Help join the dots with Grandads service records, RN

Hi all

This is my first post and wondered if anyone could help with my Grandads Navy record. When I was a child I remember seeing some old photos of his arctic convoys and I know he was radar trained. The photos were mislaid which is a great shame but I would love to see one again if there are any online. I have tried to do some googling and made some logical connections but anything that could be added would be much appreciated.

His name was James Arthur Brown and his Service Number was JX55388Y.

His ships were:

1) Glendower June to Aug 43
2) Valkyrie Aug 43 to Sep 43 and then Oct 43 (with Radar recorded). I googled this and appears to be training for Radar at isle of Man?
3) Calliope - 14th to 15th October 1943. Found that this was a base ship to HMS Tyne?
4) Tyne (Marne) - 16th Oct 43 to 24 Feb 44, then 1st March to 6th April 44 and then 7th April to 31st October 44. I believe Marne is the actual ship he would be on?? This would make sense with the convoys he was on. My auntie successfully applied for an Arctic Star which he was awarded. On his record he has AB which I believe means Able Seaman.
5) St Angelo - 1st Nov 44 - 46 (can read month clearly). I can’t see much on this but was a Malta base??
6) Victory 3 (Marne) - 1st March 46 to 27th June 46.
7) Victory Rnb - June to Sept 46 and then released. I assume this is the Barracks at Portsmouth which is the base on his records.

If I am right and he was on the HMS Marne then I can see it escorted a number of convoys, however I can only assume that if I match the dates above to the convoys it would indicate he was present on those convoys?? Even just one picture of one of those convoys, even if he isn’t pictured would be so special to capture and add to the service record etc.

 

PaulB12,

Welcome aboard. There is plenty of knowledge and expertise here.

We always recommend applying for the Service Record. It is the definitive account of his service. Yes, it can take time and regularly has good and disappointing responses. A very short note (copied from Clive): you will need his date of birth and death cert available here for £7 https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ Link for service records
Select the service - Apply for a deceased person's military record - GOV.UK

Members can check their resources and do some online research. Others may be looking now and in the future for them; we regularly have people join who have found a post or thread about a relative.

It might be worth checking if there is a local newspaper article about him. Most public libraries have access to the British Newspaper Archive when in the library, not online.

On your current information he has not appeared here before today.

It helps to add a ‘tag’ when you create a thread, only you can do this. It is for the formation / corps involved or a theme like intelligence. Searching tags can identify threads, otherwise it takes a bit longer.

Some help via PM next; which is a now four pg. PDF. Also available on: WW2 Soldier Research - Tips and Links for New Researchers (update) Plus: How to Start a new Thread / Edit Post / Upload Image

There is a special website on convoys which may help: ConvoyWeb It has a section on the Russian convoys. There is a search option for escort vessels and using just Marne returned many convoys. The site recommends other options too.

Other members have expertise on naval service records and the Arctic convoys. They may be along to help.

 

Hi thanks for the tips. I have his service record , I just extracted info for the post above. I have also been on the convoys page too which at first was a bit confusing but now I have found the Marne it’s made sense to then identify the convoy ID.

thanks for the info sheets, will give them a look through and hopefully can gain some more insights.

 

It would help if you could post the actual Service Record as errors can occur in transcription. For instance I don't think HMS Calliope had anything to do with HMS Tyne more to do with the Tyne area where HMS Calliope was the shore base. RN Records can sometimes be very vague as they show where a Rating's records are held and often do not show where he was serving.
HMS Tyne was a Destroyer Depot ship hence Tyne (Marne). You are correct in saying your Grandad would be serving in HMS Marne, his records would be held by HMS Tyne.
HMS St Angelo was the naval base in Malta. I suspect, though I can't be sure without his Service Record, that he was still serving in HMS Marne with his records held at St Angelo.
You are correct AB = Able Seaman.

Have a look at this it will help you a lot:
HMS Marne, destroyer

Tim

 

Hi

Yes I have seen that page you referenced and was most useful reading through. I will look to take some photos of the record, I found it interesting that the Calliope record showed he was literally on it for a couple of days before going to the Tyne (Marne).

 

Hi here is the record for the ships, sorry had some difficulties uploading.

 

It may be that it's just his records went through Calliope.
As I suspected he was never at St Angelo but stayed on the Marne. That wiggle after St Angelo is a 'ditto' indicating it should read St Angelo (Marne).
Victory III was an Accounting Base and where his records would have been kept when HMS Marne returned to Portsmouth in Mar 46.
Victory (RNB) - Royal Naval Barracks Portsmouth - refers to leave and release. Unlikely he spent much time in the barracks.
Are you aware of ConvoyWeb ? If you type in the Convoy No. in 'Convoy Finder' the result will give the dates for which HMS Marne was an escort.

Tim

 

This makes sense regarding St Angelo as I recall Grandad saying he had been through the Suez Canal which I am thinking could have been possible if based out of Malta??

 

Tim

Thank You, I think this bit of info may have helped tie some things together and now have a logical sense of the service record. Now I just need to correspond the Convoys to the time served on Marne and that may help me closer to maybe finding some photos etc.

The photo I saw as a child was of my Grandad with a beard and he was out on deck and had mini icicles forming from it. I would love it if I could find it again but appreciate it’s maybe like a long shot.