Just reviving this thread in the hope of some advice, particularly from @seaweed.
I did order copies of the seaman's pouch I was after but was a little disappointed in the records I got back from TNA. I'd hoped to get a list of ships he'd worked on but there was only one ship noted on his DIS.A card when he was discharged in 1952.
If I wanted to find which ships he's sailed on, would that mean I need to visit Kew itself?
Thanks
Hi,
Seamans Pouch's can be hit and miss. Some contain chapter and verse including a MN ID card complete with mugshot photograph. Others very little. They never contain lists of ships served on except in certain situations where a person had previous service prior to 1941. May I ask the cost to copy the "Pouch"
What you need is his
Form CRS10. This will tell you the ships he sailed on, (from early 1941) Together with dates and places of engagement and discharge.
These records are stored alphabetically, in blocks of sixty names. At one time you would just order the entire book and look up the person you are interested in. (Imagine searching for a "Smith" etc) Since Form CRS10 may contain a National Insurance number. It was deemed by TNA that this could be used for fraudulent activities. So you now have to fill in another form and hope that TNA staff hit on the correct person when they do a search. They delete the NI number.
The series which records Forms CRS 10, BT382. is divided into 8 sub sections
For example. My guess is your subject would be of European origin. There are two sets of records for this category. If he/she is not in one he/she may be in the other. Another sub series concerns seamen who were POW and yet another records MN seamen who served on RN ships and yet another concerns Deaths at Sea for pension purposes.
As you can see it can be complicated. That is why it's best to visit Kew yourself. You can also look at other information such as ships Logbooks and Crew Agreements to give you a more rounded picture.
I understand that for Physical reasons, mobility, distance to travel etc. some rootschatters may find it difficult to attend in person. You have to consider the cost of travel versus cost of research by TNA or a "Professional" researcher. I have given up on the TNA costs and a professional researcher will cost around £50 plus per hour.
In pre Covid days I would attend TNA regularly and would have done a look up for you, but now?
If you can give us your mans full name, date and place of birth. Then Hugh or myself will give you a reference/s where his CRS10 may be stored. Contact by Personal Message if sensitive.
cheers SW
