Hi All I am trying to help a friend look into his father's wartime service on HMS Magicienne from 1942 but, unfortunately I know nothing about RN records in the National Archives. I can't find it in ADM53, which is where I think it should be. Can anyone on here point me in the right direction please? Any help / advice would be very welcome! Cheers, Andrew
If you're looking for the ship's logs, you are not likely to be successful. From the notes attached to ADM 53: Whilst all ships logs are continued for 1939 and the early months of 1940, thereafter, the majority of logs for ships smaller than cruisers appear not to have survived for the remaining war years. Tim
Thank you so much Tim - that explains why I couldn't find it! Do you think there would there be any way of finding what this ship, or even the flotilla that it was in, was up to between 1942 and 1945? Cheers and thanks again. Andrew
According to HMS Magicienne (J 436) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net HMS Magicienne was not commissioned until May 1945 and was not even laid down (in Canada) until Feb 1944. I think you need to check dates/ships with your friend. At best his father would only have been in HMS Magicienne from 1945 onwards. Tim
Following completion in Canada in May 1945 per the U-boat.net link above, Magicienne came to the U.K. and joined the 11th Minesweeping flotilla. That flotilla sailed for the Far East in Nov 1945. Brief history here on the Algerine Association website. Algerine Class Fleet Minesweepers - 11th MSF (Minesweeeping Flotilla) You might be able to get more information through that organisation.
