Post by Administrator on May 9, 2020 16:19:28 GMT
VIA: James Baker
Yesterday was the 75th anniversary of the end of the War In Europe, it was the 2nd September 1945 before all hostilities came to an end. My research has been about the Merchant Navy so I wanted to share some information.
The databases I have created lists Arab (mainly Somali & Yemeni) and Caribbean seaman lost as a result of Direct Enemy Action in World War 2.
Caribbean born men. 334 men are listed, 318 have last known address in the UK and 178 have listed next of kin.
Somali & Yemeni born men 643 Arab men died on the UK based Merchant Navy. of them 475 recorded addresses in England and Wales as their last known address.
This information has never been brought together before, even using the records to trace individuals is difficult because the records are badly recorded.
Some detail for researchers. Rolls of honour for war dead are recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission(CWG) and their records are from Government records which show 26,543 British Merchant Navy men dying as a result of Direct Enemy Action in WW2, they did not show figures by nation and therefore previously we could not show how many Caribbean men died. CWG do not show place of birth, therefore many on the new database may not be recorded back home as war dead, and families may never have been told.
The records I have used were not available until 1954 (look on Ancestry for UK Merchant Seaman’s Deaths at Sea 1939-1953) and are the first to show place of birth and POW status.
Much has been said about Caribbean men that served in the uniformed services but consider these brief facts:
• Merchant seaman death-rate was 47% in 1941;
• When the ship sank the wages stopped, even if you survived;
• Only those that died as a result of Direct Enemy Action are honoured. Illness, ship board or loading accidents or friendly fire deaths are ignored, unlike the uniformed services.
• More Empire seamen were the subject of forced repatriation after both World Wars than arrived as part of the Windrush generation.
• It is not possible to create a WW1 database because the British Government destroyed the records.
Merchant Seaman were not allowed to march in the celebrations held in London after the war.
Yesterday was the 75th anniversary of the end of the War In Europe, it was the 2nd September 1945 before all hostilities came to an end. My research has been about the Merchant Navy so I wanted to share some information.
The databases I have created lists Arab (mainly Somali & Yemeni) and Caribbean seaman lost as a result of Direct Enemy Action in World War 2.
Caribbean born men. 334 men are listed, 318 have last known address in the UK and 178 have listed next of kin.
Somali & Yemeni born men 643 Arab men died on the UK based Merchant Navy. of them 475 recorded addresses in England and Wales as their last known address.
This information has never been brought together before, even using the records to trace individuals is difficult because the records are badly recorded.
Some detail for researchers. Rolls of honour for war dead are recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission(CWG) and their records are from Government records which show 26,543 British Merchant Navy men dying as a result of Direct Enemy Action in WW2, they did not show figures by nation and therefore previously we could not show how many Caribbean men died. CWG do not show place of birth, therefore many on the new database may not be recorded back home as war dead, and families may never have been told.
The records I have used were not available until 1954 (look on Ancestry for UK Merchant Seaman’s Deaths at Sea 1939-1953) and are the first to show place of birth and POW status.
Much has been said about Caribbean men that served in the uniformed services but consider these brief facts:
• Merchant seaman death-rate was 47% in 1941;
• When the ship sank the wages stopped, even if you survived;
• Only those that died as a result of Direct Enemy Action are honoured. Illness, ship board or loading accidents or friendly fire deaths are ignored, unlike the uniformed services.
• More Empire seamen were the subject of forced repatriation after both World Wars than arrived as part of the Windrush generation.
• It is not possible to create a WW1 database because the British Government destroyed the records.
Merchant Seaman were not allowed to march in the celebrations held in London after the war.