THE mystery lives of thousands of Merseyside mariners will be unlocked today.

Records of one million members of the Merchant Navy will go online, including those conscripted into the service as boys and “sea dogs” in their dotage.

Covering the period from 1918 to 1941, the records also feature rarely-seen photographs of mariners.

Not surprisingly, many Liverpudlians feature from a time when the city was the world’s busiest port.

Among them is Sea Cadet Cyril George Killender, born in 1900, and firefighter Edward Abbot, born in Waterloo in 1892.

It was not an all-boys club at sea either – Doris Abbey, from Liverpool, a 5ft 4in manicurist with hazel eyes, brown hair and a medium complexion, was also on the register.

Published by www.findmypast.co.uk in partnership with the National Archives, the records also show many crews had an international flavour, with seamen coming from such areas as Scandinavia, Japan and the West Indies.

Janet Dempsey, marine and maritime record specialist at the National Archives, said: “The records cover a very significant era in nautical history commencing at the very peak of the popularity of ocean travel, in the time of the great ocean liners, when overseas tourism meant taking to the seas.

“The years which followed saw the end of this period of prosperity, and the start of the Great Depression.

“For mariners, this was a time when work on board was hard to get and many men were forced to take other work between voyages to make ends meet.

“These newly-digitised records make a fascinating social record as well as a valuable family history resource.”

Shipping minister Mike Penning said: “This country has a rich and proud maritime heritage covering many centuries and I am confident this will continue long into the future.

“It is often forgotten more than 20,000 merchant seafarers lost their lives in World War II alone, doing a job which was crucial to the war effort.”



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Thanks for the info. Just had a quick look and found details of my father-in-law's first trip - as a Bell Boy in 1932 aged 14!

It's vital that we don't forget the part played by Merchant Navy in WW2. There was a programme on the radio this week about the Arctic convoys. Difficult to imagine what they endured. I would venture to say it was NOT a barrel of laughs !

I found my grandfathers merchant navy record with a nice photo of him as a young man.

That's great mrallen!

Sorry mrallen and nightwalker I clicked on incorrect quote, but glad you have both found some good info

Without the part played by Merchant Navy we would have lost WW2

So maybe it is an oppertune moment to remind people that today Sat 3 Sept is Merchant Navy Day when we remember the forgotten heroes of all Merchant Navies.

Dave

Did a search and couldn't find my uncle. Sunk in the Indian Ocean by a German raider and a POW for four years. Are they supposed to be complete records?

I only copied the article.

Would not been in these records if after 1941 or if Royal Navy not Merchant Navy.

Site for vessels lost WW2,

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/merchant_navy_losses.htm

Over ten percent of records got destroyed, the UK kept about twenty percent and the rest got sent to Nova Scotia to be archived.

Thanks Bert. 11th November 1940, Automedon.

One of my Granddads, who were both merchant seaman, was sunk three times. Dwinsk Deucalion and Empire Star. I already have the details and positions of the sinking s.The picture of him when he started and the one when he finished tell a story without words.Spat on in the street for not being in uniform, wages stopped the instant the ship went down, I wonder why he went back for more.
The Russians gave a medal and citation for all those involved in The Atlantic Convoys but the U.K. to it's shame have done nothing.

www.merchantnavyofficers.com/automedon.html
Very interesting read.

Excellent read on the Automedon

http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/automedon.html

My uncle is probably the last surviving member of the crew. Considering he was very badly wounded in the encounter and suffered pneumonia in the POW camp, he somehow kept going.

Still has bits of shrapnel in his body to this day.