Can anyone help me? I'm trying to trace the war history of the ships my Great Uncle (Ronald Barnes) served on during WW2. I have his service papers and they list all the Ships/Bases he was on, but I can't work out which ones are bases and which are actual ships. I know he was a Stoker and I know he got sunk at least once somewhere cold!!! but I would like to know more Information. If I was to list the Ships/Bases could anyone help me by telling me which were ships and which were bases during WW2? Thanks Matt.
Hi and welcome to the forums! It would be difficult to complie complete lists. Maybe the basdes are do-able, but ships... Just too many of them... I had the same difficulty researching some downed Navy fliers. These sites were of great help: RN Losses during WW2 Fleet Air Arm Archive This last one also has some info on bases. If you have any names, you might want to post them here. I am sure some of the names will be familiar to soem of the visitors here. HTH Stevin
Try the following files if you can get to the National Archives at Kew: ADM(iralty)53-Ship's Logs ADM182 Fleet Orders; printed confidential and routine orders to the Fleet, naval establishments and principal and Admiralty overseers for info, guidance and necessary action. ADM187 War of 1939-45 Pink List. Printed sheets, at intervals of 3-4 days, showing the stations and voyages of HM and Allied Ships. ADM208 Red List. Contains details of all minor war vessels in Home Waters, including vessels of of Allied countries. Usually printed at weekly intervals from February 1940. ADM210 Green List; Weekly lists of landing ships, crafts and barges in Home Waters and foreign stations from August 1942, supplemented by a similar list of US vessels from January 1944. ADM217; Station Records, Western Approaches. The following book is also good; Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy, from 1800.(2nd ed). Lt. Cdr B. Warlow RN.(Liskeard. Maritime Books.2000)ISBN 0907771734. Does exactly what it says on the tin!
