Hopefully i will get my hands on it over the next few days and come back to edit it. British seamens cards are no longer obligatory for british seafarers. This page will provide you with all the information that you will need to join the merchant navy. Application for a discharge book andor a british seamans. Discharge books 1 2 3 william curran billy was born on 2nd february 1933 in the city of liverpool, and as a young boy he had to live through the horrors of the blitz. Remember that before the allocation of prefix r dis. Catalogue description registry of shipping and seamen. Founded in 2002, the maritime and coastguard agency is an executive agency of the department for transport dft uk and implements the uk governments maritime safety policy in the uk and works to prevent the loss of life on the coast and at sea. Abbreviations in merchant seamens records the national. R 440e in exercise of the powers conferred by section 457 of the merchant shipping act, 1958 44 of 1958 and in suppression of the merchant shipping continuous discharge certificate rules 1993, except as respects things are done or omitted to be done before such suppression, the central government hereby makes the following rules. Records of merchant seafarers who served in the canadian merchant navy between 1939 and 1947, and between 1950 and 1953 continue to be maintained by veterans affairs canada. Along with this new series have come some new experiences.
The merchant shipping seamens documents regulations 1987. Is there any way of viewing discharge book records of merchant navy officers, discharge book and seamans books nos etc after 1972 available now, or proof that you were signed on on ships articles easily availablle. Confirming telephone message regarding discharge of seaman, giving reasons. To locate seamen during this period, it is best to consult the cr1 cards held at the national archives in series bt 349 which is on microfiche and catalogued alphabetically by surname. A seamans discharge book, sometimes known as a seamans service book ssb, is a full record of a seafarers career experience and.
In case of foreign crew merchant navy officers he must in possession of equivalent document e. A list of ships and their official numbers with date and place of engagement rank or rating f or h for foreign or home trade voyage date and place of discharge. Incorporating careerspecific vocabulary and contexts, each unit offers stepbystep instruction that immerses students in the four key language components. The documents should be submitted together with testimonials from the master. Aug 20, 2018 renewing your seamans book is easy and with less hassles now than before.
United kingdom, merchant navy seamen records, 18351941. First of all i have an official merchant navy discharge book issued on the the 12th november 1957 in liverpool on entry to the british merchant navy of which i am very proud to have served, sadly for only seven years, but i have to admit that it was one of the most interestingenjoyable times of my working life. All these record series are indexed on the recordsearch database. Merchant navy discharge number records armed forces. Get a seamans discharge book or british seamans card gov. It meant that the ship could return to the uk during the time. If you dont have your ancestors discharge book, you can try visiting or contacting the national archives. Nok details are used solely to establish their eligibility as next of kin in. British seamens cards no longer require endorsement after 5 years. The mca at cardiff can give information but only after 1999.
They are located in series bt 364 as the register of seamen, combined index cr1, cr2 and cr10 cards 19181941. The ultimate guide to join merchant navy marine insight. How to check authenticity or verify online seafarers. Merchant navy msf 4408 rev 0918 please complete in block capitals please note. Application to return to employment in merchant navy. These regulations revoke the merchant shipping seamens documents regulations 1972, as amended, and reenact them with further amendments. Registration of cooks in the merchant navy began on 30 june 1908. Medals awarded prior to the second world war can no longer be issued. Merchant navy free book hear is the latest merchant navy book for you which will help you in imucet exam, in this book, there are lots of important question related to merchant navy and there are lots of question of physics, chemistry, and maths for practice. As a feature of its thiruvananthapuram discharge, onmanorama got up to speed with. The merchant navy seamen 18351857 records represent individual seamen that the central government created to monitor a potential reserve of sailors for the royal navy. The british seamans card is similar to a british passport and is internationally accepted, allowing seafarers to land at foreign ports without having to obtain visas. Professional yachtsmens association service record book.
Crew lists and agreements and log books of merchant ships. Merchant navy is a specialized industry which is fully engaged in commercial activities involving transportation of cargo and passengers through sea routes. Merchant shipping continues discharge certificatecum. The contents of the records vary, but they usually include name, age, place of birth, register ticket, ship names, and dates of voyages. Merchant seamen crewed the ships of the british merchant navy which kept the united kingdom supplied with raw materials, arms, ammunition, fuel, food and all of the necessities of a nation at war throughout world war ii literally enabling the country to defend itself. This document certifies that the person holding this is a seaman as per the international convention on standards of training, certification and watch keeping for seafarers, 1978, as amended 2010. Crew lists, agreements, certificates of discharge and some related documents are available for 11 ships that landed at glasgows ports, 18631901, as well as master and mate certificates issued to merchant seamen by the british board of trade, 18501927 on the ancestry website. Merchant navy gallantry awards for the second world war, 19391947.
