Merchant seamen/RNVR records WW2

[meekhcs]

Re George Sidney Jopling, Merchant Navy, Rank - Engineer
Discharge A No. 728800
ID cert no 715815

I am slowly piecing together my husband's Grandfather's merchant seamen's records, but I am struggling with his service in the RNVR in WW2
I have scoured TNA, National Maritime Museum, and FMP websites, including their newspaper records, and put together the records I have found, two of these mention T124 agreements (these were signed my merchant seamen to attach them to the Royal Navy) for 3 ships served on in 1939/40 Canterbury, Saracen and Heliopolis

Unfortunately the most important record, details below, is missing

From TNA Jopling, George Sidney Service Number 728800 Place of Birth Woolston, Date of Birth 1889
Discription
“Registry of Shipping and Seamen: War of 1939-1945; Merchant Seamen’s Service on Royal Naval Ships. T124X AGREEMENT – BRITISH SEAMEN. JONES m TO KAVANAGH w……Name: Jopling, George Sidney. Service number: 728800. Place of birth: Wooston. Date of birth: 1889. This Pouch is empty.
Location: Wooston [NB birth and location should be Woolston]

We know that Grandad was injured aboard ship and hospitalised in Dundee from 17th Oct until 14th Dec 1940, presumably from the Heliopolis. The Heliopolis was attached to the Fleet Air Arm and was used to tow target vessels. The story goes that the Heliopolis was struck in error.

3 Questions
Does anybody know if T124 agreements are held centrally anywhere?
and
Is there anywhere I may find details of action that landed grandad in Hospital? I have contacted the Hospital but they operate the 100 year rule and would only divulge the dates mentioned above and that he was a 2nd Engineer.
Are service records held anywhere for Merchant seamen who were attached to the Royal Navy?

Many thanks for the read.

[meekhcs]

Forgot to mention I have also found at TNA Ref ADM 267/126
Various reports relating to 1940 in WW2
When I return from my next babysitting stint I will endeavour to make the trek down there to view this record. It may provide answers.

[VALLMO9]

Forgot to mention I have also found at TNA Ref ADM 267/126
Various reports relating to 1940 in WW2

I believe series ADM 267/1–145 relates to Damage Reports (1939-1959).

Apologies if you've already seen these WDYTYR links covering Merchant Navy records, etc

https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine ... y-history/
https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine ... rew-lists/

[meekhcs]

Thanks Mo

I had forgotten about WDYTYA and having just had a quick look there are some I definitely haven't tried.

I am going to spend the next few days gathering together all the websites I can find, however obtuse, and do a really deep search through them systematically to see if I can add to my research.

You are correct ADM does relate to damage reports and the Heliopolois is listed in the blurb. Hopefully it will provide the answer to how and where Grandad was injured.

Thanks again

[Thunder]

According to TNA there are some records in series BT 390.

[meekhcs]

Thank you Thunder

I am gradually working my way through all the relevant TNA records, compiling a list so that my husband and I can spend a day researching at Kew checking them out, but it is taking a while.

[Thunder]

TNA have a T.124 pouch for him in BT 390/65/61 but alas it says the pouch is empty, in my view it is always worth checking the pouch to see if there is other information on the pouch. The place of birth is actually different in TNA's catalogue in that it says Wooston ,rather than Woolston..

[meekhcs]

Thanks again Thunder
The record is on my list to check out first of all followed by the ADM record before moving to anything else, despite it saying the pouch is empty. I want to gather as much info as possible before we go. It is a long journey for us to Kew and I want to accomplish as much as possible in the one trip

[meekhcs]

Quick update, I visited TNA yesterday.

ADM267/126 - Various reports and Battle reports, yielded nothing about the accident in October, in fact the last entry in the record was dated September 1940. There was a mention of Heliopolis but it referred to an incident in July 1940, when George would also have been aboard so I am following that up.

BT390/65/61 re George Sidney Jopling. The seaman's pouch was indeed empty, so who knows where that info has disappeared to? I did look in 3 records either side just in case it had been miss filed. It did yield one snippet though. George was discharged from the Heliopolis Nov 12th 1940, a month after he was hospitalised in Dundee, so I believe this confirms he had been aboard the Heliopolis when admitted to hospital.

This afternoon I have posted a query on the WW2 board at Rootschat regarding the accident dates.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.p ... c=877928.0