near the end

[DeepSea]

I have been compiling casuaties lost from British & Commonwealth Merchant ships for many years and although the true figure will never be know, the figures below will be as close as any you will ever find.... to date.

Tower Hill Memorial 23,753
Buried Ashore 2,594
Canadian 1,554 (Halifax & Tower Hill Memorial)
Bombay/Chittagong Memorial 6,048.
Hong Kong War Memorial 1,400.
Liverpool Naval Memorial 1,400 (Merchant Seamen who served on RN vessels under the T124T & T124X Agreements)
Australian War Memorial 359.
Royal Navy DEMS 3,000.
DEMS Maritime Regt. 1,222.
DEMS from other Army Regt's 50.
Naval Staff 699.

A HMSO study published in 1955 "Merchant Shipping & the Demands of War" also states that as many as 11,600 Merchant Seamen between 1942-1944 died shortly after leaving their ship, or whose lives were permanently damaged, either physically or mentally.

After nearly three years and reading through 4,716 digital pages of the DASR, I have also documented the names of a further 5,361 men from all corners of the British Commonwealth who died in service and have up until now been forgotten and have no official commemoration.

1939-1940 Register 734 pages. 1,033 names found
1941 Register 1,233 pages.1,035 names found
1942 Register 884 pages.1,031 names found
1943 Register 1,183 pages. 946 names found
1944 Register 395 pages 839 names found
1945 Register 297 pages. 477 names found

The combined total being 59,040 of which I have the names of 47,440 on file. I believe at its peak during WWII, British and Commonwealth Merchant Seamen numbered around 185,000.

[DeepSea]

A few statistics based on casualties recorded on Tower Hill Memorial only.

Master 970
Chief Officer 538
2nd Mate 537
3rd Mate 425
4th Mate 34
App./Cadet 482

Radio Officer 1,252

Surgeon 37

Chief Engineer 785
Engineers 2,229
Donkeyman 692
Fireman/Trimmer 4,933
Greaser 943

Bosun 598
Carpenter 397
Able Seaman 2,329
Sailor 924
Ordinary Seaman 782

Chief Steward 357
Chef/Cook 1,122
Baker 144
Steward/Waiter 1,577

Boy Rating 1,268

Lest we forget !

[Ivan Cloherty]

Thank you Billy

It just shows that those poor sods down the engineroom didn't stand much of a chance, and they probably sailed knowing full well that the odds were stacked against them surviving if anything happened.

We salute them, also you Billy for devoting so much of your time to keep us fully informed

Ivan

[robpage]

A little off thread , I have just been to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia , and took a look at the D-Day memorial in Bedford VA . The lady checking the tickets at the memorial said , are you an ex-serviceman . I replied no !, I was in the Merchant Navy . She stood up and said " let me shake you by the hand sir , We all owe a great debt to those guys of the Mercantile Marine who put in such an effort in World war II and those who followed in their traditions . I felt quite humble , it was a first to me . I got a tour on a five passenger Golf Cart , with a guy in his eighties called Bing . I thought he was a bit jerky on the accelerator , but he explained his leg was an artificial one . Strange place to find a memorial , but worth a visit if you ever pass Bedford

[happy daze john in oz]

I have been compiling casuaties lost from British & Commonwealth Merchant ships for many years and although the true figure will never be know, the figures below will be as close as any you will ever find.... to date.

Tower Hill Memorial 23,753
Buried Ashore 2,594
Canadian 1,554 (Halifax & Tower Hill Memorial)
Bombay/Chittagong Memorial 6,048.
Hong Kong War Memorial 1,400.
Liverpool Naval Memorial 1,400 (Merchant Seamen who served on RN vessels under the T124T & T124X Agreements)
Australian War Memorial 359.
Royal Navy DEMS 3,000.
DEMS Maritime Regt. 1,222.
DEMS from other Army Regt's 50.
Naval Staff 699.

A HMSO study published in 1955 "Merchant Shipping & the Demands of War" also states that as many as 11,600 Merchant Seamen between 1942-1944 died shortly after leaving their ship, or whose lives were permanently damaged, either physically or mentally.

After nearly three years and reading through 4,716 digital pages of the DASR, I have also documented the names of a further 5,361 men from all corners of the British Commonwealth who died in service and have up until now been forgotten and have no official commemoration.

1939-1940 Register 734 pages. 1,033 names found
1941 Register 1,233 pages.1,035 names found
1942 Register 884 pages.1,031 names found
1943 Register 1,183 pages. 946 names found
1944 Register 395 pages 839 names found
1945 Register 297 pages. 477 names found

The combined total being 59,040 of which I have the names of 47,440 on file. I believe at its peak during WWII, British and Commonwealth Merchant Seamen numbered around 185,000.

Billy, is there a global figure of numbers of Seamen lost,i.e. Commonwealth, U.S.A. etc?

[Doc Vernon]

This may not be exactly waht you are after John,but does give an insight to some figures!
Cheers

Battle of the Atlantic (1939

[DeepSea]

These are the figures I had worked on back in 2000. Again they are as accurate as I could find at the time and the true figure will probably never be known.

Belgium 893
Denmark 1,886
Greece 2000
Norway 4,795
Netherlands 1,914
New Zealand 72
South Africa 182
USA 5,302 plus 1,640 Armed Guard (DEMS)
USSR Unknown
Neutral 6,500

[Ron B Manderson]

I can't remember which channel may have been "yesterday"
There was a program called Their finist hour"
Some of the programs can be had on BBCIPLAYER/ or ITVIPLAYER from most pC's
Ron the batcave

[Lynnelle]

Hello

I am writing an article for the Best of Britain magazine - and need some vets to ask questions about their sercice during world war two.

It will be going into the September issue to coincide with Merchant Navy awareness.

Could anyone please get back to me, so that I can ask questions - the editor is keen for some real quotes from real sailors - and I applaud her! The MN navy seaman need to be recognised.

thanks in advance
Lynnelle

[Captain Kong]

Lynnelle, I think our Charles Louis Barron would be your best bet, A lot of Vets do not always want to talk about it. PM him.