Merchant Navy Records

[maesglas/ssclub]

Hi all
I have one GEORGE PERNAROWSKI born 29th October 1887 this man was married to my grand mother Florence Butcher, Purnell, Pernarowski, yes she has been all these, I have found and paid for on the TNA a medal listing for him, but I dont understand it, there are columns marked with a cross (I guess these were the medals he had bestowed upon him) 1939, AT, CL, and what looks like WM, I also have his Discharge number 578116 and was hoping to find out his service record, his nationality and anything else about him, I have also found him mentioned on a memorial TOWERHILL LONDON,
is ther any way to find out more about him, I have been told that the merchant navy records were sold to CANADA, any one know.
Robert.

[Peter Goodey]

1. There is an explanation of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen here

2. You can obtain his seaman's pouch here

See also the notes in the catalogue in the heading for BT 391

[maesglas/ssclub]

Hi Peter
thank you very much for the info, I find the TNA site very hard to navigate, keep going round in circles, but I understand the medals now and will try and order his pouch or parts there of tomorrow when I have more time.
Robert

[seaweed]

The seamans pouches in BT391 refer to service in the D-Day landings and the invasion of Europe.
It would seem that he he has no regular pouch in BT372. If he was lost at sea this would not be unusual.
He may however have service before 1944. He may also have a form CRS10 which should give the names of the ships he sailed on together with dates and places of engagement and discharge.
If it is anywhere it will be contained in this block of records.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...accessmethod=5
You would need to ask for a quote. Be warned TNA have recently upped their prices for digital copying.

see also
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...sLeafletID=128

[notanotherminer]

Hi Robert
I can confirm that many of the merchant navy records previously held at Kew were transferred to the Memorial University of Newfoundland and are held by their Maritime History Department.

Some years ago I was able to obtain copies of crewlists from the SS Cadiz the ship on which mu 2x gt.grandfather was serving when he drowned at sea.

The National Archives informed me at the time that they kept 10% of the records and decided therefore to keep all crew lists for years ending in 5

They are very helpful at the University but will charge a search and copy fee

Good luck
Graham

[notanotherminer]

I should have ponted out that the records I referred to are 19th century so I don't know about 1939

[crimea1854]

Robert

Since you know he is on the Tower Hill Memorial, I assume that you have seen his entry on the War Graves Commission site:

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_...sualty=2792443

Martin

[maesglas/ssclub]

Hi crimea1854
Yes I did know about him on the Tower Hill Memorial, when I found this sometime ago and it said husband of Florence Pernarowski of Newport Mon, I knew I had found him at last, although he is not a blood relative, he is the man who took my father to school on his very first day at school, I would love to know his Nationality, on the marriage certificate he is down as GEORGE not Georges, and it states his father is a farmer PERCY PERNAROWSKI, all a bit strange but he was not born in this Country, thanks for your reply and effort, if you find anything else I will be pleased to hear from you.
Robert

[RayBuck]

Hello Robert
This may be a little late , however there was a query on another forum to which I replied regards George , you may be interested in the content

George Pernarowski age 51 years 8 months was a DBS passenger in transit aboard the “Empire of Asia” Official No 135226. to the UK he was Lithuanian from Kovono, the ship had arrived in New York 4th September 1941 having sailed from Suez 28th June 1941 arrived Liverpool 28th September 1941, gave an address as 80 St Lewis Street Newport Monmouth

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...ssmethod=0&j=1

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...accessmethod=0

his medal entitlement
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/d...doc_Id=4535469

He is commemorated by the cwgc
http://www.cwgc.org/search-for-war-d...SKI,%20GEORGES

Ray
http://www.
mercantilemarine.org/showthread.php?6596-George-Pernakowski

[maesglas/ssclub]

Hi Raybuck
its never too late for info, especially about this fella, I did know about his medals and the memorial but did not know he was a Lithuanian, on what I read he was down as Russian, not much difference I suppose, I will have a look later to see how Lithuania fits in with Russia, I havent yet looked at the Mercantilemarine thread but will do so now.

Thanks very much for your time and effort I did not know or even thought about him being a foreigner and having to have Clearance papers. and the Address 80 St Lewis Street Newport I will have to look up, its not in my nans list of address,s.

I will get back to you when I have checked them out.

Many Thanks
Robert Purnell