Msf 4509 application for a discharge book and or british seamans card rev 0819. A guide to transport canada marine safety tcms canadian seafarer certification and licence requirements. Ships articles, crew lists and discharge books can also provide supporting evidence. To apply in person you must have an appointment with a marine office. Merchant navy establishment licensed agencies mnea contracts while the continuation page of the crs10 docket book shows. As there are a few threads about merchant navy discharge a. During their service seamen carried their discharge books from ship to ship as proof of their character and as a guide to employers as to their experience and rating. How to check authenticity or verify online seafarers documentations seaman books, title endorsements and competency certificates issued by various national registries. A continuous certificate of discharge or continuous discharge certificate c. It holds pre1941 merchant seamens service records, the information in which is. Get a seamans discharge book or british seamans card. Official deck log book means the log book kept at the bridge of the ship in accordance with the provisions of section 99 of the law.
Hello everyone, i left the rn at the end of last year 2016 after 6 years as a seaman specialist and for some crazy reason i thought it would be easy to just transfer my royal navy certificates to the mca and hey presto i would be qualified to be an ab as a civilian, turns out its a massive ball ache and a lot of the certificates were worthless so i have had to go on a lot of courses. Oct 15, 2011 merchant navy discharge number records on. Man r001 01 application for a discharge book andor a british seamans card under the merchant shipping seamans documents regulations 1987 as they have effect in the isle of man with every application you should part a yourself in block capitals send a. The seamans book certifies that the seafarer holding it is a seaman as per the international convention on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping stcw. Members experienced in research to help you find out about friends and relatives who served. Every seafarer must carry this document while on board. Merchant navy seamen and officers 191972 the national. Application for a discharge book, british seamans card msf. Discharge books are used to documents seafarers seagoing service.
Combined office merchant navy operations, seamens pouches. This is a guide to locating records of merchant seamen in service since the end of the. Msf 4509 application for a discharge book or british seamans card. Also termed as merchant marine in some countries, the field of merchant navy is an important part of the global shipping sector and is an integral component of any nations economical. Crew lists, agreements and official logs crew agreements for britishregistered merchant ships, crew lists or musterrolls and official ships logs are of particular interest to genealogists and people tracing family history, and to anyone researching specific ships or seafaring generally.
What special privileges does a traveller with a seaman book. If you hold a merchant navy discharge book and signed on one or more rfa ships during your time at sea then the royal fleet auxiliary historical society is in need of your assistance please the society is seeking scanned copies of the pages from your discharge book which contain the details of the ships on which you served the ships stamp, the. They were replaced in 7273 by a new book entitled seamans discharge book. Discharge book numbering from ww 2 to 1972 for british seamen ive done some research on discharge books and discharge a numbers from ww2 to 1972 to try and get an idea of the turnover of british seamen over the period. In all respects ready, the merchant navy and the battle of the atlantic, 19401945 by frederick b. This collection includes merchant navy seamen records held at the national archives. Ancestry library edition can be used free of charge from glasgow. Where to find merchant navy records imperial war museums. Organised by the seamans discharge a number this index was compiled using extracted cards from the other three indexes. I had a question that i am hope can be answered easily by the members that are much more knowledgable than myself. Merchant navy discharge books shetland family history society. A list of ships and their official numbers with date and place of engagement rank or rating f or h for foreign or home trade voyage date and place of discharge from the ship character grade.
Seamans discharge book maritime family history research. Transport canada is the department within the government of canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services and enforcing several canadian legislations, including canada shipping act 2001 and marine transportation security act. A discharge book is a continuous record of a seafarers service. For more information read crew lists, agreements and log books of merchant ships after 1861. Discharge book numbers as there are a few threads about merchant navy discharge a. A scattering of log books are amongst the medical and surgeons journals of convict ships. Merchant navy is a new educational resource for merchant seamen who want to improve their english communication in a work environment. A discharge book is an important document that every seafarer must hold prior to joining their first vessel. Law means the merchant shipping masters and seamen laws of 1963 to 1997. Discharge number as well as providing information about your ancestors career, it should be noted that the merchant navy seamen records can also reveal what he or she looked like.
Transport canada seafarer certifications canada seafarer. It is dark blue, with 26 pages, slightly larger than a modern passport, with a rectangular slot in the front cover, which allows you to read the seamans surname. Posted on march 7, 2018 by all you need to know about seaman discharge books and basic safety training courses. B, discharge book number, awards issued and medals issue number are the only details on the medal roll. Msf 4509 application for a discharge book or british seamans.
