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Thread: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

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    Default Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    Hi all,

    So I applied for my great grandad Edward Blanch's (954849) ww2 log book from the national archives website, it took a while to get an answer but anyway they sent me a copy today, and I've spent some time looking up the different ships and the part they all played in the war. However I have a couple of general questions that I'm sure you can help me with, you've all been really helpful so far and it's because of all your advice that I made a search for his logbook in the first place.

    Q1) One of his positions was a launchman, I can't find out what this means if you could assist? He was also a AB, bosun and quartermaster on other ships, these I've managed to find reference too.

    Q2) After surviving the sinking of the St david hospital ship in 1944 he served on 6 more ships, right up until being hospitalised in vancouver in 1947 after disembarking the Fort glenora ship. When looking up ships there are references to cargo ships, tankers, motor ships etc. I assume they all didnt all transport oil and petroleum, I'm just wondering what else they would have carried?

    Id also like to say many thanks for all your assistance so far, everyone that contributes and administers this website are brilliant, you've all helped me research Edward's ww1 and 2 experiences in some detail and I've learnt much more than I would have done otherwise had I not have found this site.

    Kind regards
    Lauren

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    Default Re: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    Launchman
    Water Tender
    Assistant Engine Room Storekeeper
    Greaser
    Leading Fireman
    Second Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew)

    In Engine Room In Catering Crew

    For possible interest

    West Coast SB Vancouver BC 119 Fort Glenora 7,125 4-May-43 Later 1950 George K., 1956 African Marquis, wrecked 1958


    FORT TYPE SHIPS - transportsofdelight (smugmug.com)

    GEORGE K - ShipSpotting.com - Ship Photos and Ship Tracker



    H.M.H.S. St. David | Second World War | Benfleet Community Archive (benfleethistory.org.uk)
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 1st June 2021 at 09:05 PM.
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    Default Re: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    As for what various Ships carried well i will leave that to the Deck Crew Experts here! I am sure they can tell you more!
    Cheers
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    Default Re: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    #1.. Lauren in 1944 a tanker was just that a vessel for carrying liquid cargoes . Your more specialised vessels came. much later OBOS , oil bulk ore , and were special constructed. a tanker only has access to a tank through a hatch not much bigger than a man hole , so a. tanker as far as you are concerned is an oil tanker. A launchman unless. You have misread Laundryman , is just what it says and probably involved with smaller vessels the ship carried JS
    PS A motor ship just refers to its method of propulsion . In 1944 there would probably be just as many steamships. A dry cargo ship would carry anything from a pin to a steamroller. But in the period you are talking about most of the cargos would have been munitions of war as well as food. JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 2nd June 2021 at 01:27 AM.
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    Default Re: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    Hi Lauren.
    The launch man during the war was more than probably in charge of any shore going launch, the convoys were usually gathered in a large anchorage, and the skippers would have various Captains meetings to attend, probably on the commodores ship, I think most captains would have had the bosun in charge of the launch.
    An small example of some of the cargo on one of the ships i was on was to Aus, a train, cars, trucks, tin plate, hides, and whisky, and as John will tell you a good drop was had by all, not, as it was in a bond locker, a sealed unit. other full bulk cargo's where wheat, Sugar, Gypsum, coal, and many more.
    Des
    Last edited by Des Taff Jenkins; 2nd June 2021 at 01:54 AM.
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    Default Re: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    Hi all thanks for the info. I like to think if they were carrying whisky or something like that some of the men would have partaken of some if only to keep their spirits up (no pun intended ��). It also struck me reading through his log book just how many ships he served on for very short periods, I.e 2 weeks in some cases. I assume this was a wartime necessity? Of course if your ship was sunk then of course that would mean a move... I assume that as a peacetime merchant seaman (or woman) you would spend much longer in service on a single ship? He served right up until 1947 when he was hospitalised in Canada after landing on the Fort glenora, unfortunately he died 3 years later mainly caused by his experiences in ww2. The more I read about the merchant navy the more I am in awe of what they gave done for this nation in wartime and peacetime, you all have my respect and admiration for the service you gave given this country.

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    Default Re: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    I,m not sure if this is the correct "St David-03.jpgSt David" but could be ???? also attached is the " Fort Glenora "Fort Glenora-01.jpg should there be any others I may have an image

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    Default Re: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    Also having looked at his log book I have a couple of questions regarding things that I can't read or understand:

    Screenshot_20210609-175335_Gallery.jpg - it makes mention of a Dutch word/ship that looks like tegelling or jegelling??? Not sure what it means...

    Screenshot_20210609-175400_Gallery.jpg - also his service on the St david was signed off by a man called Colin Campbell Watson, a superior officer maybe???

    Apologies for the small photos I think if you click on them they enlarge a bit.

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    Post Re: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    m.v.TEGELBERG was a Dutch built pass/cargo ship of 14,150 gross tons with a triple screw diesel engine, built 1938 for Koninklijke Paketvaart Mij. registered initially in Batavia ( now Djakarta,Indonesia )under Netherlands flag. She survived the war and re-registered in Amsterdam in 1947,indeed she was only scrapped in 1968.
    Last edited by Graham Shaw; 9th June 2021 at 06:18 PM.

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    Default Re: Merchant navy crs10 log book questions - Edward blanch 954849

    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 9th June 2021 at 08:08 PM.
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