Cardiff POOL

[Byron Jones]

Thanks for all your responses Keith. I've been in touch with my contacts in MCA and they are unable to help. Paid a visit to the now Exchange Hotel and could find nothing. Although there is still a lot of the building still to be renovated. What I would really like is to find someone who actually used the Cardiff POOL during WW2. Come back Bill Henke.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Most of those known to me locally have Crossed the Bar but,
will put my thinking cap on. Pos Joe Norton may have a few ideas?

K.

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[Des Taff Jenkins]

Now that Keith mentions it I think it was Roath dock might have been where i signed on.
Des

[Keith at Tregenna]

Adding for interest.

Thread: Just signed on https://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/...68-signed.html

K.

[Keith at Tregenna]

The Coal Exchange, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff

From 1941 to 1946 the Exchange was home to the Merchant Navy Reserve Pool. To ensure that seamen would always be available to crew vessels, the Government paid them to remain in the Reserve Pool when they were ashore.

History Points - The Coal Exchange, Cardiff Bay

[William McCarthy]

Good morning Byron Jones, yes I do remember the "Pool" in Cardiff. I only went there only once and did meet the "man that was" Bill Henke. What a character???????????
Anyway he ordered me out of the building and told me to report to the other side as I needed to visit the "officers" section. I very promptly did so!
My first ship was the Lottinge (Constants of Cardiff) and I sailed as the ships Electrician. After that I worked for the Bank Line, so sorry I have not much more to tell you, other than it was a busy place. Best regards William McCarthy.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Thanks William, can you remember anything about the pool ? situation,
the building ? etc.

Regards,

Keith.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Same request, link added: As more is sought -

K.

LINK: News

British merchant seamen of World War II

Merchant seamen crewed the merchant ships of the British Merchant Navy which kept the United Kingdom supplied with raw materials, arms, ammunition, fuel, food and all of the necessities of a nation at war throughout World War II literally enabling the country to defend itself. In doing this they sustained a considerably greater casualty rate than almost every branch of the armed services and suffered great hardship. Seamen were aged from fourteen through to their late seventies.[1]
The office of the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen calculated that 144,000 merchant seamen were serving aboard British registered merchant ships at the outbreak of World War II and that up to 185,000 men and women served in the Merchant Navy during the wartime.[2][3] 36,749 seamen and women were lost by enemy action, 5,720 were taken prisoner and 4,707 were wounded, totaling 47,176 casualties, a minimum casualty rate of over 25 percent. Mr Gabe Thomas, the former Registrar General of Shipping and Seaman (Great Britain) stated that "27 percent of merchant seamen died through enemy action".[4]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britis...f_World_War_II

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