Martin Blanchfield BEM

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Deasy.
If you go to the top of the page and click on FORUMS then scroll down you will come to a list of shipping companies, there you will find British Tanker Co you can read the posts from blokes who sailed with them, quite a few from my home port of Swansea were company men.
Cheers Des

[Keith at Tregenna]

First name(s)
Martin

Last name
Blanchfield

Event year
1918

Birth year
1899

Birth place
Ireland

Birth county/country
Ireland

Birth date
29 ? 1899

Discharge number
475374
-

Identity certificate number
475374

Card type
CR10

Archive
The National Archives

Series
BT350

Date range
1918-1921

Record set
Britain, merchant seamen, 1918-1941

Category
Education & work

Subcategory
Merchant navy & maritime

C

Medal listing of Blanchfield BEM, Martin Discharge number: 1043709 Date of... | The National Archives

[Doc Vernon]

So Keith
Looks like he received the following

1939 (1939-1945 Star)
AT (Atlantic Star)
PA (Pacific Star)
BU (Burma Star)
AF (Africa Star)
CL (Clasp)
FR (France & Germany Star)

That's all I can make out!
Cheers

[Deasy]

Appreciate all that additional info. It allows me to piece the picture together and helps me prepare for using my time well at the archives. Yes Doc he joined the Irish army for a brief spell in 1922, but was back on ships the following year. Thanks for all the great advice.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Appreciate all that additional info. It allows me to piece the picture together and helps me prepare for using my time well at the archives. Yes Doc he joined the Irish army for a brief spell in 1922, but was back on ships the following year. Thanks for all the great advice.

I had not noticed the Ireland connection.

This may help ?

Blanchfield, Martin (Sailor) RS2 No.475374.
Born: 1899-11-29, Ireland
Photo: f5

Voyages:

1920-04-26 Yarborough ON 113572 of Swansea (Smith, D)

Search the database Irish Mariners

[Hugh]

So Keith
Looks like he received the following

1939 (1939-1945 Star)
AT (Atlantic Star)
PA (Pacific Star)
BU (Burma Star)
AF (Africa Star)
CL (Clasp)
FR (France & Germany Star)

That's all I can make out!
Cheers

Don't know how you can know that information Vernon until you see the actual file.

Regards
Hugh

[Doc Vernon]

Hugh
I did look at the File in the Viewer from the NA.
But as its not too clear some of the letters are a bit feint but one can make out what I have posted
Cheers

[Hugh]

But it quite clearly tells me he did not get the Pacific Star or Burma Star. I don't think you are reading it correctly. Anyway only £3.45 to download.

Regards
Hugh

[Deasy]

Hello everyone, hope you remember me and my quest to find out if my great uncle martin blanchfield was involved in the arctic convoys. I've just returned from the National Archives in Kew and am happy to report I found what I was looking for.

Martin was bosun on the British Statesman which sailed on December 20, destination Murmansk, in convoy JW 55B. His CRS 10 showed he was on the ship during that period, but the crew agreement/log book was definitive. Not only was he listed in the crew agreement but the log book records him (in great detail) being injured on deck securing a lifeboat on the return leg from Kola. It's categorical evidence of him being in the convoy.

Thank you all (especially Hugh) for the marvellous advice and pointers that allowed me get to this point. It took a bit of effort to fly to London and dig it all out but incredibly rewarding. It was appropriate that London was freezing yesterday (not as cold as the high seas off Russia in December), a good reminder of what they went through.

I think I'll now round up his remaining nieces and nephews (Martin had no kids) and go about applying for the Arctic Star. Hopefully there won't be any great difficulties with the application. The entire experience has been immensely satisfying but I don't think I would have got there without your wonderful assistance so thank you all again.

[Keith at Tregenna]

THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. Keith