Help wanted in research of a WWII casualty

[Brenda Shackleton]

Hello again Rodney
Forgot to say that your Uncle was on an Arctic Convoy - PQ13- from Iceland to Murmansk. You should have no trouble in applying for the Arctic Star medal
Brenda

[Keith at Tregenna]

Thanks Brenda, would be very interested in knowing that this is achieved.

Keith.

[Rodney Mills]

To all of you from Sylvia.

As I told you "Aunt" Sylvia is three years older than me and an Aunt by marriage to my mother's brother, she was a sweet young thing that married a rotten older bastard, who did the worst Imagining rotten thing to me. Not that I hold a grudge (much), but I hope when they buried him they laid him face down, just in case it was a mistake and he came too and started digging, he'd have to go to China to get out.

Sylvia is a gentle, kind hearted soul and she always has been and I'm glad we are back to being friends again after almost fifty years.

Sylvia has sent me an email and I enclose an excerpt that pertains to your excellent efforts.


.... Please thank your ship friends for the wonderful news they have given me about dad. So many helped and so much, I'm overwhelmed. I am making copies to send to my sisters and my two half brothers and Stephen and Paul [her sons]. That way there will always be copies floating around. Mum had some medals, but they somehow got lost in the moves.....

....Love Aunt Sylvia, and eat your greens young man. xxx

[Doc Vernon]

Very nice Rodney please thank her for this from me and of course from all who have contributed to the Search.
Cheers

[Laurie Ridyard]

I need urgent help of our site's expert Merchant Navy researchers:


Thanking you in advance, Rodney

Have you tried Uboat net. ? https://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ This site has afill description of all ships torpedoed by subs, and some crew members listed.

ATB

Laurie.

[Nigel Smith]

Rodney, sadly many Merchant Navy medals end up on ebay. Often the seller will provide some detail such as the name of the recipient. I know it's a bit of a longshot but the lost medals have to be somewhere and there is always the chance (however remote) that the medals could be offered for sale on ebay. If you save a search this will save you having to trawl through dozens of medals periodically, I hope this is of some help.

Nigel Smith.

[John Onslow]

I need urgent help of our site's expert Merchant Navy researchers:




Thanking you in advance, Rodney

It certainly looks as though he would be entitled to an Arctic Star. Here's a link: https://www.gov.uk/apply-medal-or-ve...ly-for-a-medal.

As his next of kin your aunt would be able to apply and receive the medal.

Good luck!

[Rodney Mills]

Laurie Richards Re. #35

Thanks Laurie, however the S.S Bateau was sunk by three destroyers. Thanks to the diligence of guys like you I was able to get the full story of the sinking and pass it along to My "Aunt" Sylvia.

Good on yer. Rodney

[Rodney Mills]

John Onslo #37

Thanks mate, I found out by the swift and stalwart efforts of the posters on this thread that Sylvia's Dad did earn the Atlantic Star and the War Medal and they were issued to his wife, Sylvia's mom. Somewhere in multiple moves, they were lost, however shipmates like you have given multiple clues which I pass on to Sylvia.

I see that this is your first post, so you are either a first tripper or this thread has caused you to lose your virginity. I'm honored that I got to do the dastardly deed. Keep posting now. tell us some tales, refresh us on what ships you were on, good trips, even awful ones. You've lost your cherry mate. Keep posting.

Cheers, Rodney

[Rodney Mills]

Nigel Smith

Hi, thanks for the tip. I didn't know if the medals were engraved with names or not. If not I was wondering, if they can't be officially replaced and reissued to the daughter, could she buy replacement ones on ebay. I wondered about the integrity of buying what was issued to someone else, to be used as family heirlooms, even though Sylvia's dad paid the ultimate price for medals.

Thanks though for your help. Cheers, Rodney