Merchant Navy Service 1939 to 1949

[Doc Vernon]

I hope that we may be able to get more info in time Brian, but for now this is as much as i know!
I think that Hugh will come up with something as well soon!
Keep searching!
Cheers

[happy daze john in oz]

Just a polite reminder we are now in September and the 3rd will be Sunday.

Here in Oz it is fathers day.

[Hugh]

For Royal Navy servicemen - unless they joined the service prior to about 1928 then their records are not available online and you will have to request there service record from the MoD - https://assets.publishing.service.go...R_MoD_Form.pdf


You may have seen this already but just in case -

CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS
OF. KNIGHTHOOD.
St. James's Palace,
9th March, 1943.
The KING: has been graciously pleased to
approve the award of the British Empire
Medal (Military Division), to :

Able Seaman Sidney Triggs, D/JX.165542, for bravery and seamanship in rescue work in heavy seas, while serving in H.M. Ship Borage.

The award was for the rescue of the American tanker Robert H. Colley.

and sourced from u-boat.net - https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4722.html

4 Oct 1942
HMS Borage (T/Lt.Cdr. A. Harrison, RNR) picks up 33 survivors from the American tanker Robert H. Colley that broke in two in very bad weather while in convoy HX-209 in the North Atlantic about 350 nautical miles South-West of Reykjavik, Iceland in position 59°06'N, 26°18'W.

Owing to severe weather HMS Borage could only take up station overnight keeping watch on the after part of the ship which by this time had broken in two. Overnight the forward half of the ship sank, but the survivors could be seen on the after half. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to launch the ship's boat to effect a rescue. Able Seaman Sidney Triggs, went to the bridge and asked to speak to the Commanding Officer. He was a fisherman and expert in small boats, he told the C.O. that if he could pick his own crew he would launch the ship's boat and attempt a rescue. The crew consisted mostly of men who had been fishermen in civilian life. The boat was now successfully launched into the Atlantic storm and steered around to the wreck of the Robert H. Colley. Once alongside it was a difficult job to persuade the freezing survivors to take the terrible long jump into the sea. Able Seaman Triggs eventually persuaded them eventually to jump. Thirty three men were rescued after several trips in the small ship's boat back and forth to HMS Borage. The ship was rolling so much in the Atlantic swell that survivors could be plucked from the boat by crewmen waiting in the well deck of the Borage. Having guided the boat back to the Borage the crew and survivors cheered Able Seaman Triggs who was called to the C.O.'s cabin. He was congratulated and given a large glass of rum. Able Seaman Triggs was been promoted to Leading Seaman and received the British Empire Medal from King George VI at Buckingham palace. This was gazetted in the London Gazette on 5 March 1943.

Regards
Hugh

[Hugh]

In case you don't have them here are some cards from the Fourth Register of Seamen for Julian Triggs and Herbert V. Triggs. By the way with regard to the Royal Navy ratings although you don't have the service numbers, they are actually not required. Good if you have them but not a necessity.

Regards
Hugh

[j.sabourn]

#13 This post and many more like it show the integrity and hard work put in to their searches and must be applauded for their own enthusiasm for carrying out such tasks. As there is often mention of seamen receiving the British Empire Medal I would just like to add for anyone not aware of this very high ranked medal. The British Empire Medal comes under the canopy and is associated with the Grand Order Of The British Empire, several barsmay be attached . Since December 1957 medals awarded for acts of gallantry , as opposed to merituous service, have been distinguished by the addition of an emblem composed of two
Silver oak leaves. I feel that if the holders of these medals from the wartime years should make enquires if they want them , maybe to ask. JS.

[j.sabourn]

#15 further to this attachment if my memory serves me right, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London has various Chapels in its building the Chapel of the British Empire being one of them . I rather believe but wont swear to it ,but think maybe a list of names may also be held in a ledger of all those holding it in its different forms . I do know that members of the various ranks may use the Chapel for a small nominal cash amount for weddings / funerals etc. Cheers JS
PS for Cappy can you imagine Axel Lindberg marrying his landlady in St. Paul’s. yust the yob yimmy . JS

[Paul Burrows]

Hi My God father, Arthur Bozie was an Engineer at sea sailing out of Liverpool. I saw his discharge book when I stayed with my Aunt when studying at the Riversdale marine college, but my aunt passed away when I was at sea. He passed away in the 1950’s from lung damage due to oil, sustained I believe on a Malta convoy when his ship was sunk. I did try to find out some information but it seemed very complicated, I was assuming that Liverpool as home port would hold records? Do not ship owners bear some responsibility to at least hold names. He was retired after that to work when able at the Docks and harbour board. As with many we should also remember those scared by war and adversity on Nov 11th. May the help this forum brings to people carry on forever.

[Elizabeth Copp]

Hello Brian, I am also looking into my dad's time at sea in WW2. I spent a morning in the Guildhall library in June and got a lot of information on the ports of call and the convoys. I went to Kew in the afternoon as they hold records of seamen and that too was interesting and a bit emotional as they had an ID card which my dad had handed in in 1958. It had his fingerprints on it which made it very special. Why he chose to hand that card in and not his record of discharge is a puzzle, but if he had done so I wouldn't have been prompted to research his war years for I wouldn't have known where to start. HMT Rohna on which he served was bombed with a huge loss of life -over 1000 American soldiers died. My sister and I are going to New Jersey in November to see the premiere of a film about the bombing which happened 80 years ago in November. It. was crowd funded. This will be an emotional trip but also very special. Our dad never spoke of the horror of the bombing in the Med. He was only 22. All these Merchant Navy men were so brave. Good luck with your research.
Elizabeth Copp