Crew Member Details

[worky47]

Hi there

My father (*) was a crew member of the 'RMS Niagara' on its fateful last voyage when it was sunk by a German mine off Whangarei on the north island of New Zealand ,on 19th June 1940.

I believe he was a crew member on the 'RMS Niagara' prior to this voyage - are you able to check crew listings for voyages in 1938 and 1939?

Thanks,
Geoff Workman

(*) Moderator comment: Name of possibly living person removed.

[spades]

Hi Geoff, and a warm welcome to RootsChat.

Can you please confirm for us that your father is deceased, as we cannot identify living or possibly living persons.

Spades

[Thamesite2017]

The name doesn't show in the maritime Museum index
http://www.nzmaritimeindex.org.nz/
but they have lots on the boat

Bye
althea

[worky47]

Yes, my father died on 6th June 1982.

I have his certificate of discharge (no. 102416) from the RMS Niagara, his date of engagement was 13th June 1940 (from Sydney) & date of discharge was 19th June 1940 (at Auckland).

I think that he lost his previous merchant certificates of discharge when the Niagara was sunk.

He had said to me that he was on a ship (? Niagara) when war was declared with Germany in 1939 as he went to bed & in the morning the window & brass fitments on the ship had been 'blacked out' by the night duty crew.

I know that Dad was on the Niagara at a time that it sailed to Vancouver as he met a girl named Bernice in Vancouver, he used this name as my sister's second name.

Cheers,
Geoff

[Thamesite2017]

Can you repost what his first name was and birth year..there are some possibles on ship lists at A$try
then I can confirm and put info
Bye
althea

[worky47]

Hi full name was Frederick St Julian Workman, he was born in Calgary (Alberta, Canada) on 12th January 1918.

He emigated to Australia with his parents (William & Louise Workman) and brother (Roy) when he was around 8 years of age.

Cheers,
Geoff

[Thamesite2017]

Hi Geoff
I wonder then if this is him..was he actually in service
Name: XXXXXXXXXXXXX Name removed as wrong person and he could be living
Birth Date: abt 1918
Age: 23
Port of Departure: Auckland, New Zealand
Arrival Date: 2 Sep 1941
Port of Arrival: Liverpool, England
Ports of Voyage: Halifax
Ship Name: Dominion Monarch

If you want to pm me you email, I can send you the link to look at the image
Bye
Althea

[Thamesite2017]

He is on lots of US immigration records at A$try - by full name
you need a different sub to view..maybe you have a library that you can view them at
Many libraries have the subscription

Bye
althea

PS added:
you can search the indexes free at ancestry

[worky47]

Thx Althea for your prompt action on my enquiry.

My email is ^(*)

His full name was Frederick St Julian Workman, dob 12/1/1918

I have merchant seaman discharge papers for Dad as follows:

 Name of Ship    Engagement Date   Discharge Date
 Niagara            13-Jun-1940           19-Jun-1940
 Aorangi            12-Jul-1940           31-Aug-1940
 Queen Mary    03-Oct-1940           24-Dec-1940
 Malaita            03-Jan-1941           11-Feb-1941
 Duntroon    15-Mar-1941           08-May-1941
 Duntroon    09-May-1941           27-Aug-1941
 Ormiston    09-Sep-1941           22-Sep-1941
 Rona            26-Sep-1941           06-Nov-1941
 Rona            07-Nov-1941           12-Mar-1942

As you will note from the above list, Dad was on the Ormiston is early Sep-1941 and as such could not have been a crew member on the Dominion Monarch 'at the same time'.

Cheers,
Geoff



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