# Ww2 convoys



## Missy88 (Mar 21, 2017)

I'm trying to chase the service history of James Richard McDowell. He was born in England in 1909 between July-September and he arrived in Boston I believe in 1937 via Calcutta India according to my sisters research and he ended up in Canada. He was a merchant seaman. Series BT364 and had a discharge number95593. Family history believe that he was an engineer and was on munitions ships due to stories that if he had been torpedoed he wouldn't have survived because ship would have exploded. After names of ships and convoy he was on.


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello Missy and welcome,

CITY OF MELBOURNE – 3.5.1930 – first ship
CITY OF MELBOURNE – 13.7.1931
CITY OF BEDFORD – 1932
MIGUEL DE LARRINAGA – 12.6.1935
CITY OF BARODA – 11.11.1936
CITY OF PITSBURG – 22.2 1937
CITY OF BARCELONA – 20.7.1938
R J CULLEN – 28.3.1940

I don’t see him in the Deaths at Sea Register for WW2 or commemorated with the CWGC.
There is also a James R. McDowall who served 1943 – 1947 on the Panamanian registered CHAGRES – he was a chief engineer and married to Gladys, address 9 Hoyden Dr, Roby, Liverpool. So, if this is him he survived the war. If it is not him then you need to obtain his CRS 10 – service record from Jan, 1941 – details about how to obtain this on request.

Regards
Hugh


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## RHP (Nov 1, 2007)

Great research, well done and thanks Hugh.


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## Missy88 (Mar 21, 2017)

Thanks, that's him all right


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## Missy88 (Mar 21, 2017)

Any idea on convoy service???? Which ones he likely would have been on and the routes he would have taken. Was he likely to have been carrying munitions?????


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Missy88 said:


> Thanks, that's him all right


Hello,
If that's him aboard CHAGRES you can find some of the convoys she sailed here
http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/
Search Multi Convoy Web Search
Search also under "Extras"
I cannot find any primary records for him in the British Archives. It may well be he was later registered as a Canadian Seaman. ( R J CULLEN was registered in St John NB) and that he sailed on North American registered vessels. Have you been in touch with Canadian MN records?
Vetrans Affairs Canada
PO Box 7700
Charlottetown, PEI
C1A 8M9
Tel.: 1-877-566-8609
Fax: 902-368-0496
You would still need to look in British records, to see if he had a CRS10
regards
Roger


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