Rory Reynolds Posted 9 October , 2007 Share Posted 9 October , 2007 Hello all Any help would be highly appreciated in tracking down the above chap in the NA (ONLINE) Bernard John Cropper was a South African who saw service with the Merchant Navy and was awarded the British War Medal and Merchant Navy medal for his services. Unfortunately I am stumped at tracking him down. Could someone point me in the right direction please. Regards Rory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 10 October , 2007 Share Posted 10 October , 2007 There are no online resourses for researching this from the National Archives, but you could try Southampton. Here's the National Archives research guide; it has contact details for Southampton Archives. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalog...?sLeafletID=128 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory Reynolds Posted 10 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2007 Thank you Per Ardua Does it make a difference that he was South African? Regards Rory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 10 October , 2007 Share Posted 10 October , 2007 Sorry, no idea! Give them an email and see what they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 11 October , 2007 Share Posted 11 October , 2007 Rory Hello again ! This is my neck of the woods. If you want to let me have all the details I will go and see the lady in the Southampton Civic Centre Archives. I often go there for a couple of hours whilst my lady is shopping ! I do know that they have quite a good card index,though something tells me that it is not too good before the 1920s. I will ask anyway. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory Reynolds Posted 11 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2007 Sotonmate Your'a marvel mate. Thanks in advance for being so readily prepared to help out. Bernard John Cropper was born in St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands in 1899. He served in the Merchant Navy being awarded the BM and Mecantile Marine Medal. He emigrated to South Afica about 1920 and that's about all I know about him. I really would appreciate you digging up more about him as I am "like a fish out of water" with these chaps. Best regards Rry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 11 October , 2007 Share Posted 11 October , 2007 Rory No worries, mate ! Do you have any inkling at all on what shipping he served,company,ship name(s) etc ? If nothing else I may be able to see his name in a crew list somewhere if I knew what Trade (routes) he was in. I remember going down this route with my wife's Uncle and it would be useful if I know something about the shipping involved. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory Reynolds Posted 14 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 14 October , 2007 Hi Sotonmate I've appended the following I got from the family: "He left home and Mother to join the Royal Navy at Portland Bill to train as an officer cadet. He was commissioned to serve on board “a man o war,” HMS Gascon. It served in the Mediterranean. His life and love was still the sea, so he headed off to join the Royal Mercantile Marine. Bernie was a full Lieutenant now and had had much experience in the Mercantile Marine service. It was over two years which took him to many ports all over the trading world. " I hope that helps although I do think the family have got their facts wrong as he was with the Merchant Navy during the war. Why else would he have the Mercantile Marine war medal? Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Best regards Rory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 15 October , 2007 Share Posted 15 October , 2007 Rory There is a Union Castle Line GASCON in the South Africa mail service before the start of WW1. As you probably know quite a few of UCLs vessels were requisitioned for War Service and there is a record of an HMS GASCON being on Hospital Ship duties at Gallipoli in 1915. Portland Bill (southern tip of Portland)has always been fairly desolate apart from Royal Naval-orientated installations such as research establishments and a lighthouse (now a bird observatory),but Portland Naval Base at the north end of this "island"promontary would have had the facilities for training Naval cadets,and I could imagine your man going there,particularly if he was "converting" to RN from MN for the duration. If all else fails in the Southampton Archives,including their books on UCL history, I will turn my attention to Kew,you never know,there may be a Service Ledger entry for Cadet Cropper ! Best wishes Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 17 October , 2007 Share Posted 17 October , 2007 Rory There is only an index card for 1919-1920. I have his photograph and a few details of his ships on the back of the card. I will make a pic and send it later in the week,as you may remember I go to my daughter's house to process my digital camera,so it will be Friday when I do that. For the moment Bernard St John CROPPER No 850749 Rating WARD ATTENDANT Born St Helier Jersey on 31 May 1898 served on the following ships: Official Number 106907. GASCON.Union Castle Steam Ship Co. Signed on 23.4.1919,and again on the same ship 18.8.1919. Official Number 110173 KINFAUNS CASTLE. U.C.S.S.Co. Signed on 23.1.1920. Official Number 135315 LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE. U.C.S.S.Co. Signed on ??.12.1920. It would seem to me that he decided to stay in South Africa and maybe still work on the ships,this land "not being fit for heroes" after all. I also note from UNION CASTLE CHRONICLE a book on the history of the shipping line from the 1800s through to mid 20th century that GASCON was diverted from the Cape Run in late 1914 at the outbreak of war and went on to Zanzibar to be fitted out as a temporary Hospital Ship for East Africa,so it would be easy to see that it could have then been deployed to the Dardanelles as well,in line with other information I saw on the web. The book also refers to other UCSSCo ships diverting to Hospital use at this time were DUNLUCE CASTLE and GUILDFORD CASTLE. I also know that the GLOUCESTER CASTLE was diverted to this use as well,as my wife's uncle served on this ship. Best wishes Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory Reynolds Posted 17 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2007 Thanks Sotonmate And here I was thinking that the only decent gems to be found are in South Africa. You've proved me wrong!! You came along!! - I really can't thank you enough for the information. Do you want me to PM my e-mail address? Thanks again. Rory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 17 October , 2007 Share Posted 17 October , 2007 Rory No, I have it in my e-address book from our last exchange ! Unless you have changed it since then. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 19 October , 2007 Share Posted 19 October , 2007 Rory Mission accomplished ! Just a note about the conversion of Ship Official Numbers to a Ship's name. The GASCON was easy because I had a hunch and looked it up in the Lloyd's for 1919 and confirmed that the ON on Mr Cs ID card was that ship. The other two are gleaned from a website (Thanks to the Archivist) that you might like to make a note of,which converts the number you put in to the ships' name: http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/ON1.htm Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory Reynolds Posted 5 November , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 November , 2007 Thank you Sotonmate And thank heavens for chaps like you who are prepared to help us Colonials out without thought of recompense. Best regards Rory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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