Navy search

[SimonKD]

Sorry for posting another question so soon after the other but:

I have tried to trace a man called John Heddon White who served on board HMS Alsation during WW1, trying to find anything on ancestry is proving quite a challenege (although perhaps I am doing it wrong).  Is it possible to search for records via what ship a sailor served on?

[GrahamSimons]

This guide may help - many records are on the TNA website

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/royalnavyrating1853-1923.htm

[casalguidi]

You may be able to find him in the medal rolls with a service number.  Have you found his service record http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-seamen.htm

Casalguidi

[SimonKD]

I cant find him in the National Archives unless he is in the unsorted lot (will have to scroll through the PDFs), from what I can see anyway.  I have looked on ancestry but it gives me an awful lot of John H Whites in the Navy at that time so it's looking very hard indeed. 

[mmm45]

HMS Alsatian was an armed Merchant Ship so he may have been Mercantile Marine.Do you have a date of birth and place of birth it could narrow it down

Ady

[SimonKD]

I have him born in Braunton Devon in 1878, where do I look for that kind of thing?

[mmm45]

There is a john white born braunton 1879 on mercantile marine records on the NA site

Ady

[mmm45]

Name White, John Place of Birth: Braunton, Devon Number: C1406 03-02-1879

Here's details its a good possible?


http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res?_q=John+White+braunton&x=33&y=12

[SimonKD]

Thank you so much that does indeed look like him too me.  If I order that pdf what sort of info does it contain?