Huw Edwards: My grandfather, Prisoner of War [Video In Link: MN, 3 years as POW; features scenes of Sandbostel Camp Memorial] This week marks the 75th anniversary of the official end of the Second World War, when Japan signed its deed of unconditional surrender. It ended six years of global conflict, which claimed the lives of more than 80 million people and changed the lives of hundreds of millions of others. This week some of our colleagues at BBC News are relating their own families’ experiences in contributing to the people’s war effort. We start with Huw Edwards whose grandfather John Daniel Edwards [from Aberarth] was a merchant seaman, risking his life with thousands of others serving in the Atlantic Convoys. Medal listing of Edwards, John Daniel Discharge number: 1011931 Date of... | The National Archives Reference: BT 395/1/28187 Medal listing of Edwards, John Daniel Discharge number: 1011931 Date of Birth: 04 July 1905
It is good to see a story in the MSM about the Merchant Navy contribution during WW2. When you consider that we couldn't have won the war without them and the terrible casualties sustained in that effort it is a shame we do not hear much in the media. Many people are sadly ignorant of the contribution of the MN. That said, tomorrow is Merchant Navy Day celebrated annually now on 3 September - the date we entered the war and the date of our first casualty the ATHENIA. John Daniel Edwards b. 4.7.1905 has records including an id photo held in the Fourth Register of Seamen. These cards do contain mistakes and omissions but he appears to have served as follows: - 130051 – MORLAIS – 10.11.1919 130051 – MORLAIS - ?.2.1920 87464 – TROSTAN – 4.7.1922 136672 – QUEEN ALEXANDRA – 5.10.1922 118700 – MILTON – 15.5.1924 132692 – SHAKESPEAR – 5.5.1925 148555 - CATHERINE RADCLIFFE – 26.11.1925 147484 – MONKSTONE - 24.5.1927 132643 – WIMBORNE – 30.7.1927 160414 – LLANDILO – 12.8.1928 160363 – LLANGOLLEN – 9.5.1929 145573 – GLYNWEN – 25.4.1930 145573 – GLYNWEN – 23.7.1930 145573 – GLYNWEN – 14.1.1931 161546 – DALCROSS – 14.9.1931 161930 – DALHANNA – 25.7.1934 163399 – HARBURY – 21.2.1936 142574 – TREMATON – 26.9.1936 162091 – ISADORA – 31.7.1937 164335 – STANPARK – 10.10.1939 164335 – STANPARK - 6.8.1940 STANPARK was sunk on 21.1.1941 by the German pocket Battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER. All the crew were taken as prisoners of war. Regards Hugh
Hugh Thanks for the additional info you've posted; admit I'd hoped you'd spot the thread. It's due to your efforts and others like Roy Martin & Billy McGee on the forum, that I've learned a lot about Merchant Navy. Even having 4 relatives who served in MN, (2 immediately postwar and 2 during the war one of whom died only recently), when I first registered here I knew very little about the sacrifices and particular hardships endured by those who served with MN.
See also Mishal Husain’s grandfather: Syed Shahid Hamid, 3rd Indian Cavalry Regt, attached RIASC, Burma Reeta Chakrabarti’s father-in-law: Patrick John Rogers HAMILTON, Gordon Highlanders; Indian Army Sophie Raworth’s grandfather: Ernest Alexander NICOLL, pioneering Surgeon, Berry Hill Hall, injured All four stories from The People's War series will be shown in a longer programme on BBC4 on Tuesday 15 September at 19:00BST.
