abbrover Posted 21 December , 2022 Share Posted 21 December , 2022 (edited) My Grandad - William Threlfall - was born in Birkenhead on the Wirral, on 30th January 1900, and during the Great War served on board the former P&O Liner/Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Mantua. The thing is, I don't know when he joined the ship. I have one battered photograph of him in uniform (attached), which I treasure dearly, his Mercantile Marine Reserve Identity Certificate (attached), and his Mercantile Marine Reserve Medal Card, that proves he served.....but nothing else. Is there anybody out there who happens to have crew lists for HMS Mantua; photo's of her crew; any idea when he was likely to have joined the MMR if he was only born in 1900; and was there an age limit for joining the MMR? His brother - MZ/598 Able Seaman Joseph Threlfall (served as Joseph Milne) served with Howe Bn RND, and died of wounds received at Gavrelle, on 24th April, 1917, aged 18. Any help would be very much appreciated Pete Threlfall Edited 21 December , 2022 by abbrover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KizmeRD Posted 21 December , 2022 Share Posted 21 December , 2022 Judging from his age, your GF would have been serving on MANTUA sometime towards the end of the war, as being a Trimmer was a fairly physical occupation and not really suited to under-age men. The photo of the ship that you posted appears to be a pre-war image. By 1918 the ship had acquired a dazzle paint scheme (see link) and was attached to the 9th Cruiser Squadron, patrolling the South Atlantic. https://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/1137176 MB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 22 December , 2022 Share Posted 22 December , 2022 (edited) FRom MANTUA's log - http://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-08-HMS_Mantua.htm you can deduce when he was likely tohave joined the ship in 1918. E.g. she was at Birkenhead/Liverpool early inthat year and at Devonport in March. Ratings joining are noted but not named. The MMR medal roll shows entitlement (in the rating of Fireman - 904093) to Victory and British War Medals but these were not claimed or issued. Edited 22 December , 2022 by horatio2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbrover Posted 22 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 22 December , 2022 Morning MB Many thanks for your email and attached link. I knew the Mantua had been painted in her dazzle camouflage, but have never seen that photo of her, for which I am very grateful. Kindest regards Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbrover Posted 22 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 22 December , 2022 Morning Horation2 Many thanks for your email and ship's log details, which are very much appreciated. Thank you Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbrover Posted 22 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 22 December , 2022 The attached photos I got from somewhere on the internet (sorry, but I can't remember where from) showing some crew members of HMS Mantua. In the first photograph - immediately to the left of upright pole - is a sailor who looks a lot like my Grandad. There are also one or two other photos of the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KizmeRD Posted 22 December , 2022 Share Posted 22 December , 2022 Did your GF perhaps do any pre-sea training before joining Mantua? Maybe as a cadet on one of the training hulks moored off Rockferry (T.S. Indefatigable?). He certainly started out on a mercantile marine career before the age when conscription kicked in. MB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbrover Posted 28 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 28 December , 2022 Good morning MB. I honestly don't know about any pre-sea training my GF may have had. I always thought that those ship's were for wayward boys? I have a suspicion that my GF was desperate to do his bit in the Great War....maybe after his elder brother - Joseph Threlfall - died of wounds serving with the RND in April 1917. Many thanks for your post. Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanyamcd Posted 8 September , 2023 Share Posted 8 September , 2023 Hi Pete, I work at the Maritime History Archive at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland. We hold a collection of Agreement and Account of Crew of Commissioned Chartered Ships, 1914-1920. Documents related to the Mantua, official number 127544, are a part of this collection. I happened to be looking through these records for another individual when I came upon this forum, and your post. I can confirm that we have the specific agreement listing Wm Threlfall as Trimmer. If you would like access to these records, feel free to send us an email at Spoiler . Tanya McDonald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 8 September , 2023 Admin Share Posted 8 September , 2023 Welcome to the forum Tanya. It isn't a good idea to display email addresses openly as scammers and spammers may scrape them. The forum does have a secure private message system which is ideal for these sort of communications. Simply click on a user's name and select the message / envelope icon. It sounds like your archive may have a lot to contribute, so thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanyamcd Posted 8 September , 2023 Share Posted 8 September , 2023 Thank you David, I'll do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbrover Posted 9 September , 2023 Author Share Posted 9 September , 2023 Good morning Tanya I'm very excited by the information you gave about my Grandad, and have sent you an email. Thank you very much. Kindest regards Peter Threlfall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbrover Posted 17 September , 2023 Author Share Posted 17 September , 2023 Thank you Tanya MacDonald for your kindness and highly professional service in which you were able to assist me in finding out so much about my Grandfather's service in the Mercantile Marine Reserve during the Great War. Absolutely outstanding! Kindest regards Peter Threlfall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanyamcd Posted 19 September , 2023 Share Posted 19 September , 2023 My pleasure! I was very happy to help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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