Research help question.

[ynot]

Hello,
<o =""></o>
I’m trying to find out which medals my late step grandfather would have been entitled to; he was a T. 124X merchant seaman between 1940 and 1946.
<o =""></o>
A very helpful lady at the Registry of Shipping and Seamen in <st1:city><st1 ="">Cardiff</st1></st1:city> has informed me that as they haven’t any records on him, I will need to pass on details in his discharge book (which I have) and the ship’s movements during the war (which I don't have). As a trip to <st1 ="">Kew </st1>is quite difficult for me, can anyone recommend a good researcher who could find the movements/theatres of war for each ship he served on?

Thanks

Tony<o =""></o>

[AndyD]

Tony,

Give Pete (MerchantSeaman on the forum) a PM,and ask his advice.
He should be able to help with your query.

Kind regards,
Andy

[ynot]

Hello Andy,

Thanks, I'll do that.

Tony

[yellow]

I do not mean to be pedantic, but please write back to the lady from the ministry of shipping and inform her of 'records online'. I am astounded and at the same time shocked she has no knowledge of it!

Please click on the link below:

http://www.documentsonline.nationala...=*&queryType=1

I am more than confident your question can be answered here for a small fee of £3.50.

Steve.

[MerchantSeaman]

You will probably find that in common with about 40% of merchant seamen he didnt claim his WW2 medals.

They had been treated so badly, wages stopped when their ship was sunk (time in lifeboats unpaid), treated very poorly when rescued and landed abroad, even officers (not given any allowances for food, often nothing for accommodation and regularly left near naked with just the blanket they were given by other seamen aboard the rescuing ship. I have one example in my collection of a chap who was a pre-war TA soldier, tried to re-join in Sep 39 but physically not acceptable and given paperwork to prove that he was "not required" so joined the MN to do his bit.

Came home on leave and was almost arrested for being AWOL from his former TA unit, next home on survivors leave after his ship was sunk he found a warrant for his arrest had been issued for being AWOL, his father wrote direct to Churchill to protest his case. The seaman then served on the famous "scatter" convoy PQ17 and was finally advised after that (almost 3 years later that he wasnt going to be arrested as AWOL).


Anyway, back to your question, check on-line (National Archives website) if he hadnt claimed his medals, and come back to me if he hasnt, I'll try and help you through the next stages then.

[ynot]

Thanks for the help Steve & Pete,

I checked the link and there is no record of him there so I take it he was one of the many who didn't claim his medals.

About the national archives online; I never seem to have much luck when searching for info (perhaps it's my fault), is there also a search page for WWII soldier's medals?

Tony

[yellow]

Your father may of had his medals sent to him from the Director of Navy Accounts (Admiralty) not the Ministry of Transport as he was attached to the Royal Navy. Some confusion may have entered into the equation here.

Something of a possibility.......I`ll bet you a pound to a pinch of you know what that Pete has researched one of these men before!

As soon as the records are released for WW2 soldiers I will run around naked outside the National Archives shouting "there is a God!" You'll probably have to wait 40 years if you want to see that happen.

At this time your only source of information concerining these men is regimental museums (some have records pertaining to WW2 servicemen), Regimental Journals and War Diaries at the National Archives. Army lists and LG for officers and regimental histories.

Steve.