Uncle Eddie - the missing years!!

[fridayjan]

I have the "certificate of discharge" book for my gt uncle (Edward Jones) and would love to find information about his war days.

There is a 11 year jump in his book between August 1935 and August 1946.  I also have some photos of him, and in the frame there are medal ribbons for the Defence Medal, the War Medal, 1939-1945 Start and the France & Germany Star.

Please excuse my ignorance, but would he have been in the Merchant Navy during the war, or would it have been the Royal Navy?

I'd be grateful for any guidance before I start filling in the forms!!

Janet

[DeeBoneham]

Hi

Can you scan one of the photos and put it on?  One of the navy orientated guys will then be able to tell you more from the uniform whether he was RN or MN.... 

Dee

[fridayjan]

Hi,

Unfortunately the photos I have aren't in uniform, although my auntie says she has a photo of herself (aged about 2 so approx 1935) with him in a white uniform - I'll see if I can get a copy.

I do have photos of him in his coffin in Argentina - but that's another story

My Mum was a serious diary keeper and I've found an entry for 5.8.1943 "Eddie in Naval uniform - went to join on the 6th" and on the 12.6.1944 "Eddie rang - has been torpedoed but OK and going to Le Havre in a day or too".  On the 27.8.1944 "Eddie home on leave" and then the day after "He has been called back", and finally 9.5.1946 "Eddie de-mobbed this week".

I'm not sure if any of this is of any help, but I'll keep looking for a photo.

Janet

[kyt]

Janet

the medals could indicate either, though the mention of being demobbed does imply RN

the 12.6.1944 "Eddie rang - has been torpedoed but OK and going to Le Havre in a day or too". 

Could you re-check the diary as Le Havre wasn't liberated until Sept 1944 (though in fact the Germands did surrender on a 12th.

K

[fridayjan]

Hi K,

I've just been rooting through the diaries to find the one for 1944 (they started in 1936 when Mum was 9 and carry on until last year when she died aged 82!).

Sorry, but for some reason I had written down 6 instead of 8 so I should have said the entry for 12.8.44 reads (in full!) "Ormskirk in the morning to queue for plums.  Cricket in the afternoon.  Uncle Eddie rang up to tell us that he has been torpedoed but is all right and going to Le Havre in a day or two."  The entry for the next day, 13.8.44, says "Went to Grannies in the morning to tell them about Uncle Eddie being torpedoed."

I seem to think I do have a photo of him in some kind of uniform, so will go and have a look - I really should get round to organising some kind of filing system

Thanks for your help,

Janet

[DeeBoneham]

Hi

I think he sounds like RN rather merchant too.  I believe only the officers in the MN wore tropical whites.  The navy might be able to tell you which ships were torpedoed on particular days.

Dee

[Wendi]

Good idea Dee !

If it's any help, it appears that there were only 2 RN's torpedoed in early August

3rd August Trawler Gairsay sunk by human torpedo off Normandy

also on the 3rd Escort Destroyer Quorn sunk by human torpedo or mine off Normandy

Source http://www.naval-history.net/WW2BritishLossesbyArea06.htm

Again with the Merchant Navy only 2 both by submarine torpedo, both Motor Vessels, the Empire City on 5th Aug & on the 7th Empire Day

Source http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/merchant_navy_losses.htm

Wendi 

[fridayjan]

Thanks for your suggestions - I have my husband booked for a lesson on the mysteries of scanning photos when we have time over the weekend!

Janet

[fridayjan]

Hi,

Here are a couple of photos of Uncle Eddie in uniform.  Unfortunately there are no dates on them so I'm not sure when they were taken.

Janet