Was my Gr.Grandad in Merchant navy in WW2 ?

[ScouseBoy]

There are no primary on line Merchant Navy records for your G/G. That does not mean there are none.
Where did you get your information that he entered the port of New York in 1940 aboard BRITANNIC?

There were two vessels with that name around in 1940, But the most likely candidate was the Motor Vessel M/V BRITANNIC  official number 162316, owned by Cunard and registered in Liverpool.
She made several trips to New York returning to Liverpool from January until August 1940 before being used as a Troopship. I can find no evidence that she ever visited an Australian port 1940-1946 but more likely he arrived aboard a different vessel.
There are ways to find out about his  possible MN career but its a long voyage.
I can find no records for him in the Deaths at Sea index's 1941-1944. A Greaser was an engine room operative who oiled and greased the ships moving parts.

           I appreciate that you are a Merchant Navy expert.   My belief was that the series of ships with names ending in  "IC"    were White Star ships.    And names ending in   "IA"  were Cunard boats.

When did White Star merge with Cunard?

[ScouseBoy]

On www.convoyweb.org.uk   there is a Brittanic at just over 26,000 tons listed. she seems to be an Iron Ore  carrier.   She was sunk  in February 1941

[seaweed]

Did a little digging on this one.
He did sail on BRITANNIC to New York signing on 17/7/1940 as a Greaser.  He signed off in NY on the 30/7/1940, balance of wages £1 18s 7d. Seemingly he transferred to another vessel.
He gave his age as 50. Born in Southampton. His address was  57 Dean Road/ Gardens? Billterne? Southampton. He gave his Wife Ethel as NOK.
I can trace his MN records back to at least 1923 when he sailed on OROPESA O/N 143667. He also sailed on MAURETANIA.
If you live in Southampton. Go to Southampton City Archive and ask for the records from the Fourth Register of Merchant Seamen (Central Index) for HGH,  Discharge number 1039242 (this number is unique for him and is the key to finding further records).  They should have his records up until late 1940.
Then the real search begins to find his  MN records from early 1941

[agoryliver]

Thank you so much for the information that you've found out. You've done amazingly well.
I will go to the archives on Tuesday as I know that they are only open Tuesday,Wednesday & Thursday. Fingers crossed.

[agoryliver]

 I went to Southampton archives armed with Henry George Hull's number and found the following....

2x C.R. 1 cards. These contained, amongst other things, info like height,eye colour, hair colour which were all previously unknown.

2x C.R.2 cards. One states- rating greaser, the ship 166290 ( Queen Elizabeth I've found out) and date of engagement 31.7.40.  Te second has rating Elec Attd, ship Mauretania 124093 and (date of engagement crossed out and replaced with date of Dis) 30.3.27. On the back of this 2nd card is the following

143667  18.2.22
124093   6.6.23
cont: issued ex Mauretania 12.5.31
Shell Brit 4 160497  31.12.37
162316  20.7.40

All I have done with this is to find out the names of he ships.

1x C.R.10 card. This gives his identity certificate number 476862 , rating of Fireman and some other info like name, D.O.B etc. On the back is a photo ( the first that I' ve seen of him) and 143283  18.9.20 and 129547  26.9.21

[agoryliver]

  Henry George Hull's death certificate arrived from Australia today. It's definitely the right one as it states that he was a seaman, born in Southampton and his parents as Harry Hull ( a gardener) and Mary Jones.
  There are some interesting pieces of info including that he was "late of North Sydney", had lived in N.S.W. for almost 5 years and that he had not married! The research continues.

  Again, thank you to Dawn and Seaweed for your help. I'm going round to my Mum's to show her the photo of her grand-dad that she never met.

  Gary.

 

[agoryliver]

I forgot to mention that the date of his death was 9 April 1945. Interesting.

[seaweed]

Great stuff, the jigsaw is fitting together.
If you wish I can give you all the names of the vessels he sailed on via their O/N's from 1920-1940
The most intresting part of your post was that he signed on QUEEN ELIZABETH the day after he signed off BRITANNIC.
I am wondering, did he stay on QE and jumped ship in Sydney NSW?
I know QE arrived Sydney 21/Feb/1941 after a conversion and refit in New York and Singapore.
Have you found a date and place he legally entered Australia?
He obtained medals which suggests he was in OZ legally. Did he join the AMN?

[deebel]

His Medal record is here ( I think...
)

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=8471759&queryType=1&resultcount=1

deebel