New Member needing advice.

[Jayne Williams]

Hello All

I am a new member and I have been tracing my great uncle's career in the merchant navy from 1925-1939. Thanks to find my past I have found several documents which detail the ships he sailed on and have been fascinated by the history of these merchant ships and shocked and saddened by the number of losses during the two wars.

The problem that I have is that I have been fed some erroneous information by the niece and nephew of this seaman. I was told he died in his twenties - from 1926-1936. This is not true because he was still serving on SS Loch Ranza in 1939. I was also told that he was in the Royal Navy and died due to an accident on HMS Hood and his funeral was held at Plymouth circa 1936. After much searching I have scotched these myths ( thanks Find My Past).

I should now like to establish what happened to him after 1939. All efforts to find a listing for his death have proven futile. There are many sites out there but none yield a death for Harry Derrick. I found a reference to a Register of maritime deaths but cannot find it online. Can anyone tell me if it can be accessed online or do I have to visit a specific archive/record office.

I've also seen mentioned an index of deaths by natural causes and deaths of merchant crewmen but have no idea where I can access these records. Are any of them available in digital form or on pay per view sites?

I would appreciate any help advice that you can give.

jayne

[Keith at Tregenna]

It would help us to know if Find My Past actually gave you any serial numbers ? what is known as a discharge book number would help much.

Certain a lot of the chaps on board will offer more soon.

K.

[Jayne Williams]

hello Keith

thank you for the reply. The records that I have obtained from Find My Past are the CR1 and CR2 records. On the CR2 index card there is the number 1133856 which is the Dis A No. Is this the number you were asking about?

The only other numbers I can see are the Official Numbers of the various ships he sailed on, the last being 164035 SS Loch Ranza in 1939.

jayne

[Keith at Tregenna]

hello keith

thank you for the reply. The records that i have obtained from find my past are the cr1 and cr2 records. On the cr2 index card there is the number 1133856 which is the dis a no. Is this the number you were asking about?

The only other numbers i can see are the official numbers of the various ships he sailed on, the last being 164035 ss loch ranza in 1939.

Jayne

cheers. Yes that will help much.

k.

[Jim Russell]

Hi,

Was he born in Scotland and do you have his birth certificate. Have you tried different ways of spelling his name. I had a quick look in the scotlandspeople web site and there are over 100 Derrick deaths but only 3 H* Derrick deaths and no Harry deaths.

Sorry should have scotlandspeople site is only for Scottish records.

Good Luck
Jim

[Keith at Tregenna]

Possibly you could look at Free BMD ?

Free Births, Marriages and Deaths, you may be able to narrow down from those listed by location, date etc and come back with the info:

Good Luck: Please return and will look at other avenues:

LINK: FreeBMD - Search

LINK 2: FreeBMD - Search Had entered Harry Derrick, there were a fair few, the link is just to the home page, please try yourself and let us know.

EG:

Derrick Harry Clark Wimborne 5a 567
Marriages Sep 1915 (>99%)
Derrick Harry G Dorking Bedwellty 11a 223
Marriages Mar 1916 (>99%)
Derrick Harry Castledine Basford 7b [3_]09
Births Sep 1917 (>99%)
Derrick Harry Cope Walsall 6b 1036
Deaths Sep 1917 (>99%)
Derrick Harry 0 Walsall 6b 568
Marriages Jun 1920 (>99%)
Derrick Harry Woodland Taunton 5c 750
Births Sep 1922 (>99%)
Derrick Harry A Crowden Medway 2a 1305
Births Sep 1923 (>99%)
Derrick Harry Kidd Haslingden 8e 128
Births Mar 1924 (>99%)
Derrick Harry Nicholson Sculcoates 9d 225
Marriages Sep 1930 (>99%)
Derrick Harry Bell Nottingham 7b 933
Marriages Dec 1932 (>99%)
Derrick Harry Adams Newport M 11a 541
Derrick Harry Sutton Basford 7b 638
Deaths Mar 1935 (>99%)
Derrick Harry 65 Bristol 6a 25
Births Mar 1936 (>99%)
DERRICK Harry Adams Camberwell 1d 836
Deaths Mar 1936 (>99%)
Derrick Harry 18 E.Glamorgan 11a 1017
Deaths Mar 1942 (>99%)
Derrick Harry A 67 I.Wight 2b 1546
Marriages Sep 1944 (>99%)
DERRICK Harry Saunders Haslingden 8e 291
DERRICK Harry R F Davies Bristol 6a 397
Marriages Sep 1945 (>99%)
Derrick Harry A Wood Poole 5a 1015
Marriages Dec 1946 (>99%)
Derrick Harry Richardson Holderness 2a 219
Marriages Mar 1948 (>99%)
Derrick Harry P O'Donovan Kensington 5c 2501
Marriages Mar 1949 (>99%)
Derrick Harry A Holmes Birmingham 9c 1016
Deaths Sep 1949 (>99%)
Derrick Harry J 71 Cardiff 8b 82

ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT FAMILY SEARCH:
https://www.familysearch.org/search/...ame%3ADerrick~

K.

[Hugh]

Hello Jayne,
Can you tell us why you think his career in the MN spanned 1925 - 1939? My guess would be that he continued to serve during WW2 and his records are in the Fifth Register of Seamen. Unless you have other information to the contrary.

What was his date and place of birth?

Regards
Hugh

[Keith at Tregenna]

Hello Jayne,
Can you tell us why you think his career in the MN spanned 1925 - 1939? My guess would be that he continued to serve during WW2 and his records are in the Fifth Register of Seamen. Unless you have other information to the contrary.

What was his date and place of birth?

Regards
Hugh

Thanks Hugh: Seems unlikely to have left the sea as a war started, unless death was prior to kick off:

LINK: CWGC :: Casualty Results

CWGC: DO NOT LIST HIM AS DURING LOST WW2.

As ever date and place of birth etc, would help much.

K.

[Ray Buck]

if it is of any use
Harry Derrick dis A No 1133856 signed on the “Grovedale” as an AB aged 29 (DoB circa 1906) with 12 years service, signed 12th November 1935 in Newport Mon the ship arrived in Boston, Mass 17th February 1936, having sailed from Gibralter, he was 5’ – 6” in height weight 174 lbs

He was on the “Rio Dorado” signed on 19th September 1934 in Newport Mon, the ship arrived in Oregon 13th May 1935 having sailed from Shanghai, looks as if he jumped ship in Shanghai

6th June 1929, looks as if he returned to Southampton on the “Montcalm”as a DBS from Montreal gave his address as the Sailors Home Newport Mon

Ray
P.S Guessing
Births Dec 1906 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derrick Harry Newport, M. 11a 247

[Keith at Tregenna]

COULD BE LOOKING AT:

Deaths Sep 1949 (>99%)
Derrick Harry J 71 Cardiff 8b 82

Any known initials, DOB or any other detail would be welcomed:

K.