If you have ancestors who were members of the Royal Navy, whatever their rank – low or high – there is sure to be some great background information on this web site. You might even be tempted to visit the museum and use their archives whilst the family take a tour of HMS Victory and browse in the museum and shop.
Archive for the ‘Merchant Marine & Navy’ Category
Royal Navy Museum
January 21st, 2012 
Linda Elliott 
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Navy Medical Journals
September 30th, 2011 Linda Elliott
Ancestry.co.uk has put another dataset online, this time it is Royal Navy Medical Journals & Surgeon Superintendents Journals. So if you have ancestors with salt water in their veins this might be just the sort of records that could help in your research.
Ancestry has this to say about the material on offer……
A variety of people travelled the seas in the 19th century, from experienced sailors to convicts. Our latest two record collections shed light on the experiences of all these groups after they left shore.
Royal Navy Medical Journals, 1817-1857, and Surgeon Superintendents’ Journals of Convict Ships, 1858–1867, are both sets of diaries kept by ships’ medical officers. They reveal everything from serious diseases to grog-related accidents — along with accounts of how each was treated at the time. You can search for patients by name, but even if your relatives weren’t among the sick, the records provide a rare insight into life at sea.
National Maritime Musuem archives
July 21st, 2011 Linda Elliott The Sammy Ofer Wing at the National
Maritime Museum is now open. The archives contains 100,000 books and a wider range of manuscripts. Of particular interest to family historians are the crew lists & master’s certificates.
Based in Greenwich it is easy to access via public transport or by car. Well worth a visit especially if you have maritime ancestors.
Royal Navy Officers Medal Rolls 1914–1 1920
April 9th, 2011 Linda Elliott Find My Past have just published a new set of military records Royal Navy Officers Medal Roll 1914-1920.
Below is further information about these records and the valuable details about your ancestors you could discover.
Royal Navy Officers Medal Roll 1914-1920
These records comprise a transcript of the complete WWI Campaign Medal Rolls to 53,000 officers of all branches of the Royal Navy.
Added to the transcript are service details for a large number of officers, particularly those killed in action or died of wounds during WWI. In many cases, post-war deaths and WWII deaths are noted.
The medals that the rolls cover are: The 1914 Star, the Clasp to the 1914 Star, the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
These records can add vivid detail to your family tree – below is an example. Note the especially comprehensive cause of death:
Welsh Mariners Online
July 15th, 2010 Linda Elliott
Dr Reg Davis wanted to make information more freely available about Merchant Navy personnel who hailed from Wales so he created this website. The site offers an on-line index of 23,500 Welsh merchant masters, mates and engineers active from 1800 to 1945. There is also data about over 3000 men active in the Royal Navy from 1795 to 1815.
Well worth a look if you have interests in this area.
WW1 Royal Marine Medal Rolls Online
June 25th, 2010 Linda Elliott
Findmypast has added 75,000 Royal Marine medal cards to their stable of databases. The website tells us…..
The Jack Clegg Memorial Database of WW1 Campaign Medals to the Royal Marines 1914-1920
This database is a transcription of The National Archives document classes ADM/171/167 to ADM/171/171 (inclusive), ADM/171/92 & ADM/171/139, which comprise the complete World War I Campaign Medal Rolls for the Royal Marines. Added to the transcript are service details for a large number of men, particularly those killed in action or died of wounds during WW1 and in many cases post-war deaths and WW2 deaths are noted.
The database contains the names of over 75,000 Royal Marine Officers, NCOs and other ranks, and provides a complete listing of all Royal Marines who served in WW1.
The medals covered by the rolls are: the 1914 Star, the Clasp to the 1914 Star, the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Merchant Seamen Medal Card now online
June 25th, 2010 Linda Elliott
The National Archives have now added the Merchant Seamen Medal Cards to their documents online database. Searching is free and to view the actual document costs £3.50. The website explains…..
The Mercantile Marine Medal was awarded to those who served at sea for no less than six months between 4 August 1914 and 11 November 1918, and who served at sea on at least one voyage through a danger zone. All recipients of the Mercantile Marine Medal were automatically entitled to the British War Medal.
The Silver War Badge was awarded to merchant seamen who were no longer fit for sea service as a result of sickness or wounds contracted or received during the war, either at home or overseas.
A card records a merchant seaman’s name, details of the medals issued and the Mercantile Marine Office (M.M.O.) to which the medals were sent.
The top of the medal card contains a merchant seaman’s name, place of birth, year of birth, and discharge/RS2 number(s).
The lower half of the card contains a printed list of ribbons, medals and clasps issued. A date next to any of these indicates that the award was issued. Ribbons were issued in lieu of medals until the medals were minted. Clasps were awarded for taking part in a particular battle or action.
The right hand side of the card contains a M.M.O. reference which indicates which Mercantile Marine Office an award was sent. In some instances a home address may be noted in this section.
The reverse of the card contains the date the award(s) were confirmed and the address to which the medals and ribbons were sent.
Occasionally a card will confirm that the individual did not receive any medals. In these cases it is most likely that the merchant seaman did not fulfill the necessary criteria needed in order to be issued with a medal.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/merchant-seamens-medals.asp
British War Medal and the Mercantile Marine Medal in the First World War
May 29th, 2010 Linda Elliott The National Archives have announced that they have added 155,000 additional Merchant Marine Records to their Documents Online database. The records cover the 1914 – 1918 period of the First World War, rather appropriate as the 70th anniversary of Dunkirk was a couple of days ago.
Remember that you have to pay to see the full record, but searching the index is free.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/merchant-seamens-medals.asp
Royal Navy Submarine Museum
February 1st, 2010 Linda Elliott 
Great website which I am sure will tempt you to visit Gosport and this museum. Good background information and a history of submarines and submariners.
http://www.rnsubmus.co.uk/index.htm
Trafalgar Ancestors now online
September 24th, 2009 Linda Elliott 
Think your ancestors fought at the Battle of Trafalgar? Click on the link below and find out!
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors/
