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Remembered Today:

Merchant Vessel Records/links


Foxkarej

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Hi,

I'm trying to research all the men listed on our local War Memorial, as Goole is the furthest inland port in the Country I'm finding quite a few who are both Merchant marine or Royal Naval Reserve.

As I've only researched Soldiers before I'm struggling.

Some of my questions may sound basic but please persevere with a novice in this area.

1. do merchant marine men have medal index cards

2. Are there any links that lead direct to finding out what happened to vessels they served in, One I'm having difficulty

with is the SS Burma with a man who died 23/6/1916, i don't know if that was as a result of the ship sinking.

3. Are their any links to crew lists anywhere

4. Would records include Trawlers?

Sorry to ask so much but any advice appreciated.

John.

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SS Burma was sunk by a mine on 23.06.16. Seven crew died.

JACKSON, HERBERT - Fireman

CHAMPION , ROBERT JOHN - Fireman

DUDDING, ROBERT - Able Seaman

DUFFILL, THOMAS WILLIAM - Fireman

SHAY, JOHN - Chief Engineer

TURNER, ALBERT LEVY - Able Seaman

GILLYON, JAMES WALTER - Able Seaman

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I'm trying to research all the men listed on our local War Memorial, as Goole is the furthest inland port in the Country I'm finding quite a few who are both Merchant marine or Royal Naval Reserve.

Try this:

http://www.hut-six.co.uk/cgi-bin/search2.php

enter the vessel name into the Unit text field, without punctuation, like for example:

HMS SIMOOM

For a trawler enter:

HM TRAWLER nameofvessel

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3. Are their any links to crew lists anywhere

John.

A search of the Miramar Ship Index shows the Burma's Official No was 98382:

http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/show/1019

Plugging this into a search of TNA's Catalogue locates several BT 99 records (Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Agreements and Crew Lists, Series II), incl. one for 1916, Piece BT 99/3194. If needed, you could request this via Digital Express specifying that you want the last agreements and crew list for this ship.

regards,

Martin

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John,

Burma was a 706 grt steamer built in 1891 which sank on June 23, 1916 on a mine laid by the small German minelaying submarine UC 6 5 miles NxE1/2E from the Shipwash LV, 15 miles E of Harwich while on a yoyage from London to Goole while in ballast. 7 killed. She was owned by the Bennett S.S. Co, Ltd of Goole at the time.

Two other steamers of 500 grt+ owned by this company were sunk during the war: Africa on September 16, 1915 also on a mine laid by UC 6 with two dead, and Mopsa on July 7, 1916 on a mine laid by UC 1 without loss of life.

Best wishes,

Michael

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  • 7 years later...

I am trying to find out if James Lang Watkins 4th Engineer was on the Ship when it hit the mine....any help appreciated, thanks, Paul

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Thanks Tom, like to think he was, have traced him to the IWT/RE in Mespot in 1917, so would make sense

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Forgive my ignorance but could James Lang Watkins 4th Engineer jump to a Lieutenant attached to the Inland Water Transport (Royal engineers) ?

CGM

Edited to add, I think the Lieutenant could be

James Long Watkins

Service number -
Lieutenant, Corps: Royal Engineers Inland Water Transport.
Have I answered my own question ?
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One small complication that I should have spotted yesterday - I think we have two different ships with the name 'Burma'. James Lang Watkins 4th Engineer was on the RFA Burma built in 1911 which is the link I posted, not the ss Burma which was a much smaller vessel. Here is a photo plus info regarding RFA Burma. The official number 132547 crosschecks with the crew list identified - Watkins is on the last page.

Hope this helps rather than hinders

apologies

Tom

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The OP was last on line two years ago and seems not to have acknowledged any replies.

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  • 11 months later...

Guys just seen these post, sorry I missed them and apologize for not acknologing your responses, appreciate your help 

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