What does it mean? Merchant Navy

[seaweed]

Thanks seaweed, interesting stuff. What I have is a letter from the  Ministry of Transport and Aviation saying that he failed to join the Waimana and they had no more information. I also have his discharge book using a reference that I got from the letter. I will definitely look into logbooks etc  great advice. The story that I have been told is that my Grandfather was on the same ship and he joined but Cecil did not and he never knew what happened to Cecil.

I appreciate the advice. 

You should be able to view the 1950 logbook/s and crew agreement/s by a visit to the British National Archive in the piece BT380/478
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10965355
Most archives catalogue logbooks and crew agreements by the vessels official number.
If your grandfather was on board that will be recorded in both documents.

[Cheskauk2013]

Thanks seaweed. I looked through my notes and found I have checked the Form CRS 10 after 1946 but had no luck. I also found  that you gave me a link in an older post for the Crew agreement and Logbook. I appreciate all the help .

He was a Merchant Seaman. Records can be best obtained via a visit to the National Archive. You cannot view them on line.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res?_aq=R321979&_ep=&_or1=&_or2=&_or3=&_nq1=&_nq2=&_nq3=&_sd=&_ed=&_col=0&_sw=ref&_cr1=&_cr2=&_cr3=&_ps=15&_ro=any&_rd=&_rsd=&_red=&_fr=&_st=adv
This would be his Seamans "pouch" gives some info and may contain a photograph.
What you really need is his Form CRS 10. This will tell you the name of the ships he sailed on together with places and engagement and discharge. If he joined the MN before 1946 it should be contained within this block of 60 names.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C10988242
If he joined after 1946, which would seem more likely then it should be here.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C10990254
Once you have obtained these documents, you can then search crew agreements and logbooks to try and discover  why he failed to join WAIMANA. I suspect female involment some where along the way. It was big problem in the late 40's early 50's. Britain was still recovering after the war, with rationing and other restrictions. NZ  would seem an attractive alternative to any young man.
The crew agreement and Logbook of WAIMANA official number 131795
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C10965355
Cataloged by O/N.
A day spent at Kew should be enough to glean all this information.

 

[Cheskauk2013]

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=667523.0

The older topic post.