not a Merchant Navy POW. Not withstanding his capture by the Japanese.

[ArnhemBobby]

Morning Seaweed
Thanks for the thoughts. I have been throwing so many attempts in all directions to try to establish his movements over the last 25 years, I've lost track to a degree. I've had to go back through my notes to see what I've done and when.
I have searched many of the BT & CRS series at the PRO and my last was via an email request for the BT 382/1213 Menlove C E to Mercer V T to be searched. This was requested on 6th Aug and I am due to get the results on the 18th Aug. So this base is covered and awaits a result. So with a bit of luck the answer will be in that series and I can fill in the rest of the puzzle.
He died at the Royal Alfred Merchant Seamens' Home in Belevedere in 1968. His possessions when he died were his 1WW medals, his Discharge Book and the continuation book, a Post Office book with £5-12s-6d and an alarm clock. Quite a sad end to a brave and patriotic bloke. He is commemorated on the home's memorial in their own plot. His date of birth is 12th August 1886 in Sydenham. His full name is George MERCER - no middle name. He never married and always lived around the south London area, Penge, Sydenham, Beckenham which were all in Kent at that time.
I have searched the crew lists for the Mataroa and the Highland Princess which was his first ship after the war and shown in his Discharge book. Both were troop ships during the war but he was not shown on either the crew lists for these ships.
I must admit I had thought of the Japanese angle but have made any efforts to investigate because I have been assuming he wasn't at sea.
I think it will be a question of waiting until I get a reply from the PRO on the BT 382/1213 request on the 18th and see what that turns up. I will enter the result on this site for all to see.
Thanks again for your interest, I did need some else who's interested and another 'brain' for ideas.
The trouble with alot of these archives, you have to reply on the person at the other end being as interested as you are.
Cheers for now and I would be interested to read your thoughts. 

[medpat]

Just a thought a bit outside the box.

A little later in May 1940 the Dunkirk evacuation was going on.  Could he have been involved and become wounded or ended up a POW?

Just another thought to try out 

[ArnhemBobby]

Morning Pat,
Yes, that's also a possible which I had considered but could find no record to date of him being in the MN at any time during the dates I mentioned.
I shall wait and see what comes from the PRO enquiry and move on from there. He could well have got roped in on the Dunkirk evacuation. Maybe among the 'small ships' fleet? Who knows?
I wish I did!
By the way, if you haven't seen the film yet, I can wholly recommended it. Superbly shot and not at all blood and gore. The director has managed to convey the fear and tragedy using music and camera angles. Brilliant.
Thanks for your input and cheers for now..

[medpat]

I would love to but I live in Cyprus - don't know if they'll have it here - will wait for it on TV.

I used to work with a man who was captured at Dunkirk, he spent 4 years as a POW.

Blood and gore - doesn't bother me, 5 yrs dental nurse WRAF 

EDIT Just checked - Dunkirk on here but tucked away to start either 22.15 at 1 cinema and 22.30 the other. - think I'll wait for the TV 

[ArnhemBobby]

Nice part of the World, Cyprus.
Cinema would be best in my opinion and all I meant was, it is nowhere near as graphic as Pte. Ryan.
I think it would be ideal for showing in schools to get across what that generation went through.
Watch this thread for hopefully a positive result to my enquiry.
Thanks again for you input.
Cheers for now