Help needed with finding further information

[Horsley2016]

Hello all,

One of my relatives - William Thomas Kennedy born 9th April 1897, Woodstock St, Liverpool was apparently torpedoed during WW1. His Father is James Kennedy and Mother Julia MMN McCarthy. Over the War years William Thomas marries a Bertha Carroll in 1916. There are addresses in Eldon St, Awkwright St and Burlington St. His parents seemingly stay based in Dryden St. All in the 'Scotland Rd' area of Liverpool.

He died in 1966 partly from 'paraplegia due to a spinal injury obtained in WW1.' The family have no other details and the name of the ship cannot be recalled. Most of the family were Merchant Seamen.

If anyone can offer any help, guidance or advice on where to take my search, I'd be grateful. I am on Ancestry but found it little help to me so far.

Best regards
M

[CaroleW]

Over 60% of WW1 service records were burnt during the WW2 blitz. 

Have you found a Medal Roll Index record for him - I can't see one

He was b 1894 - not 1897 - have you viewed the 1939 entry for him?

Can't see a birth reg for him

[Ashtone]

William Thomas marries a Bertha Carroll in 1916.

Do you have a copy of the marriage cert? What's his occupation? Was he wounded before or after the marriage?

[CaroleW]

It was a Catholic marriage but no occ shown on the church entry.  Father shown in Latin as Jacobi Kennedy.  His 1939 entry shows him as a disabled naval pensioner

May have been in the merchant navy perhaps?? 

No birth reg for him as William Thomas & marriage entry shows him just as William.  Where was he born? 

[Ashtone]

If he was merchant navy he might appear in Ancestry's UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 collection. To view the actual image you would need Fold3 access.

There is a Pension record for a "William Thomas Kennedy" - who was a "greaser" in the Navy.
Might be worth investigating that record. I saw more details, but then they disappeared (as I don't have an Ancestry sub).

[Dundee]

He was b 1894 - not 1897 - have you viewed the 1939 entry for him?

He was aged 4 in 1901 so the 1939 date must be wrong if James and Julia (McCARTHY) are his parents.

Just using the free 1921 census indexes, he is at home with his family including possibly his McCARTHY grandmother.  You would need to see the original for his occupation.

Debra 

[tonepad]

A William Kennedy, age 19, born Liverpool served as a Trimmer on the vessel Missanabie in 1915.

search https://1915crewlists.rmg.co.uk/


The Missanabie was torpedoed on 9 Sep 1918.

https://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/4178.html



Tony

[Horsley2016]

Hello all.

Thank everyone for your input. I'm very grateful to you for your help and time.
What I know is that, he was definitely born 9 April 1897 at 3H 1C Woodstock St Liverpool. I have his birth cert. Parents definitely James (A Dock Lab) and Julia McCarthy. He was born and baptised as 'just' William. The Thomas seems to have been 'added' in. He has a son in 1916 called William Thomas and he dies in 1917 - perhaps that had something to do with it?

I can't see any of the 1921 Census details to see 'what happened next' (Debra, thanks for taking a look) and I haven't yet researched for the 1939 roll (although it's on my list to do next!) When he marries Bertha on 21 Jun 1916, he is a Marine Fireman. Fast forward to 1958 when his wife dies, he is listed as a Merchant Seaman on her death cert.

Sadly, I can't find a medal roll for him. I was hoping to find something that would link a service number to an address / next of kin etc! No such luck as yet!

Tony - thank you so very much for doing a bit of research. I will take a look at this a bit later and keep my fingers crossed!

Best regards to all of you - huge thanks
M

[Ashtone]

Missanabie crew agreement for 1918 is at the TNA, but would need to be viewed there.
The vessel's official number was 136705. The crew agreement will be contained within a large box file containing other, similar documents for different ships. 

Apparently the 1918 crew agreement also includes the names of the survivors (as well as casualties) from the September torpedo incident.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2480795

Have you tried searching Sept 1918 newspaper reports which might mention WK surviving the torpedo-ing?

Several Navy personnel onboard the USS McCall (the convoy vessel) were awarded the USN Navy Cross for their part in rescuing "the survivors of the Missanabie at imminent risk of life".