If you want a discharge book in order to document your seagoing service. We have tried to answer all the questions a person willing to join merchant navy will have. Read my ancestor was a merchant seaman by christopher and. A separate section was set aside for a report of character,was in two parts in regard to ability and general conduct, and perhaps sobriety. Discharge book request royal fleet auxiliary historical society if you hold a merchant navy discharge book and signed on one or more rfa ships during your time at sea then the royal fleet auxiliary historical society is in need of your assistance please. Discharge book records is there any way of viewing discharge book records of merchant navy officers, discharge book and seamans books nos etc after 1972 available now, or proof that you were signed on on ships articles easily availablle. Please note that no fee is payable in respect of a replacement uk discharge book or. The discharge book for merchant seamen, or more formally the continuous certificate of discharge, was introduced in 1900.
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Please note, the required application form must be printed and completed in advance and taken to college with you when you enrol on phase 1. My original discharge book r 878267 was issued at cornhill,liverpool on 20270 and was entitled seamans record book and certificates of discharge and had two spaces for report of your character regarding ability,and general conducte. Merchant seamen who were discharged from the navy between 1940 and 1972. Maritime academy jobs in merchant navy, merchant navy careers, merchant navy jobs, merchant navy careers, merchant navy and is a maritime enterprise of young able gurus aiming at providing a complete variety of service provider navy jobs possibilities, marine jobs, careers in service provider navy and maritime transport. They include registers of engagement, articles of agreement, registers of discharge, registers of deserters, and employment history records. During wartime, however, they can become an auxiliary to the united states navy called upon to deliver military personnel and materiel for the military. Billy was the third son of john commonly know as jack and marjorie curran, and had 4 brothers and 2 sisters. Apr 09, 2012 record ofuse in re ference my travels in the 1950s and 60s. In 1941 the essential work merchant navy order created a merchant navy. Following the 1854 merchant shipping act, both the master and seaman had to sign a certificate of discharge. This is a prescribed certificate of identification with basic particulars and qualifications of the seaman duly registered with the government shipping office. Each card typically gives the following information. Royal navy ab to merchant navy ab navy net royal navy.
During their service seamen carried their discharge books from ship to ship as proof of their. Surname, christian name, birth year and place of birth, discharge a number, rating, rv2 number, certificate grade and number if owned, pr. In doing this, they sustained a considerably greater casualty rate than almost every other branch of the armed services and. A discharge a book and the related registered discharge a number are issued to a seaman on joining the service. The british merchant navy was the biggest in the world and required more crew than great britain had merchant seamen, as a result large numbers of indian, chinese and west african seamen were engaged to crew ships which regularly traded from great britain to ports in those areas.
Merchant mariners or merchant seamen are assigned to vessels that primarily transport cargo and passengers during peacetime. By registering with our site you will have full instant access to. In the merchant navy during the war years would a seafarer have a single unique discharge number, that stayed with them regardless of. A guide to uk maritime coastguard agency mca certificate of competency coc requirements for uk and nonuk seafarers. Msf 4509 application for a discharge book or british. Merchant navy seamen records are split into two very distinct sections timeframes because in 1857 the board. The royal naval historical archive holds online records, and the merchant navy association and the federation of merchant mariners also keep an expanding database of those qualifying personnel who have been awarded the merchant navy veterans badge. The national archives holds indexes to the registers covering the period 191956 the registers themselves, for 19151958, are held at the national maritime museum. Sep 01, 2018 a seamans discharge book, sometimes known as a seamans service book ssb, is a full record of a seafarers career experience and certification. Application for a discharge book, british seamans card. The docket books normally include the following information. The national archives holds indexes to the registers covering the period 191956 the registers. These records come from the national archives record series bt112, bt1, bt114, bt115, bt116, bt119 and bt120. Advising seaman that crs 8 will be issued by registrar general shipping under certain conditions and enclosure crs 49.
A seamans discharge book, sometimes known as a seamans service book ssb, is a full record of a seafarers career experience and certification. Although the merchant navy was a civilian service, during the periods of hostilities some mariners served in uniform with the royal naval reserve, royal naval reserve trawler section, royal naval volunteer reserve and royal fleet auxiliaries. I tried to find the fal convention to better answer the question authoritatively, but cant find it currently. Jul 02, 2014 msf 4509 application for a discharge book and or british seamans card rev 0819. Hi, i have recently had a search conducted at southampton archives and they have been unable to find the records of my relative leslie arthur whitney, who was an apprentice in the merchant navy, and left the service in 1928, to join the police force. A seamans discharge book is a full record of a seamans career experience and certification. The national archives of australia has a large number of record series concerning ships crews and the merchant navy.
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