Mercantile Marine Reserve, WW1

[Runner55]

Hi Rootschatters

Apart from the UK National Archive Records (which I've already exhausted) can anyone please point me in the direction of possible service records for members of the Irish Merchant Navy who served in the Mercantile Marine Reserve during the First World War - I am currently researching my late great-uncle's service with the MMR in 1918.

I found his medal award record on the National Archive website (British War Medal and the Victory Medal) relating to his involvement in 'an incident in 1918' (no further details given) and I am also aware from my research that many of the full service records for this group of mariners might not exist today.

My family have a letter from the Admiralty awarding the medals in 1926, and from that letter we also have his service record number, but apart from the basic medal record on the National Archives, I haven't been able to find anything else through Ancestry/Fold Three or Find My Past.  (Incidentally, my great-uncle died in a totally unrelated accident on an Irish merchant navy ship in 1920).

The Admiralty letter itself doesn't provide any background information on his involvement in the Mercantile Marine Reserve - literally just notification of the awards.

I wondered if there might be any specialist maritime history groups out there who might have access to other records where I might be able to at least find details on the vessel(s) he served on during this period.

Much obliged
Runner55

[HMac]

Not much is known about the Mercantile Marine Reserve and they have no surviving personal records - the only real record to survive are the medal cards. 
You may of course find him via Merchant Navy crew lists if you know some ship names but to be honest this group are really very difficult to research.

Happy to check if I had a name and dob but even then very doubtful.

Regards
Hugh

[Runner55]

Hi HMac

Thank you very much for your reply.  I have no names of any potential vessels covering his service in the Mercantile Marine Reserve (specifically in 1918) although I do have the names of the following ships; the Greta, the Thistle and the Rosaleen, all listed in 1915 on the National Archive records, which show  my great-uncle on their crew lists.

His name was Mark Kearney, born c. 1895/6 in Dublin. But I think these are just regular Irish merchant navy ships before he joined the MMR.

Mark's MMR service record number on the 1926 Admiralty medal-award letter is 924086.  (His regular Irish Merchant Navy number post-WW1 is 422907.)

If it's convenient and you are in a position to have a look for vessels on any other record databases that you're aware of, that would be most appreciated.

Many thanks once again,
Runner55

[HMac]

Mark's MMR service record number on the 1926 Admiralty medal-award letter is 924086.  (His regular Irish Merchant Navy number post-WW1 is 422907.)

Hi,

His service number (In the Merchant Navy is called his discharge book number or (Dis. A) It was always 924086. The other number 422907 is his R.S.2 number or Identity and Service Certificate. He actually had another R.S.2 number which was 332333 which was cancelled in favour of 422907.
He has two CR 10 cards - one was cancelled - I presume you have seen those with ID photo held in the Fourth Register of Seamen with copies on £FindMyPast.
They show he served aboard the tanker HOTHAM NEWTON joining in January 1919 and in November 1919 he joined STOCKPORT.

You could try obtaining the crew agreement for HOTHAM NEWTON for the year 1919 as the previous ship is given in one of the columns of the agreement. I can only see the extract of the official logbook available for voyages beginning 23 January 1919 so he may be on that sailing. The crew agreement is actually part of the official logbook so it may be present in that file. Probably best viewed by visit to Kew unless you have a researcher or someone who knows there way around those files who can visit for you. They are filed for the whole year.

BT 165/1904 - https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1733763

Ship's Name Hotham Newton Official Number 98780 Dates of Voyage 23 January 1919 - 16 April 1919.

Regards
Hugh

[Runner55]

Hi HMac

Thank you so much for this information. Yes, I have Mark's service cards under both those numbers, and two photographs of him from his files that I purchased from the National Archive last year.  However, the information on both cards was very sparse and there was no mention of any vessels he'd served on, so that's great new information for me to follow up!

I'm mindful that this is post-WW1 service, but it may unlock something that takes me back a year or so into his war service for which he received the medals.

Very appreciated for your assistance there.  Thank you once again.

Regards
Runner55