WW2 Merchant Ships?

[Stelyn]

Hello Everyone, I am a newbee but I think this site is great. I am hoping to find some information regarding my Father Ronald Henry Jones born Kirkcudbright 7th December 1922. His discharge book from Kew shows him leaving the Merchant Navy July 1947.He is believed to have been ship wrecked in the North Sea in 1943/44 and spent sometime in an open boat. I would like to know more including any ships from that time and before. The records from the National Archives at Kew only show his new record which I have. I know he worked on vessels to & from Australia/new Zealand until discharge. Any information will be appreciated. Jim

[Ivan Cloherty]

If you have his Discharge Book then please give his book number it should start with an R, also some, if not all of his ships served on, (it may not be his only book) should be listed in his book, so if you list them it will help the boys give you more information if it is available, the more we know the more the boys can help

[Hugh]

Welcome Jim,

I am a little confused - you say you have his Discharge Book from Kew. His Discharge Book would never be held at Kew as it would be personal to the seaman and always held by him. Do you mean his CRS 10 record?
Anyway if you have an actual book or information from Kew can you check the Dis A. number as advised by Ivan and see if it matches the following record held at Kew: Detecting your browser settings

The above file, if it is the correct man, is his seaman's pouch and it is difficult to know exactly what it may contain - some contain a great deal of information others very little. However, there is usually a photo albeit a mugshot.

Regards
Hugh

[Stelyn]

Thanks to Ivan & Hugh, sorry to confuse you. I'll try to be a little more succinct.
What I have from Kew are photocopies of the original Discharge Book in the seamans pouch Ref BT372/0658
My Father's number was R296639. My Father was a fireman.

There is a story that he was shipwrecked in the North Sea 1943 which I know nothing about but do know he contracted Pleurisy and spent time in a sanitorium at Ventnor, Isle of Wight. They have no record of him arriving, just leaving as some of their records are missing.

I cannot find any records of when Father joined the MN or what ships he worked on before 1944, hence my looking at and joining this site in the hope somebody may remember his name etc. I know nothing of procedures when people would abandon ship but presumably all paperwork would be lost and that may account for new book being issued for which he had to pay 2/6 !

The list of vessels in the book is 'Southgate' 149746 London (4) 16/1/44 discharged Hull 26/6/44 under that is CDMNO see RS3

'Richard Bearme' 169608 (difficult to read name) 8/11/44 Illegible place of engagement & discharge 16/2/45

'Delilian' 147207 London (2) 9/4/45. S'ton (2) 27/4/45

'Vienna' 161034 16/5/45 Tilbury (2). Tilbury (2) 30/6/45 Also ? connaught Rd 4/7/45

'Rangitiki' 143561 17/7/45 Liverpool (2). 7/11/45 Nic? Docks (2). R/Conn Rd 18/11/45

'Pipiriki 165900 8/12/45 Glasgow (2). 18/1/46 Liverpool (3)

'Pipiriki' 165900 31/1/46 Lpe (3) 16/5/46 Hull (3)

'Durham' 163522 13/6/46 Vic Dks (3). 8/11/46 L'pool (3)

'Cornwall' 145028 28/11/46 Vic Dks (3). 4/7/47 V/C ?

'CRS8 15/7/47 Vic Dks At own request. I assume this is when father left the sea.

There are other various scribblings that are mostly illegible to me but obviously meant something when they were written down.

If there is anything further I can add - let me know but I hope from the above information that it may trigger something in someone's memory.
Thanks for reading this, jim

[Hugh]

Hello Jim and thanks for the clarification.

OK, so you have his seaman's pouch that I referenced. He also has another pouch held at Kew in piece BT 391/56/39 This is his COMNO [Combined Office Merchant Navy Operations] pouch - COMNO indicates service from 'D' Day and beyond. Your reading 'CDMNO should read COMNO.

For his service from 1941 until he left the service you need his CRS 10 from Kew which should be held in piece BT 382/910

Best to visit Kew to obtain the CRS 10 as it is expensive to obtain online, while you are at it pick up the COMNO pouch. Hope that helps.

The information that you have posted looks remarkably like the CRS 10 though but you wouldn't find that in the BT 372 pouch unless of course you are correct and it's a photocopy of his actual Dis A. book.


If the information that you have posted is from his CRS 10 then you have a problem. The information only starts from 1944 on the ship "RICHARD BEARSE" note my spelling which is correct. This means information prior to 1944 has not been recorded by the scribe at the BoT - not at all unsurprising as errors and omissons did occur. All is not lost, however, as there are otherways to track his service starting with the crew agreement for RICHARD BEARSE. In the meantime, If you were able to post the documents then it may become apparent if you have his CRS 10 or not or why there is nothing prior to 1944.

Regards
Hugh

[Tony Morcom]

Welcome to the site Jim As you can see we have some members only to eager to help others with their research. It is to be hoped that you enjoy the contents here which are as varied a\s the members.

[alf corbyn]

hi jim? the connaught road is london docks KG5 and royal albert. tilbury was usually seperate, but i think came under london docks, for disharge book entries.

[Stelyn]

Again - Thank You Hugh & Alf for this information. Tony I have looked at just a few of the other posts but can see that there are people that give a lot and happy to do so. Priceless - a Great site.

After saying that - Connaught Rd. An office in the docks area where crew would be discharged perhaps?

Thank you for those reference numbers. It was awhile ago now that I got what I have and it may be awhile before I get back to Kew but I will do so for sure. Robert Bearse Eh. The fountain pen writing is very small and I typed what it looked like. Above that though was the Southgate.

When you say 'post his documents' I assume you do mean for me to post them on the site. If so, I will get help to do that tomorrow. I am wondering if they would take up a lot of space.

You mention crew agreement Robert Bearse. Are they retained at Kew do you know?

Regards for tonight. Jim

[Hugh]

Hello Jim,

Sorry, I failed to notice that SOUTHGATE was the first ship noted on your reply. That would be the crew agreement needed to progress things if there is nothing in the CRS 10. The crew agreement for SOUTHGATE is held at Kew in piece BT 381/2906 under her official number, 149746. By checking this crew agreement it should give you the name of his previous ship. But before you go down that road we need to establish if you have a copy of his CRS 10 already or a photocopy of his Discharge Book. If it's a photocopy of his Discharge Book then its quite straight forward, you need to obtain his CRS 10 in the link already given and that should tell you all you need to know about his service history from Jan, 1941 until leaving the service in 1947.

Regards
Hugh

[Ron B Manderson]

welcome to the site Stelyn
hope you get all the info you ask.
Ron the batcave