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  1. #1
    chris87
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    Default Thomas Stanley Taylor

    Hi all and thank you for your time.

    My Granddad served in ww2 and im struggling to find any information on him. To be honest im not sure where to start. The only item of his I have is his certificate of service book. He was in the royal navy and served between 1939 and 1941 where it states he was unfit for naval service after serving on the HMS DRAKE. What does this mean? where do I begin? I thank any one who has the time to help and for reading this.

    Regards Chris

  2. #2
    chris87
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    Also on the service book under the name of ship section, it says
    royal Arthur
    Drake
    Alcantara
    St Christopher

    My mum was told a storey that he was attacked and in the sea and cought TB. This is why he was unfit for service. But I cant find any information that these ships even encounted a battle. Im a little confused!

  3. #3
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums

    You can apply for your grandfather's service records from the Ministry of Defence who still hold them. You will not find them online.

    This 'sticky' explains who can apply, the cost and where to apply and supplies the links to the relevant sites. You will have a long wait though as so many people are inspired to do the same as you at this time.

    I have just re-read your post and am wondering if a certificate of service book is the same as the service records. I don't think so but I will try to find some more on this.
    Added: No I don't think they are.

    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  4. #4
    Famous for offering help & advice simmo1's Avatar
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    Alcantra - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Alcantara_(1926)
    St Christopher another shore establishment - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_St_..._establishment)

    I don't think you would get TB from being in the sea? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberculosis
    Apply for his service records and they may give more of an idea - https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/Answers.htm

    regards

    Robert

  5. #5
    chris87
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  6. #6
    chris87
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    thank you very much for your replys. here is the list from the certificate

    it looks like he was on the alcantara at the time it encountered the German cruiser Thor

  7. #7
    Famous for offering help & advice simmo1's Avatar
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    Hi

    Thanks for that, ord sea = ordinary seaman and ab = able seaman
    I did put Drake and Royal Arthur in too, but they must have vanished.
    Drake- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Drake - see 2nd last one
    Royal Arthur - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Roy..._establishment)

    So it looks like Alcantra was the only ship he could have seen action on.
    Maybe picked up TB at one of the bases, they don't sound very great. - see - https://www.worldnavalships.com/forum...ead.php?t=2590 - it is after the war but would assume the same during!

    regards

    Robert

  8. #8
    chris87
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    Thanks for your reply. My granddad never spoke about the war to me and it wasn't a topic I wanted to bring up. Did everyone in ww2 get a medal? I don't think he did? Would there be photographs of my granddad anywhere? Sorry for so many questions im a total novice at this and a really proud grandson no mater how little he did. Thanks again

  9. #9
    Famous for offering help & advice simmo1's Avatar
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    Hi

    If he was on a ship in a war zone he would have got at least 2 medals, his service records will tell all.
    Photographs - probably not unless he had them.
    We should all be proud of them for serving.

    regards

    Robert

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