ww2 merchant navy war records

[lesleyhannah]

Hi - I'm making this query on behalf of my son-in-law. He wants to get hold of his father's war record - his father was in the merchant navy and apparently served in 2 separate ships which were torpedoed - at least one of these episodes featured in the Liverpool newspaper.
I have no experience of applying for merchant navy records but I seem to remember when I applied for my father's RAF records I had to prove I was the next of kin, so I guess this might also apply to the merchant navy records.
Can anyone give us a link to where my son-in-law could get more information please?

Thanks Lesley

[rosie99]

National Archives has this fact sheet

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/merchant-seamen-serving-since-1918/

[seaweed]

Hi - I'm making this query on behalf of my son-in-law. He wants to get hold of his father's war record - his father was in the merchant navy and apparently served in 2 separate ships which were torpedoed - at least one of these episodes featured in the Liverpool newspaper.
I have no experience of applying for merchant navy records but I seem to remember when I applied for my father's RAF records I had to prove I was the next of kin, so I guess this might also apply to the merchant navy records.
Can anyone give us a link to where my son-in-law could get more information please?

Thanks Lesley

Are you in a position to give us the name and date and place of birth of the person you are interested in.
WW2 Merchant Navy personal records are freely available but  you may have to visit Kew to obtain some of them. Pre early 1941 records may be on FindMyPast. If there is nothing there then details should be in his Seamans Pouch in BT372. Depends on when he joined the MN.
The main records are his Seamans Pouch in BT 372, His form CRS10 in BT 382
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/merchant-seamen-serving-since-1918/

His Medals, if he applied for them, in BT395
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/merchant-seamens-campaign-medal-records-1939-1945/
Plus the information contained in Logbooks and Crew Agreements.

[lesleyhannah]

thanks for your reply. I'm not sure whether getting to Kew is a possibility, but I shall pass the information on. I'll also ask whether he has any objection to my putting his father's info online. I am actually a findmypast subscriber - how do I access merchant navy records from that site; I haven't been very successful so far.
I am grateful for any help and will get back to this link if son-in-law agrees to it.
Lesley

[lesleyhannah]

Sorry - I pressed Send too soon. I am also passing Rosie's link on for son in law to investigate - once again thanks to you both

[seaweed]

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/britain-merchant-seamen-1918-1941

Be sure to read my modified previous post.