a quick introduction to me and why im here Hi, I am trying very unsuccessfully to trace my Grandads short naval career, short in so much as he spent most of the 2nd war in a POW cap as his ship the HMS VANDYCK was sunk off Norway in 1940, I'm trying to find some documentation of crew lists as the MCA say they cant find any records, I have provided them all the evidence I have, ie the original telegram, and letters to my grandmother recording his capture and info of the pow camp he was initially sent to, don't know how to get more info now hoping someone here could point me in the right direction cheers Natra
Welcome to the forum , I've edited ''HMS Vandyck PoW'' into the title to attract the attention of those that can help. A simple 'Hello' may be overlooked.
Hi Natra In order for us to help (hopefully) it would be good if you could post what information you have on your Grandad - name, service number, etc, You can also apply for his service records (if you have not already) https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records#how-to-apply-for-service-personnel-records which is always a very good place to start this type of research project. TD
Hello and welcome, You won't find any information at the MCA as they do not have any information on the RN. Merchant Navy vessel VANDYKE, (Lamport & Holt) was converted to an armed boarding vessel, HMS VANDYKE in 1939. then a depot ship at Scapa Flow. 1940 bombed and sunk near Narvik during evacuation from Norway. There will be no details on this ship held with the MCA as on conversion the Merchant Navy crew would have been signed on as Naval Auxilliary Personnel on a T124 agreement. This meant that they retained their MN pay but came under the Naval Discipline Act, effectively Royal Navy personnel and any detail will be held with the Ministry of Defence and not the Merchant Navy. Regards Hugh.
Natra, Do you have his POW Liberation Questionnaire as this will tell you which camps he was in. Regards, Nick KenFentonsWar.com
thankyou for your replies, I have very little information, I have the original telegram of the ship being sunk sent to my grandmother, I have a record of which pow camp he was in, and a letter from the register of seamen about his capture and the sinking of the ship, I have tried the navy and because his name was Walter (known as william) Buchanan Carter although the paperwork shows him as w j carter, he was a junior engineer initially he was in oflag 1xA THEN SPENT THE REST OF THE WAR IN Westertimke Tarmstedt marlag ind milag nord, he was POW.3.T.124 merchant seamen serving under navy articles, and he died the year before I was born 1959, both my father and uncle, his onlt two children we know of are both dead, so facts are somewhat difficult to find, cheers ps I would post pictures he painted during his stay at Adolfs pleasure, and the two documents I have, but really cannot work out how to do that
UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 about W B Carter Name: W B Carter Rank: Engineer (T.124) Regiment: Naval Forces : Officers & Ratings POW Number: 3 Camp Type: Marlag Und Milag Nord Camp Number: M & MN Camp Location: Westertimke (Tarnstedt), Poland Section: Naval Forces : Officers & Ratings UK, Navy Lists, 1888-1970 about Walter Buchanan Carter Name: Walter Buchanan Carter Year: 1946 Book Title: Navy List: April, 1946, Vol. II Archive Name: Peter Singlehurst If you need to add images, then in the bottom right hand corner of the reply box is the option to 'Use full editor' or similar, if you select this then at the bottom of that page are: Choose file - allows you to choose the file from your gallery or computer Attach file - attaches the file to the post. If the file is to big then you will need to resize it to less than 2 mb TD edited to add: Natra, if you need more info then either PM me (and I can forward details of him) or join Ancestry.co.uk - they often do a free trial period which you could use.
Thank TD, here are the documents I have, and one of the bits of art work done during his time as a POW, I have one or two more in paint, but most of the art work is in pencil, the entire collection has been donated to Liverpool museums, as POW work is fairly rare, and as he was a Birkenhead lad, they have agreed to preserve the work, hope this is of interest Natra
Natra, Nice picture. Let me dig out his POW questionnaire as this will give you his service number and a few other facts. Regards, Nick KenFentonsWar.com
Guys, The POW Questionnaire on this occasion has not given us Walter Buchanan Carter's service number. How can we find this out for a Navy Man? Regards, Nick KenFentonsWar.com
A big thank you to all who replied here, especially Nick Fenton, as I now have my Grand Fathers Arctic Star, and a bit more info on his career really appreciate your help
Hello I know it's been a while since you posted this, but I've only just seen it., and wanted to reply, as my father, Walter Steer, was a shipmate of your grandfather, serving as Sick Berth Attendant on the Vandyck. He also spent the rest of the war in Marlag und Milag Nord. Here is a picture dated 5th June 1944 on the back - I've no idea where it was taken, but if the date is correct, I assume it must have been in or near the camp. My father is second row up, fourth from the left. Have you seen the film Albert RN? I believe it is based on events at Marlag und Milag Nord.
Hello & welcome UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 Name: W Steer Rank: Sick Berth Attendant Army Number: D/MX57808 Regiment: Naval Forces : Officers & Ratings POW Number: 14606 Camp Type: Marlag Und Milag Nord Camp Number: M & MN Camp Location: Westertimke (Tarnstedt), Poland Section: Naval Forces : Officers & Ratings TD
Hello, and many thanks for that information. Could I ask where I might be able to find the POW questionnaire that Nick Fenton mentioned above? Thank you