Wallasey Sea School

[Karen Mettam]

Aww bless him. Thank you for this information.

[Bill Morrow]

No it was in concrete huts to the side of the site of Wallasey Grammar School in Withens Lane.

[Gazwort Page]

In realize this "thread" is many years after the last posting but, like Hugh Carson in 2009, my father, Frank Page, was at the Wallasey Sea School for an unknown period prior to serving in the British Merchant Navy approximately from 1944 to 1946. I have his pouch from the British National Archives that gives his Dis. A number as R307480 and his rating as "Jnr OS". Dad would have managed to talk his father into co-operating in a lie about his age in 1944, as he was born in April 1927; yet Dad told us children that his ship was part of the re-supply of the D-Day landing.

We have an identity card issued to him in June 1945 by the US Coast Guard to enable him to enter New York. It lists the "Sponsor" as the shipping company Furness Withy & Co.

Dad told of he jumped ship in Melbourne, Australia in June 1946 because they had originally been told that they would be returning to England after taking their cargo from India to Australia. Unfortunately once they got to Melbourne they were then told they were going back to India instead. Dad jumped ship with three of his mates.

He had four medals issued to him through the Australian Merchantile Marine Office in June 1952; the 1939-45 Star, the Burma Star, the France and Germany Star and the War Medal.

Would anyone have an idea as to how I might be able to discover the name of Dad's ship and possibly the ship's history during Dad's service. I must admit I am trying to be frugal rather than paying for a National Archives search ($AU190) for any additional information they may have.

Cheers

Gary

[Ivan Cloherty]

Perhaps it's time to stop being frugal and spend A$190 on your father's history, it may be money well spent.

[Marian Gray]

Hello Gazwort, Can you give us your father's FULL name, where he was born in the UK and his date of death please. Also are there any six digit numbers listed in his papers other than his Dis. A. No provided? Thank you

[cappy]

hello gazwort, can you give us your father's full name, where he was born in the uk and his date of death please. Also are there any six digit numbers listed in his papers other than his dis. A. No provided? Thank you

go girl ........your sure one big asset on this site .........cappy r683532

[Gazwort Page]

Hi Marian. His full name is Frank Page and he was born in Stratford, London and died in Adelaide, South Australia on the 12th November 1980. All the available information I have I gave in my thread from the 17th July. Regards Gary

[Marian Gray]

Hello Gary, Apologies for the delay but finally: Ship your father was on in June 1945 was the ''SAMTHAR'', official number, 169671 on 4 May 1945 at London and arrived NY, NY 3 June 1945https __familysearch.org_pal _MM9.3.1_TH-1971-33981-19560-95.jpgThanks to Hugh for the name of ship

Details, from another site courtesy of Stuart Smith of SN: 'SAMTHAR EC2-S-C1 type Liberty ship built for the WSA by the Oregon Ship Building Corporation and delivered during September 1943. She was completed as Samthar with her 3 cylinder steam engine supplied by Iron Fireman Manufacturing Company, Portland, Oregon. She went to the MOWT on Lease-Lend terms to be managed by Royal mail Lines, London. In 1947 she was purchased by Royal Mail Lines Ltd and flew under the Red Duster as Barranca until 1956 when she was sold to Italy and renamed Cesco Corrado. She was broken up at Spezia during 1967'. Due to Copyright you will have to Google ship's name to view photographs of her.

Advice from Hugh: 'The only way to find out his ship service if it is not listed fully in the Seaman’s Pouch that he has from BT 372 is to get his CRS 10 from Kew – this will be an expensive route for possibly only one or two ships as he had a short career from 1944 – 1946'.

Only other option I can suggest is contacting the site below, you have to join [unsure if there is a charge] but they may be a less expensive route than National Archives for Frank's last ship!

https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/MyResearch/Home

There are several trees with Frank's name on Ancestry but no details of his time with the BMN. Can though if of interest supply parents, uncles & grandparents, names etc Good Luck

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Gazwort
As i have not een through the entire thread, this is just a Link to your Fathers Seamans Pouch if not already listed!

https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/C8245023

Reference:	BT 372/716/117
Description:	R307480 PAGE F 21/04/1927 LONDON
Date:	1913 - 1972
Held by:	The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department:	R307480
Legal status:	Public Record(s)
Closure status:	Open Document, Open Description

And this is Link to his CRS10
Oyston A A to Page F R | The National Archives

Reference:	BT 382/2773
Description:	Oyston A A to Page F R
Date:	1941 Jan 01 - 1972 Dec 31
Held by:	The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department:	751
Legal status:	Public Record(s)
Closure status:	Open Document, Open Description

[Gazwort Page]

Hi Marian,

Thank you to yourself, and Hugh, from the bottom of my heart for "going the extra mile" to help me; and for accomplishing it so quickly. Hand on heart I unashamedly broke into tears when I initially read your thread earlier today (approx. 10:00am Tuesday 25th July local time). Dad died when I was 28 and I have only been researching my family history for about the past 20 years, so I never had the interest while he was alive to ask him about his time in the Merchant Navy.

Also, one of those trees on Ancestry is mine, and I also have another on Find My Past. I am cautious above the extent of information I give on any of these sites as I am conscious (as warned by the owner of the Lost Cousins site) that there are individuals who trawl through family trees stealing information, so the Ancestry tree is set to "private".

Many Thanks

Gary

- - - Updated - - -

Hi Doc,

As I have already written to Marian it is ditto to you as well. I am also appreciative and thankful for your assistance and the information, etc. you supplied.

Many Thanks

Gary