Hi, just introducing myself and putting my question out there.

Hi Hugh, I have to admit I'm a little confused as to whether I'm understanding things correctly. I hope you don't mind rehashing it for me. So the ID Cert for the Cordillera, it stated my uncle's Length of Sea Service at sign up being 1 1/4 yrs. The dat of issue of Discharge Book is 20 Sep 1936. Now I don't have his Dis. A book so do I add the. 1 1/4 years to 1936?

I've studied the 2 date stamps on the reverse of page 1 and believe them to be from 1937. I'm not sure of the relevance of this though.

Then there's page 2 which is another round voyage and Patrick's length of sea service is at 1.5 yrs. Is this 3 months more on top of the 1 1/4? Could the previous round voyage have taken 3 months?

The stamp on the reverse of page 2 as you stated is 1938.

I'm seeing an ID book covering the period from 1936-1938, is this right?

Thanks for the official number for the Cordillera. I did contact the Maritime History Archive in Canada and I received a reply yesterday, in the positive which I'm very happy about. They have the Crew Agreement for the Cordillerra for my specified years.
It's all a bit overwhelming and expensive and I'm not entirely sure what to expect but I just need time to digest things.

Thank you so much for this information, it is helpful and I am really grateful to have access to your wealth of knowledge. Maybe I can return home this year and visit Key personally and once again it's something to think about and save up for.

I've learnt quite a lot about how to go about researching this type of topic that I wouldn't know if I hadn't asked. Thanks for staying with me.

Cheers,

Martin

 

He joined the MN in 1936, his first voyage as per the crew manifest for GAELIC STAR tells us that [June 1936] the length of sea service on the manifest states 0 so that was his first voyage to sea. His discharge book wasn't issued until 20 Sept 1936 according to the ID certificate so that means he must have been without a discharge book for his voyage on GAELIC STAR and he would have been given what was termed as a paper discharge. So if you are happy that he joined the MN in June 1936 then look now to the ID certificate stamp for CORDILLERA [Oct 1937] - length of service at sea = 1.25 years. Do the maths and add 1.25 years on to the date of his first voyage [Jun 1936] and you should come up with Oct 1937 the first date stamp. On the date stamp for 1938 he is noted as being at sea for 1.5 years which again takes us back to Jun 1936 as his first voyage.

The date stamps are when he arrives in Argentina and the length of service is relevant to those stamps.

I would only ask them for the minimum copies required to show when he signed on and off the ship to keep costs down.

You are welcome. If going to Kew, do your homework and come prepared with a list of those files - if you get lucky then it will be very rewarding.

Regards
Hugh