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Thread: My Grandfathers History

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    Default My Grandfathers History

    Hello im new to this forum but I am trying to find out some information about my Grandfather and the ships he sailed on during World War 2. My Dad tells me he was in the Royal Artillery attached to the Merchant Navy as a gunner onboard ships.

    I know he served on MV King Edgar from these papers I have

    also I have this as well

    and the other side


    I cant seem to find much about the King Edgar other than she was sank by a U Boat on the 2 March 1945, woudl anyone be able to help with soem direction as to how I might find out more about my Grandfather wartime service and ships he served aboard.

    Many thanks
    Steve
    Last edited by steve elliott; 22nd August 2011 at 09:18 PM.

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    Keith at Tregenna's Avatar
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    Default uboat.net

    At 18.12 hours on 2 Mar, 1945, U-1302 attacked the convoy SC-167 in the St. George´s Channel and sank the King Edgar and Novasli. The U-boat could not report her attack, because she was lost five days later.

    The King Edgar (Master Arthur Warren Wheeler) was taken in tow, but sank later. Two crew members and two gunners were lost. The master, 32 crew members and nine gunners were picked up by HMS Nyasaland (K 587) (LtCdr J. Scott, RNVR) and landed at Milford Haven.

    King Edgar (British Motor merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net

    K.

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    Thank you Keith is there a way to find out if he was on the boat when it was hit

    Also does anyone know where I could find out his war record

    Thanks
    Steve

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    Keith at Tregenna's Avatar
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    Default Keep the faith

    Just found the post and trying, will look more and am certain others will be doing.

    K.

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    There was a Frank George Elliott age 25 with 1 ½ years service when signing on the “King Edgar” as Deck Hand (DEMS) 16th May 1942 in Cardiff
    The ship arrived in New York on the 11th October 1942 having sailed from Cape Town South Africa 7th September 1942 the personal details match the info given
    It is possible that he was on the ship at a later date and would be recorded on the ships official crew agreement.
    The official No for the “ King Edgar” is 149947, the last crew agreement (if survived) should be in the TNA Kew in piece BT 381/3427 you would have to ask for the last agreement
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    Ray

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    Ray I wish you could have heard my Dad's voice when I read this to him over the phone, thank you so much from both of us.

    I would really appreciate any help or informaiton anyoen could give regarding my Grandfather and his service in World War 2

    Thank you once again

    Steve

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    Steve
    DEMS Gunners on Merchant ships are notoriously difficult to research as the records usually refer to an land accounting base, the only way, albeit difficult is to obtain the last known ship they were signed on and work backward through the ships crew agreements, usually they were required to state there previous ship as a Deck Hand each time they were assigned a ship
    Ray

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    Steve
    a little more
    Frank Elliott age 24 with only 10 months service signed as a DEMS on the “Empire Sunbeam” 12th September 1941 in Newport his abnormality proves it is him the ship arrived in New York on the 6th October 1941 having sailed from Newport Mon 13th September 1941
    Ray

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    Fantatsic thank you, he had Two Thumbs on his left hand, the smaller thumb even had its own little nail.

    My Dad tells me he came off King Edgar on the voyage before she was sunk. My Dad remembers his Dad telling him stories of the war of how cold it was on the voyage to Murmansk and that if the crew touched the rails with naked skin they stuck to them, my Dad thinks he served on at least one russian / arctic convoy.

    Thanks Steve
    Last edited by steve elliott; 23rd August 2011 at 01:40 PM.

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    Welcome Steve,

    Just to add a little to what Ray has posted. He is correct to say that DEMS gunners are very difficult to research and Maritime Regiment gunners probably more so than the RN gunners.

    One of the reasons they are so difficult to research is because the ships he served on are not usually shown on the individuals service record. That said, the first place to look when researching any military person is to start with their own service record. Do you have it and if not do you know how to obtain it?

    Regards
    Hugh

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