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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: adicol on Monday 02 July 07 20:38 BST (UK)
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Hi all
I am trying to trace my Grandfathers Merchant Navy Records, and am getting no where.
He was a steward on the ships, joined up very young, aged about 14, in c1932 and served into the 1950s.
He mentioned a million times to us the names of the ships he sailed on but no one can recollect them,
He never claimed his medals, so nothing on the NA regarding that, and no one can trace his seamans pouch.
Unfortunately his service number etc were lost when he moved house, so we have no idea what to do.
We were informed that they may be in Canada, as our Government were nice enought o handover OUR bloody mens records, and after emailing them, they want a fortune to look for them!!!
Sadly, Grandad had the most common name known to the Welshman, Thomas John Jones!!!
I don't know where to go now, and think I should start a petition for the Registers to be returned from Canada to British soil, where they rightfully belong!!!
Can anyone please help guide me in the right direction???
Thanks
Colleen
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Southampton Archives have some records of merchant seamen. There is a guide to seamens records on this site:
http://www.port.nmm.ac.uk/research/c13.html
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Hi Colleen,
Did they tell you why the records were in Canada?
Karen
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Have you read the details on this site?
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/merchant/?homepage=mh-merchant
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No, they just assumed that as they didnt have them at the National Archives, that is where they would be.
Apparently, it is the fifth register (whatever that means), that I need to see, and they have not got him on there.
I also rung Southampton, they can't do a search for him, I have to go do it, but I live 260 miles away...grrrr.
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Have you read the details on this site?
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/merchant/?homepage=mh-merchant
Yes, I read it some time ago, and then rang them, on more than one occassion ( I figured I may have just spoke to someone who was having a bad day and couldn't be bothered, so kept ringing diff people!!).
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The thing is, I know he served because he received a Pension from them, and also because he was eligible for help with SSAFA...sadly, they have discarded his records...infact, it would have been done approx 6 months before I started researching him!!
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Here's another fellow that was looking into the Fifth Register.....
http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/MNRecords.html
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Thanks Karen,
Reading that has incensed me further....no room for the records my arse...now I am annoyed.
I am sure there would have been someone who would have housed them records, rather than see them "donated" to Canada! >:(
Sadly, the other researcher hasn't left his email address, and I doubt the one he shows on his copies of emails is still live....
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I know the Blue funnel records (Alfred Holt) were sent to Canada simply because they wanted them and our lot were going to destroy them. Unbelievable vandalism.
All blue funnel ships were named after characters from Greek (I think?) mythology. Automedon was one which my uncle served on and was sunk in the Indian ocean by the German raider Atlantis. He is still alive and kicking despite being badly wounded and a POW for many years. I must be getting old because I can't remember the names and I used to deliver their laundry to Birkenhead docks and went on most of their ships. Anyway there is a blue funnel association I think which may be able to help you.
You could try these people. http://www.red-duster.co.uk/BLUEFUN.htm
Edit to include this which might help. http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/indexframe.html
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This is a Forum much like this one, populated by a lot of very helpful people with a lot of Merchant Navy knowledge. I'm sure someone here will help you.
http://www.mercantilemarine.org/index.php