1944 Merchant Navy - abbreviation query

[vapcq45]

Hi - I wonder if anyone could please tell me what these abbreviations mean.  On UK and Ireland passenger list which then lists a number of crew members and their roles, ie xxxx Ships Cook, Chief Officer etc and what class of cabin they have on the journey, 1st, 2nd, 3rd.

Thank you.

[ShaunJ]

F.T.14 was a Fleet Tender - based in Colombo at the end of 1944

http://convoycu49-1944.com/files/RED_LIST_Part_II_MINOR_WAR_VESSELS_ABROAD_-_13_December_1944_-_May_10_2019_Binder.pdf

[ShaunJ]

F.T.14 involved in operations on the coast of Burma in December 1944:

https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/India/RIN/RIN-13.html

[ShaunJ]

There was a Ministry of War Transport but the N in M.N.O.W.T. is foxing me.

[vapcq45]

Great info thank you so much!  The ship was SS Orontes and date of embarkation at Bombay 25th March 1944.

Will read your links a bit more - I wonder if he had been on a ship that was sunk...

[vapcq45]

Previous page headed distressed British Seamen embarked at Bombay 25.3.1944.  Then lists of seamen per ship, ie ex SS Palmer, ex SS Fort McLeod - torpedoed 3rd March 44, ex SS Algonquin. 

So would all of these vessels have been in a convoy and sunk along with FT 14 (and 18)?

[HMac]

a merchant seaman could be classified DBS for many reasons - for example he could have fallen ill and been in hospital, he could have missed his ship for any number of reason but typically during wartime: 

Distressed British seaman (DBS)

One who is left without a berth, ill or without funds in a foreign port. Typically, during wartime, a DBS would be a seaman who was travelling after having his ship torpedoed or lost through other forms of enemy action.

They would have to wait on a suitable ship, sometimes travelling en-masse paid for by the Shipping Company or individually they could work their passage home by signing on as crew for the voyage if the ship needed them. If not signed on, they would just travel as passengers.
Regards
Hugh

[seaweed]

ShaunJ wrote
There was a Ministry of War Transport but the N in M.N.O.W.T. is foxing me.
Foxing me too! Merchant Navy Out With ??
ORONTES a Troopship, (as a rule Troopships rarely if ever made passenger lists. Re your post  On UK and Ireland passenger list which then lists a number of crew members Are you sure it is not a list of DBS as outlined by Hugh?)  sailed from Bombay 26/3/44 Arriving Liverpool 22/)4/44 (WW2 Movement Card and  my own records)

vapcq45 wrote
Previous page headed distressed British Seamen embarked at Bombay 25.3.1944.  Then lists of seamen per ship, ie ex SS Palmer, ex SS Fort McLeod - torpedoed 3rd March 44, ex SS Algonquin.

So would all of these vessels have been in a convoy and sunk along with FT 14 (and 18)?

I cannot find a British vessel named PALMER, FORT McLEOD was sunk on 03/Mar/1944 by the Japanese Submarine I-162 02N/77E not by the German Submarine U183 as claimed by some sources. ALGONQUIN survived the war. I cannot find any incident of her being attacked, at any time, by Axis forces. My guess is she discharged a number of crew men DBS.
I would say the ships indicated were not in convoy together.
For the moment, I would put to one side the reference to FT14.

vapcq45. Do you have your Merchant seaman's relation's FORM CRS10?

[vapcq45]

Thanks for all your help.

I've just applied to the National Archives for his Seamen's Pouch' but won't arrive for a while.

Am I allowed to include a link to the DBS passenger list?
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1518/images/30807_A001205-00339?pId=31407604

I did spot something online - annoyingly lost the source now - various ships in for refit during monsoon season.  This would explain all but Fort McLeod being in service.  So perhaps all ships crews were just sent home.  I also spotted something that ships could not load cargo like iron ore finings as liquefaction could be a dangerous issue during wet weather.

I was thinking our man had been sunk but now tending towards sent home during refit.