Did seaman desert ship?

[Jayhen6]

Hi, I’m researching this sailor and attached is part of his navy reserve record. In the top right hand corner are details of him being found dead in the river Elbe in Germany 2 months after going missing?
I need help in deciphering the ‘remarks’ and employment sections.. many thanks in advance..

[Rena]

I don't think he deserted ship, which was moored in the main German port of Hamburg on the River Elbe.   There's no details of injury on the body, just a statement that he was found drowned in the River.   Maybe he had too much bier to drink or had a fight amongst rival sailors.

Sailing between Whitby and Germany meant the ship was at the mercy of the gales on the North Sea, fall into that sea and you wouldn't last much longer than three minutes in winter.  I looked at the weather for that year and apparently that decade the weather was verging on hurricane level, so he could have been bowled over by the wind, stumbled and fallen between the ship and the dock.

I used to visit Whitby harbour in the 1960s and there were always foreign ships unloading timber in the harbour.

[HMac]

He was noted as deserted ship on his service record. His ship ERLESBURGH official number 131838. However, it was quite common for seamen to jump ship and this could be noted as desertion in the ship's Crew Agreement. There should also be a note in the Ship's Official Logbook narrative section where the master would cross refer any note in the Crew Agreement to the entry in the logbook.

He went missing on 17 December 1927 and wasn't found until 21 February 1928. He was serving his second 5-year term in the RNR having enrolled for his first term on 11 November 1921. He had previously served aboard ERLESBURGH in 1922.

Regards
Hugh

[fiddlerslass]

https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/newspaper/item/64RUB2F6O6H4P2RWF6AKVJLOJ5VK6EFU?query=Erlesburgh+&lang=en&hit=11&issuepage=25

This is the only mention of the ship I can find in Hamburg 1927 in old German newspapers. It was docked at Waltershof Hafen on 15 Dec and belonged to the Sloman jr. Shipping company.

I didn't find a report of the death by searching for Russell, but you could try a more general search using the date he was found.

[Rena]

He was noted as deserted ship on his service record. His ship ERLESBURGH official number 131838. However, it was quite common for seamen to jump ship and this could be noted as desertion in the ship's Crew Agreement. There should also be a note in the Ship's Official Logbook narrative section where the master would cross refer any note in the Crew Agreement to the entry in the logbook.

He went missing on 17 December 1927 and wasn't found until 21 February 1928. He was serving his second 5-year term in the RNR having enrolled for his first term on 11 November 1921. He had previously served aboard ERLESBURGH in 1922.

Regards
Hugh

I read that too and also that his father had complained but didn't see any record of exactly what his complaint was.

As  I understand it, when a person drowns the body could be caught in reeds, or rubbish on the sea bed, then when the body fills with gas it pops up onto the surface of the water.   The notes on the image show that he had identifying marks.

[Jayhen6]

He was noted as deserted ship on his service record. His ship ERLESBURGH official number 131838. However, it was quite common for seamen to jump ship and this could be noted as desertion in the ship's Crew Agreement. There should also be a note in the Ship's Official Logbook narrative section where the master would cross refer any note in the Crew Agreement to the entry in the logbook.

He went missing on 17 December 1927 and wasn't found until 21 February 1928. He was serving his second 5-year term in the RNR having enrolled for his first term on 11 November 1921. He had previously served aboard ERLESBURGH in 1922.

Regards
Hugh

I read that too and also that his father had complained but didn't see any record of exactly what his complaint was.

As  I understand it, when a person drowns the body could be caught in reeds, or rubbish on the sea bed, then when the body fills with gas it pops up onto the surface of the water.   The notes on the image show that he had identifying marks.

Thanks for the response, I can’t read the German newspaper. Where is the complaint from his father?.. Regards Jayhen

[Jayhen6]

I don't think he deserted ship, which was moored in the main German port of Hamburg on the River Elbe.   There's no details of injury on the body, just a statement that he was found drowned in the River.   Maybe he had too much bier to drink or had a fight amongst rival sailors.

Sailing between Whitby and Germany meant the ship was at the mercy of the gales on the North Sea, fall into that sea and you wouldn't last much longer than three minutes in winter.  I looked at the weather for that year and apparently that decade the weather was verging on hurricane level, so he could have been bowled over by the wind, stumbled and fallen between the ship and the dock.

I used to visit Whitby harbour in the 1960s and there were always foreign ships unloading timber in the harbour.

Thanks for the information, it’s a very interesting document and I’m not familiar with Royal Navy Reserve records.. thank you Jayhen

[Rena]

Thanks for the response, I can’t read the German newspaper. Where is the complaint from his father?.. Regards Jayhen

In the remarks column. at the end of the fifth row down:-

"Claims by"

At the beginning of sixth row:--

father, George Edward Russell

[Jayhen6]

Thanks for the response, I can’t read the German newspaper. Where is the complaint from his father?.. Regards Jayhen

In the remarks column. at the end of the fifth row down:-

"Claims by"

At the beginning of sixth row:--

father, George Edward Russell

Thanks for that, is the claim for the £4 retainer?.. would the body have been shipped back to Whitby?… regards Jayhen