merchant sea man

[tess59]

Hi I am looking for some information on my grandfather. whom I know was in the merchant navy.  the ship he was on was hit with a torpedo. he was injured and I know he would go as a old man to leopardstown hospital. I don't know what ship he was on. I know he had medals . his name is Michael Gorman born 1887. in Galway Ireland. he was in ww1.if  any one can help please 

[philipsearching]

Greetings!

This page from the National Archives website might help.

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

Good hunting!
Philip

[seaweed]

 There are some some details on FindMyPast circa 1930's, concerning a Michael Gorman born Galway in 1889. He had shrapnel wounds in his right leg. height 5ft 7 inches, hair dark. Discharge A number R85926. I don't know if this is your man.
Merchant seamen regularly lied about their age in order to obtain a higher rate of pay.
I cannot find a medal card for him.

[tess59]

Hi Philip thanks for that info.but seaweed is right.  my grandfather did have shrapnel in his leg.  thanks for that seaweed. will I get all his information. from find my past for a fee I would like to know what ship it was.

[jds1949]

Check your local library - most now have subscriptions to FindMyPast and Ancestry so you should be able to search for free.

jds1949

[seaweed]

He has two sets of incomplete records one dated 8/Jan/1938 issued at the Merchant Navy office Galway. There is no mention of any ships or rank, just saying he lost his discharge book in 1930.
The second record dated 16/May/1930 issued at Glasgow gives him aboard the vessel ARETHUSA? official number 121316 (you would need to check it out as the writting is not very good.) after previouly being discharged, no doubt due to his shrapnel wounds. His rank is given as Fireman Trimmer?
If indeed this is the correct ship you would need to consult her 1930 crew agreements which should be available from here. Search via official number.
http://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/viewcombinedcrews.php?Official_No=121316
fortunately her logbooks for the period seem to have survived.
Although the second record gives information that he was previously discharged. There may be info in the crew agreements and logbooks that will give the name of his previous ship, if indeed he had one after being discharged. What they will tell you is his home address and NOK.
The personal records of merchant seamen covering the period of the first World War have been destroyed.

[tess59]

Hi Jds1945. and Seaweed.I will look into this next week. I will post what what I find. again thanks so much. I have a start now .I got my mothers birth cert, It says her dad was in F.S army in 1923 .my mother never said her father was in the army. she always said he was in the merchant navy. all her family were in the navy. I know this for fact.  I think F,S  means free state army. am I right. and I know my granddad was in the navy . thanks tess59.