merchant navy archives are scary need help

[louisemccrea]

Hi

I am totally confused my grandfather Dennis deVall was a captain in the Merchant navy and some nice people on RC gave me links to the national archives but i have no idea where to start and the more i try to read through it the more i don't know what i am doing i am looking for any info on him i don't know much except he was a captain of a ship called the Clan Macquarrie in 1953 the ship was in a bad storm up north in scotland and the crew were rescued the ship was then dismantled but i know he was still a Captain in the 1960's the company who owned the Clan Macquarrie was Clan lines.  I am guessing he started his Navy career in the 1920's as he spent most of his life at sea and was born in 1904.
I just need a bit of guidance on where to start with the archives and how to order the info it is probably easy and i am just imagining it is confusing but i am compleatly lost

Thanks for any help
Louise

[alex m]

Hello Louise, the National Archives at Kew has the officers service records of the Merchant Navy from 1845-1965, as far as I'm aware they're not available online so you'd have to go there to read them, or get someone to do it for you. If you Google 'merchant navy', you'll get a list of the forums that are related to that service, and I'm sure there'll be lots of people willing to help you on them......Good Luck................Alex     PS all the docs. at Kew, on the merchant service are under the heading BT/  I think they were under the old Board of Trade......

[louisemccrea]

Hi Alex

Thanks for the advice i do live far from Kew and didn't know if you could order that sort of thing.  If i get the chance to get down to Kew then i will probably find it easier being there but i will definatly try the forums you were talking about and will hopefully get somewhere.

Thanks again
Louise

[julieann1]

Hi Louise
Wondering if you got anywhere with your Merchant Navy enquiries, as I need to do the same  thing?
Julie

[louisemccrea]

Hi Julie

I tried a few forums but have had no sucess so far i am going to have a try again as i have just found out my grandfathers housekeeper is still alive and has some things so i am waiting for information from her first to see if that will help.  However i get the impression that i will have to visit Kew at some point which is miles away from me up here in Glasgow lol I think they would have to help me as all the information on the website for some reason i can't get my head around it

Good luck Louise

[julieann1]

I got a lead from this website
http://www.irishmariners

Which is about Irish men in the merchant navy. Merchant navy records began in 1913.  Unfortunately,  those between 1913 and 1918 were destroyed in the 60's.    Later record cards still exist and can be found in Southampton City Archives.   The site is about Irish mariners, but cards for all should be at Southampton.  I have emailed them about getting a photocopy and what they charge for looking for one.
I will let you know how I get on

Julie

PS I often go to Southampton so I can always look things up if that is what is needed