World War 2 ships lost

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Hugh
Didnt say it wasnt correct only said i could not find it !
Think you read it incorrectly!
Cheers
Vernon


http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...=Reference&j=1

I would disagree with you there Vernon. The Dis A number 976420 looks correct and was probably issued around 1918

[Hugh]

Hello Vernon,

You stated the following: "That Number i also think would be prefixed by the letter A ??"
I stated that I thought the number as it was originally quoted in the piece BT349 in Moya's post without the 'A' prefix was correct.

I suspect the prefix 'A' in that particular batch of surnames at Kew is marked so for a reason as it is not common for British seamen of that era to have a Dis A number of anything other than numerals. The prefix 'A' was to identify seamen from the Indian subcontinent but this is clearly not the case with the batch that includes I Campbell that you refered to. Once the numerical Dis A. numbers ran out British seamen were given an 'R' prefix in the early 1920's.

Regards
Hugh

[Moya]

I'm having a hardtime finding out how to obtain the seamans records and discharge details, I just keep getting re-directed to FindmyPast. However I am now sure that the ship he was on was the Oropesa, torpedeoed 16 January 1941. It gives his age as 38, (born 1903) however as his 39th birthday was 25th January then the year of birth would be 1902 (which is correct). Maybe the family in later years connected him to the Empress of Britain in error. Moya

[Gulliver]

If OROPESA then: Company was Pacific Steam Navigation Co, not Canadian Pacific.

TOWER HILL MEMORIAL-Scrolldown to Oropesa)

U-BOAT NET

[Hugh]

Nice one Gulliver,

Unfortunately, as he was lost in January 1941, he will have no form CRS 10 at Kew. I suspect as you have files from FMP already then there may be no more. You could always consult Southampton City Archives giving his name, date and place of birth and most importantly his Discharge A. number. They will do a complete search of his records for £15. Failing all that, then there are other records of course such as crew agreements that you can use.

http://www.southampton.gov.uk/s-leis...tralindex.aspx

Southampton Archives,
Southampton City Council,
South Block,
Civic Centre,
Southampton,
S014 7LY.

Regards
Hugh

[DeepSea]

Alexander Campbell lost from the Oropesa is recorded as being born in Manchester and his last place of abode was recorded as living at 23 Marina Avenue, Liverpool 21, if this is of any help.

[Moya]

Just to let you know I finally found him. Steward on board "Oporesa" torpedeoed 16th January 1941. His memorial is at Tower Hill London. I'm still having a hard time finding his service records though. I contacted Southampton Archives, who told me that Findmypast had the digitized records and to look on the back of the CR10 card, which is somewhat of an impossibility. Regards Moya

[DeepSea]

If you order the documents from find my past, the reverse of the card may be blank, or may contain a list of official ships numbers and signing on dates for him. Using the ships official numbers you can then trace the names of the ships her served on.

[DeepSea]

Like many of these records they are incomplete. I have downloaded his file using some of my credits for the find my past website and the reverse of his CRS-1 card only records the name of one other ship, the Reina del Pacifico.