Charles McCarthy

**francie menagh** · 21st April 2022, 11:02 AM

I am trying to find information about a cousin Charles McCarthy born in Bootle, 17 Nov 1923.
I have his CRS53 but I don't know how to use all of the ref and serial numbers in it.
The family believe that he was in the royal navy, merchant navy and the army. Ex-army is on his CRS53.
The Blue Star and Blue Funnel lines are the lines that he sailed with as a steward possibly.
He jumped ship in 1947, New Zealand, to get married.
He attended the Wallasey Sea Training School for the Merchant Navy ?
Service number R236135 I think but various other numbers on this document.

**Doc Vernon** · 21st April 2022, 09:05 PM

Hello Francie

His Seamans Pouch would be found at the NA , here is a Link.
You will need his CRS10 however for his full Merchant Navy Records, i will look that up later and post here!

Reference:	BT 372/365/77
Description:	R236135 MCCARTHY C 17/11/1923 LIVERPOOL. NOTE: place of birth also stated as BOOTLE
Date:	1913-1972
Held by:	The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department:	R236135
Legal status:	Public Record(s)
Closure status:	Open Document, Open Description

**Doc Vernon** · 21st April 2022, 09:13 PM

The CRS53 Is his Seamans Identity Card (Was a Green Card with Photo and Finger Prints) It has nothing to do with his RN Service, just possibly as you mention an entry as to that he was in the RN Service.
eg Here o one side only.

BMS ID Card.JPG

Reverse Side of Card

BSC rEVERSE sIDE WITH pHOTO.jpg

CRS10 Is a full Service Record with Ships etc!
Cheers

His CRS10 Should be in this Series at the NA , if applying online please aslo include his Seamans Pouch Reference, and all other info that you may have .
Cheers

McCarrey J M to McCarthy Jack | The National Archives

Reference:	BT 382/1063
Description:	McCarrey J M to McCarthy Jack
Date:	1941 Jan 01 - 1946 Dec 31
Held by:	The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department:	1047
Legal status:	Public Record(s)
Closure status:	Open Document, Open Description

**francie menagh** · 22nd April 2022, 08:51 AM

Thanks very much for this and I can confirm that this is my Charles McCarthy.
Yesterday when I posted I tried to upload a scan of his CRS53 and I also found the BT 372/365/77 record.
The upload failed because the document exceeded the max size and it seems to me that the BT document can only be followed up by a direct descendent.
I am doing this for his daughter who lives in Australia but is not very computer savvy.
However I have sent that information to her and await a response.
Charles has two sisters still living in Liverpool and it was they who provided that information that we do have.
They are quite old but still sharp.
They provided the information that their brother has been in the merchant and royal navy and also the army(India ?).
They also recollected that he sailed for the Blue Star and Funnel lines.

Regards

**francie menagh** · 22nd April 2022, 09:01 AM

Thanks for this.
Is the seaman's pouch ref the BT 372/365/77 reference number that I found.
I did try going into Kew online but I got the impression that only direct descendants had direct access without providing additional details, birth, death certificates etc.
I'm sure that his daughter in Australia will have these documents but the best I could do would be a scan copy from her.

Regards

**Doc Vernon** · 22nd April 2022, 08:51 PM

Hello Francie
Yes that is the correct Ref Number for his Pouch, and anyone can apply online or go to the Archives in Person .

One needs to join the Archives though , its free so as yo can apply online just follow the Link of the Pouch BT 372/365/77 and the CRS10 BT 382/1063

As is the CRS10 the same , its an Open Document for the Public access. So if you want to you can go to Kew with the two Ref Numbers that i gave you!
Cheers

**francie menagh** · 27th April 2022, 08:33 AM

Thanks for that.
I've been into the NA and gone though the first step, should get a response in a few weeks.
They will then be able to tell me what they have found and what the costs will be, so good progress and I'm very pleased.
Now to tackle his Royal Navy and army service, its all a real challenge.
Hopefully I might find a forum for them too where I will enjoy the assistance that I have had here.

Regards

**francie menagh** · 9th June 2022, 09:16 AM

I would like to thank you all for helping me to track down Charles McCarthy.
I have just received documents from the NA and now need to understand them, attached.
The very first item was "Northern Prince" 161222 sunk in feb ? 1941 enemy action.
I have been hunting to try and find this ship with no success.
There is a big gap after that to 1946