# Details for my father



## Hygromia/3rdShip (May 5, 2018)

Leonard Cecil Price - DOB - 14/07/14 - 8 (?)Dec 1982

My dad was in MN before WW2 as a steward before leaving and trained as a nurse.
On the outbreak of WW2, he was called up to the Infantry and he decided (very unwisely) that he'd go back to the Merchant Navy as nobody would be shooting at him and he'd be much safer.
I'd always wanted his Discharge Book when he died but it go thrown out. I'd moved from the UK to live in NZ in 1983 but would like to see some record of his MN time.
I was with Shell Tankers as an engineer, starting apprenticeship in Sept 1966 at Stow College Glasgow.


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello and welcome,
Yes - in many ways an unwise choice - the Merchant Navy taking more casualties per capita than any of the fighting forces.

Leonard Cecil Price has records at the UK National Archives in Kew.

His service record, from Jan, 1941 [CRS 10] should be held at Kew in piece *BT 382/1452* unfortunately this file is best obtained by visit to Kew or via a researcher.


His T124X Agreement is held at Kew in piece *BT 390/107/106* note on the file states - the contents of this pouch empty. A T124X agreement is when a MN crew agrees to serve under Royal Navy discipline while receiving MN pay and conditions. This usually happened when the ship the seaman was serving in was requsitioned by the Admiralty for war service. Hopefully the ship's name will be mentioned in his CRS 10 but if it was before 1941 then other methods will need to be used to find out.

I have him aboard PASTEUR in 1944 as Assistant Steward signed on 17.5.1944 at Liverpool. Again, same ship, signed on at Liverpool 7.6.1944. Signed on again on 2.9.1944 and again 19.11.1944 at Liverpool. That ship should also be confirmed when you obtain his CRS 10.

I have also attached his WW2 medal file. The file indicates that he was awarded the 1939-45 Star, The Atlantic Star, The Africa Star & Clasp, The Pacific Star, The Italy Star and The War Medal. 

Any questions please feel free to ask.

Regards
Hugh


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## Hygromia/3rdShip (May 5, 2018)

Thanks Hugh
That is all good information.
How do I contact a researcher? If I'd known, I could easily have visited Kew in 2018 when I was staying in Teddington for a couple of weeks. Can't see myself going back to the UK from my home in NZ.

He was on HMS Salopian when it was sunk South of Greenland in 1941. I remember him telling me there was much aggravation between the RN & MN crew over wages.

He also sailed on RMS Empress of Canada and was on board when it was sunk off West Africa. Dad told me all the survivors were terrified when the Italian submarine, Leonardo da Vinci, surfaced among the lifeboats and survivors clinging to debris. The submarine picked up some Italian war prisoners. The rumor was that some of the Italian POWs had got a signal to the sub with location details.Dad also told me of his time in the life rafts.
Definitely not a safe life being on a merchant ship during WW2!


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Research services are currently suspended at Kew due to the current emergency. Have a look here regarding research: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/record-copying/

I tended to use my own researcher as it was cheaper and a better service for me but unfortunately he has stopped copying MN records, otherwise I would have passed you on to him.

I can imagine there would be tensions between the regular RN and the MN (NAP) T124X men. The NAP were effectively classed as RN, they wore uniform, accepted Naval discipline but were paid at a different rate and all doing the same tasks accepting the same risks. 

It looks like the T124 pouch would refer to his time on HMS SALOPIAN the AMC. It is a pity that it looks like it is empty, however, the contents of those pouches was always hit or miss - some contained good information, others virtually nothing apart from the name of the ship served on. 

Regards
Hugh


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## Hygromia/3rdShip (May 5, 2018)

Another connection from your first letter - The Pasteur was my dad's last ship. It was built in Saint Nazaire in Chantier de L'atlantique.
My last ship with Shell Tankers was the SS Gadila, also built at the same shipyard in Saint Nazaire.
We had a pleasant 5 months at the ship yard learning the complex engine room and control systems from May onwards before it's maiden voyage to Brunei to take LNG to Yokohama.
Just another of life's co-incidences.


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