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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Mercantile Marine Seamens Records


HarryBettsMCDCM

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I would be grateful for the advice of those more Proficient than I,as to the availability of Merchant Navy Service Records @ the PRO of Indian/Asian Seamen,Particularly that of one:~

Phiroze Ghulam Rasool,

who received the Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914~1918 & British War Medal 1914~1920;I would also be interested to learn of the numbers so awarded to these Asiatic Mariners,apra~po those to European Seamen?

Thank You.

Roger

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Roger,

You probably have already picked up on this, but I thought I should bring it to your attention just in case. Ian Underwood gave me this pretty comprehensive answer to my own mercantile marine question:

My Grandfather served in the Merchant Marine in WW1 with the MFA, so I've been down this path before. Unfortunately you're correct, the majority of WW1 service records for men in the Merchant Marine were destroyed in the late 60s.

These men were listed in the 'Fourth Register of Seaman, 1913-1941', but for reason's not known to anyone the records for men who served between 1913 and 1918 were destroyed. The records for men serving from 1919 onwards have been kept however!! The only hope you have is where a chap served during the War and contined to serve into the 1920/30s. Their records by and large exist in a number of different forms. If this sounds confusing, it's because it is....there's an online PRO brochure here that explains it all.

As has been mentioned on several other threads, the Southampton Archives hold copies of all remaining records and will search them for a fee of 5 pounds.

The Medal Index Rolls for the Merchant Marine are held at the PRO, their website has the following info:

There were four medals awarded to merchant seamen during the First World War:

The 1914-1915 Star

The British War Medal

The Victory Medal

The Mercantile Marine Medal

Awards of the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-1915 Star to men of the Mercantile Marine Reserve and to officers and men of the Royal Naval Reserve are available on microfilm and are in ADM 171 .

Records of the Mercantile Marine Medal, awarded to those with sea service of not less than six months between 4 August 1914 and 11 November 1918, and who served at sea on at least one voyage through a danger zone, are available on microfiche in BT 351 . All recipients of the Mercantile Marine Medal were automatically entitled to the British War Medal; details are also in BT 351 .

Many merchant navy officers and men received naval gallantry awards during the First World War. Records of these can be found in the series Admiralty and Secretariat Cases (ADM 116 , code 85). Lists and indexes to these records are in Admiralty and Secretariat: Indexes and Compilations Series III (ADM 12 ). Further material may be found in ADM 137 . Rolls of Honour, 1914-1918, from the ranks of the merchant marine fleet are in BT 339 .

Of course this may not all apply to your particular lascar, but seeing as in later periods asiatics etc are grouped with those of european extraction in docket books, it may follow that he would be included in the above. Hope this is of some help.

Matthew

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Thanks Matthew,

I should have seen that one!

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