1939 - 1945 Researching Grand Fathers service

[BelfastMike]

Dear all,

Firstly, if this is posted in the wrong forum, i apologise. Please point me in the right direction and i will repost it there.

Years ago, I promised to research the history of my Grand Fathers service in the Merchant Navy. I promptly forgot and reminded myself of it again, while watching Tom Hanks new Greyhound movie. And no time like the present - as I'm stuck inside quarantining.

The plan is to publish online some sort of interactive document of any images, videos, service logs, ships logs and so forth. There will be a little bit of background, diving into the specific operations, the fate of the ships he served on after leaving them, fate of the subs and crew that sank him, and so on.

I would really appreciate any knowledge or pointers that any of the members would have for me.

Vessels Number NHP/NRT Dates Other
Royal Ulsterman 163225 1077/1435 29/4/40–23/5/40 & 12/6/40–11/12/40 & 12/12/40–30/12/40 Dunkirk Evacuation? Narvick raid delivery? HMS Hood survivors?
Henry Dundas 165438 IHP 4300 22/1/41–22/4/41 Convoys HX100 & HX117 - maybe more?
MV AaseMaevsk? 174028? 570/3641 2/8/41–14/5/42 Possibly serving on the Arctic convoys to Murmansk? No details found.
MV Luxmi? 147888? 488 / 2539 24/5/42 – 1/8/43 No details found.
MV Fahsimia 168713 301 / 5115 28/9/43 – 1/10/43 (discharged at sea) Sunk while in tow by U-532 off Maldives.
MV Summity 167243 71 / 287 2/3/44 – 9/7/44 Special Operations. Possible deception ops for D-Day landings?
Fort Yale 168405 229 / 4244 12/7/44 – 9/8/44 (discharged at sea) Sunk by U-480 (Stealth Sub) English Channel.

Name: John Neil McKillop O’Brien
DOB: 15/04/1920 or 21?
Rank: Engineer
ID: 63279

Thanks in advance.

[Doc Vernon]

Thank you for your Post Mike
May i ask as to what actual info you are now after, and can we have his Place of Birth .
Thanks
Cheers

Is this a Double Barrel Name at all??

John Neil (McKillop O’Brien)

You can of course research some if not all of the Ships regarding Crew Lists at the National Archives when the reopen? If that is part of what you are after.
Also some i would imagine would be at the University of Canada Archives as well??
Then there is the Lloyds Register of Ships which may have some good info for you.
So as said depending on what you are after??
Thanks

[BelfastMike]

Morning Doc and thanks for your reply.

It's not double-barrelled, might be worth leaving Mckillop out also. Born in Belfast. I have a logbook here. Can upload images if that would help any.

As with a lot of that generation they tended not to talk so much about their experiences on returning home. I'm trying to piece together exactly what he would have experienced by the dates he was on a vessel and what that vessel was directly involved in. There's a fair bit on HMS Ulsterman online and also the sinking of Fort Yale, a little on the Fahsimia sinking also. I am having trouble with the MV AaseMaevsk and MV Luxmi, and this may be due to names/numbers being wrong as the writing in the logbook is difficult to make out.

Ideally, depending on what records remain, I would like to trace the vessels he served upon, their actions while he was aboard (convoy numbers + convoy commanders logs etc), and the vessels ultimate fates.

Thanks.

[Keith at Tregenna]

LUXMI ?

https://banklineonline.com/2019/10/2...rs-in-service/

ADDED:

MV Aase Maersk or Aase Mærsk ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Aase_Maersk_(1930)

.

[Doc Vernon]

At this time there seems to be some trouble with the Archives, on Movement Cards but i will check again later.
There are Cards for those two Ships you mention having a bit of trouble with ( Luxmi and Aase Maersk) when fixed i will download them and post!
Will also look at what other info i can find, along with Keith hopefully we can solve a lot
Cheers

[Keith at Tregenna]

Hope this is of help.

Seems to be:

John N Mck O'Brien

Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958

Name:
John N Mck O'Brien
Event Type:
Birth
Event Date:
Apr - Jun 1921
Event Place:
Belfast, Ireland
Registration Quarter and Year:
Apr - Jun 1921
Registration District:
Belfast

[BelfastMike]

Thanks for this Keith, they seem to be the ones.

- - - Updated - - -

These are the handwritten Logbook inserts that i have images of.

Log-A.jpg

Log-B.jpg

[Keith at Tregenna]

Hoe to take another look at all later.

keith.

[Doc Vernon]

Those are not actually Logs
They are the Entries that are in his Discharge Book
So you at least have that to start with.
I will still look for more info on Ships etc as soon as i can
Keep watching here
Cheers

Any chance of a clearer Pic of one page so as i can see the details ??

[Doc Vernon]

One Ship incorrect in your post

Its Tahsinia 168713

Cheeers