WW2 MERCHANT NAVY GROUP

[Mervyn Mitton]

Interesting group to a World War 2 Merchant Navy Officer - he died only last November, aged 92.

Unusually, there are five Stars - the max. you could be given - other entitlements were as bars or, rosettes. He served throughout the War as an Engineer on board BEN Lines ships - he was on Russian Convoys and as can be seen, was all over the World. Details are -

Frederick Walter LEEDER 4/1/1916 - 23/11/2008. After the War he left Ben Line and joined Cunard. I think his rank arm rings - he is on the right in the photo - show him as a 2nd. Engineer Officer ? These medals were a replacement in 1989 after the first issue were lost. However, being un-named this is not important and the issue paperwork substantiates his service.

The Merchant Navy crest - sewn onto a backing , was done by his wife. The two lapel badges - one is for the SS. UGANDA. Not sure when he served on her - presuming that he did ? The other is an Air League badge and I think pre-war.

Edited August 24, 2009 by Mervyn Mitton

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Guest Rick Research]

That is an ASTONISHING group. He must have been the luckiest man afloat if he got through ALL THAT (and what else WAS there? ) without having been torpedoed!

The statistical odds of being in harm's way in that many different places is incredible.

:cheers:

[leigh kitchen]

Are they replacement or just extremely late issues Merv?

I did'nt realise that MN service did'nt count in terms of the Defence Medal, I'd better have a look at the "book".

I've come across problems in the past where it's been held that somebody was'nt entitled to the Defence Medal as his service in the NFS did'nt count - but it did, & he got it though about 55 years late.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hi - Leigh, nice to have you back. His son said the originals were lost - but who really knows with the passing of time. I didn't know either, that the MN were not entitled to the Defence medal. What about all the seamen who never left Home waters ? I think this would be an interesting point to clear-up - however, as you spotted - it was stated on the awards form.

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch: That IS bizarre about the Defense Medal! Somebody in ARP in a rural area at home who never saw the Luftwaffe overhead would have qualified by simple length of service, and this poor fellow served all six years in potential peril every day he was sailing the seven seas but... didn't "qualify?"

Could that be an administrative error?

(I still remember being outraged as a boy to read that the pitiful survivors of sinkings, rescued after sometimes weeks adrift... had their pay stopped as of the date of sinking when they "ceased being employed.")

[censlenov]

That IS bizarre about the Defense Medal! Somebody in ARP in a rural area at home who never saw the Luftwaffe overhead would have qualified by simple length of service, and this poor fellow served all six years in potential peril every day he was sailing the seven seas but... didn't "qualify?"

Could that be an administrative error?

(I still remember being outraged as a boy to read that the pitiful survivors of sinkings, rescued after sometimes weeks adrift... had their pay stopped as of the date of sinking when they "ceased being employed.")

What i find bizarre is that there is no Pacific clasp on the Burma star. Must have been a strange set of events to earn all the others yet not receive the pacific star/clasp. Great group.

Cheers

Chris

[Guest Darrell]

Mervyn, great stuff. These guys sailed on some dangerous waters .... Great set !!

Here's one I used to own of a Canadian Merchant Mariner. Went back for seconds in Korea ....

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9956&hl=Linfoot&st=0

[Mervyn Mitton]

I think Leigh has raised a point re. the Defence Medal and the Merchant Navy - worthwhile investigation since it could change a number of medal bars ? Where do we go from here - perhaps someone in UK could contact Min. of Defence - or, Medal Year Book ?

Maybe he never went into the Pacific - there is something about not getting both - I will look it up and come back - and Darrell what a lovely , complete, group. You always seem to have such good paperwork and that is often harder to find then the medals.

[leigh kitchen]

I have'nt checked National Archives for Merchant Navy records, but I believe they have the records of individuals & lists of the movements of vessels, may be useful.

[Snoopy]

That's a really great grouping. Loaded with history.

All the best

Snoopy