Navy or merchant navy?

[azuldan]

Hi, I wondered if any of you could help?
I’m looking for any records of my grandfather as he was supposed to be in the merchant navy - so far I’ve hit a blank! 
Can’t find anything in his name in both navy and merchant navy, it’s not clear which he was actually in.
Thanks to ancestry dna test, we’ve found a half-uncle, he never knew his dad as his mum got pregnant in 1944, in Boston, in America. Now, apparently his submarine (?) was in dry-dock in Boston from 1943-44.
Is there any way I can find the name of the sub, and hopefully trace his records that way?

[Jebber]

You do not indicate which country you are talking about, I assuming it is the UK.

I am no expert on naval matters but a submariner would be Royal Navy, in that case his records should still be with the MOD, information on the website.

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records

[Nic.]

If his ‘submarine’ was in dry dock surely this would be Navy. 

[Kiltpin]

Would a Royal Navy submarine be in a Boston dry dock for a year?  A US Navy submarine, yes, that sounds right. Who was paying for that and what were the sailors doing in that time? 

Something mixed up I think. 

Regards 

Chas

[ShaunJ]

Might possibly have been one of the submarines built at Boston Navy Yard and transferred from US Navy to the Royal Navy under Lend-Lease. Like HMS Gore or HMS Goodall

[seaweed]

As far as I am aware both these vessels were Captain Class Frigates ex US GMT class, GORE and Ex US TE Class GOODALL.
Both were lend Lease vessels. The time scale and the location would fit.
I Would agree with Kiltpin. As far as I am aware there were only two Dry Docks in Boston.
Jebbers idea would be good but before going down that route, which can take time. Can you give us a name so as we can try and establish which service he belonged to. Also any service numbers you may have.

[azuldan]

Thanks all!
Chas, yes something is definitely mixed up! He was definitely there Feb/Mar/Apr 1944 as that’s when he got someone pregnant!
Yeah, not sure of why he was there exactly. And we don’t have a service number.
His name was Charles Allan Lobban born June 1912. He often went by Allan or Alan.

[azuldan]

And he was Scottish, would that make any difference?

[seaweed]

Being Scottish would make no difference. I can find no primary on line records for  Merchant Seaman with the surname Lobban born in 1912. Most of the Lobban's who did show up were born in Scotland. That said many of these records have been lost or destroyed. You could double check other documents in the National Archive
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10989251
For security reasons you would need to visit personally or appoint a researcher to look for you.
Meanwhile you should approach the MOD to see if he has any Royal Navy service records.
I think the story of a Submarine may be erroneous but it is neither here nor there. If he was RN then his service record will tell you for sure which vessel he was on at the time in question.
May I ask how do you know "! He was definitely there Feb/Mar/Apr 1944"