This post appeared on the Our British Merchant Navy site, I have his permission to post it here, can anyone help, please? Roy Hi i wondering if anyone on the page can help my with some information about my great uncle William Holmes Mckeen born 20/7/1915. He was torpedoed on December 27th 1942 on the ss melrose abbey and was rescued bt the ship Toward off the azores and taken to halifax Nova Scotia. Sadly he passed away in 2007 but never gave me much details on the other ships he served on as he used to say he was sank 3 times! And survived. His position was stoker/ fireman. Any help of where to find more records would be much appreciated. Thanks Clark Mckeen Fulston.
Hi Roy, For his full service record your enquirer would need to obtain his CRS 10 which is not available online but held at Kew in piece BT 382/1115 File can be obtained by visit to Kew or via a researcher but it should list all his ships from Jan 1941 until leaving the service. He has a seaman's pouch held at Kew in piece BT 372/535/27 this file is a bit hit or miss as to content but usually has an id photo of the seaman. I have a William McKeen b.1915 as a fireman who shipped out from Glasgow on 15.11.1945 - he had three and a half years experience at sea and had a scar on bridge, nose and chin. The ship was the ss WAIMANA. Not sure if it is the same man but the discharge number is in the right range I would say and maybe the distinguishing marks will help the family. I hope that helps. Regards Hugh