Seaman's photo

[cappy]

###only to reiterate all JWS says .......runcimans were a true oldtime tramping company ....well known on the tyne as many were docked and recrewed there ....i was in two of them the cragmoor and the avonmoor .....these vessels made a boy into a man .....and i will always be proud to say i sailed in runcimans tramps .....proper ships .......hard but good........regards cappy

[Brenda Shackleton]

Hello Julie,
If you need information from Newfoundland, then contact Mr. David Bradley. EXTREMELY helpful man . Maritime History Archive, Memorial University Newfoundland. mhares@mun.ca
regards
Brenda

[Julie McLaughlan]

Marian neither his birth certificate, marriage cert, nor death cert mention a middle name or initial so I'm guessing no on that one. The 3rd entry you mention has captured my attention though. Is that one from a census?

[Julie McLaughlan]

Julie your great grandfather WAS part of the war, and a very important part of it, --- you can hold your own vigil at that time each year to remember your great grandfather and his fellow forgotten seamen, be proud.

Thank you so much for your input Ivan. For 97 years no one knew what had happened to him. The family had only ever heard that he was "lost at sea". Not even my grandmother knew what had happened to her father all those years ago. Then, 3 years ago when I discovered the details of his death, I was almost outraged at the fact that he had never received the recognition he so truly deserved, even from his own family. I considered that such a tragedy and a grave injustice to him and all he had sacrificed. I contacted as many family members as I could and urged them to contact others and spread the word that he was not simply "lost at sea", but died a hero during the war. We cried as we read the CWWGC memorial and account of the attack. I am extremely proud of who he was and what he died for. Thank you for reassuring me that he was as much a part of the war as all the others

[j.sabourn]

Cappy thought you had made a spelling mistake there and should have been rescrewed. Cheers JWS

[cappy]

Cappy thought you had made a spelling mistake there and should have been rescrewed. Cheers JWS

####yes john or even rescued......lol.....regards cappy

[Hugh]

Hello Jullie and welcome,
There are no surviving individual records for merchant seamen for the WW1 period. The only way to trace him is through known ship crew agreements. So start with DUNBARMOOR for 1917 as already indicated.
Marians third mention of W. Wilson is well worth researching too.

Regarding medals he would certainly be entitled to medals for his service but unfortunately I cannot see mention of him in BT 351. Unlike WW2 medals those for WW1 are no longer issued. He would have been entitled to the Mercantile Marine Medal and the British War Medal.

Sadly there will be no surviving Merchant Navy photo for the reasons stated by Dave W in his post.

I agree with everything Ivan has stated in his post about the MN in wartime you have every reason to be proud of his service.

Crew Agreements are the way to go.

Regards
Hugh

[John Albert Evans]

Julie,

Attached is a photo of the location of the sinking of th Dunbarmoor.

wreck.gif

John

Sorry the picture hasnt come on, if you google it you will find it, good luck

[John Albert Evans]

Julie,If you haven't already got one of her is a photo of the SS Dunbarmoor. Also the Memorial at Tower Hill Memorial Merchant Navy

.SS DEunbarmoor.jpg.W Wilson.jpg. (W'Wilson) along with all her lost crew members.

Hope they are of some help to you.

John

[Julie McLaughlan]

I have looked at the Archives in Canada (they hold many Crew Lists)and see that the Ship
Dunbarmoor is listed ,there is a crew list for the Year 1916 and although I know you said he was killed in 1917 there is that possibility that he was on board in 1916 as well??

Thanks Doc. I think this is worth looking into.

- - - Updated - - -

The registration card with a photo of the holder was not introduced until late in 1918.

So Dave if I have another MN ancestor who died in 1920, I assume he would most likely have had one of these ID holders? Were they mandatory for everyone after 1918, or only new recruits, or was it more of an at will thing if you had already been serving for many years?