[Chalky44]

Hi all,

I am trying to find out more details on my Grandfather

Mr Lewis John Jones born 7th April 1897 in Borth y Gest Wales

Some of the information I have found out is

From a down load from Find my history is
Ticket Capacities 0011515 Qualifications 2m18 1m20 Ma21 County of birth CAE Kew ref 123/4

Notes J.= John. m/146652/British Commander/1940. Prisoner of War, (Per RG). C/142723/British Sailor/1946, Ct.EI. [MI at Sant Mihangel, Treflys, Dwyfor: Capt Lewis John Jones. Tremfoel, Borth y Gest. Marwodd 6 Ebrill 1961? yn 64.]

but there are numbers I think refer to ships By on the rear lists some numbers
1) 132596 / 9.18
2) 132596/ 1.19
3) 140857/4.19
4) 140858 /4.20
5) 140858/ 11.20
6) 142664/ 9.21

During the capture and sinking of the British Commander an emergency signal was sent. I thing the POW camps were Stalag XB and Milag Nord near Bremen. During his captivity he had to wear a badge bearing the details of L.J.Jones, Lgr.X.B, 87345.

Can anyone help fill in the background.

[Hugh MacLean]

Hello Chalky and welcome,

I don't know if you received my reply to your post on the Mercantile Marine Forum before it had to go down.

Your grandfather was chief officer of 'BRITISH COMMANDER' when she was sunk by the Raider 'PINGUIN' his PoW number at Milag Nord was 87345 and his Dis A number was 717583.


132596 - 'NORMANBY'
140857 - 'BRADFORD CITY'
140858 - 'CORNISH CITY'
142664 - 'ALASKA'

His campaign medal card can be downloaded for £3.50: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/d...&resultcount=1

There is a file at the UK National Archives in Kew pertaining to the PoWs of 'BRITISH COMMANDER' - BT 373/38


Regards
Hugh

[Chalky44]

Hugh,

Many thanks and thanks for your very prompt reply. No I did not get back on the the Mercantile website before it went down.

I will have to travel up to Kew to look at the records.

The Dis A number is that the discharge number from the Merchant Navy. So I may be possible from 1946 to 1952 that he became a Captain in that period.

The medals will takes some deciphering as some are crossed out and most only have 2 initials to show what they are. No matter I'll ask my neighbour he is also Ex Navy but from WW2.

Sorry to ask straight forward Questions I am an ex Solider ( with that admission you may not want to talk to me or maybe armed with a peg for your nose. http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/images/icons/icon7.gif


Many thanks

Paul

[Hugh MacLean]

Hello Paul,
Post the medal file and I will decipher it for you.
Yes, the Dis A number is his discharge number.

I don't mind soldiers - worked many times with the pongos.

Regards
Hugh

[Chalky44]

Hi Hugh,

Please see the attached.

4222.pdf
Many thanks

Paul

[Chalky44]

Hi Hugh,

Please see the attached.

Attachment 27169
Many thanks

Paul

[chrishandel]

Paul

Found this document on findyourpast.co.uk

Apologies if you already have this

Chris

[Chalky44]

Hi Chris,

many thanks . just signed up to the same firm. Paul

[Hugh MacLean]

Hello Paul,

Looking at the ship numbers from the FMP post by Chris, it looks like the last official number you posted, 142664 is incorrect. I would suggest that it is 142667 - the Reardon Smith's, 'BRADCLYDE'.

Regarding his medal card the following were claimed or issued.

1939-1945 Star (medal and ribbon)
Atlantic Star (medal and ribbon)
War Medal (ribbon only)

Regards
Hugh

[Chalky44]

Hugh, many thanks

I have most of the stuff I need and I can not thanks you or Geoff Taxman enough.

I will need to write to BP and Lloyd's Register to get his service records. I have already written to two sites in Germany to try and find out how his time as a POW was. I expect not much fun.

Already had the link to Wikipedia. But was trying to solve a Family argument My mum believed that her dad Lewis Jones was instrumental in getting the signals (QQQ message) to the Admiralty and was later a Captain. My Aunt (my Mum's sister) says that is not the case.

That's one of the things I was trying to bottom out but I suspect that may be in his work records. As for Captaincy I think I have already proved that as Captain of the British Sailor post 1946.

I thought trying to find out information on a man called Jones would be very hard! Obviously not so hard.


What site of organisations do I write to to find out more information on the ships he served on i.e.

132585 - 'NORMANBY'
140857 - 'BRADFORD CITY'
140858 - 'CORNISH CITY' found this on a web link showing a 2nd officer as LJ Jones.
142667 - the Reardon Smith's, 'BRADCLYDE'.

I am now assuming that Bradford City, Cornish City and the Bradclyde were all Readon Smith's ships. I can not fin the Normanby all my searches come up with a 2004/5 ferry Normandy.

At one point I think the Bradford City (mark 1) was a WW1 Q Ship. Bbut I do not know which of the 3 Bradford Cities my Granddad was on.

I will order from the library a book called BP tanker which may assist.
Many thanks for your help, I should be bale to take it from here.


Paul

[Hugh MacLean]

Originally Posted by Chalky44

I am now assuming that Bradford City, Cornish City and the Bradclyde were all Readon Smith's ships. I can not fin the Normanby all my searches come up with a 2004/5 ferry Normandy.

'NORMANBY' was later renamed 'NORWICH CITY' managed by Reardon Smith.

http://tighar.org/wiki/SS_Norwich_City

Your grandfather would have been on the second 'BRADFORD CITY' which was torpedoed in 1941, incidentally by the same u-boat commander that torpedoed my fathers ship in 1942. The original 'BRADFORD CITY', THE Q ship, was sunk in 1917.

You will find the crew agreements for all of the ships you have noted so far held at the Maritime History Archive in Canada: http://www.mun.ca/mha/

Regards
Hugh