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Members of the UK Merchant Navy have been awarded the Victoria Cross, George Cross, George Medal, Distinguished Service Order, and Distinguished Service Cross for their actions while serving in the Merchant Navy. Canadian Philip Bent, ex-British Merchant Navy, joined the British Army at the outbreak of World War I and won the Victoria Cross.
The Mercantile Movements Division [1] originally known as the Convoy Section [2] was a former Directorate of the British Admiralty, Naval Staff that coordinated, organised and plotted all Merchant Navy convoys, routing and schedules from 1917 until 1920.
The majority of seamen manning ships of the British Merchant Navy were British. However, in a 1938 survey, it was found that 27 per cent were either from India or China and another 5 per cent were British domiciled Arabs, Indians, Chinese, West Africans or West Indians mainly resident in major UK ports such as Cardiff, Liverpool or South Shields.
For much of its history, the merchant navy was the largest merchant fleet in the world, but with the decline of the British Empire in the mid-20th century it slipped down the rankings. In 1939, the merchant navy was the largest in the world with 33% of total tonnage. [11] By 2012, the merchant navy held only 3% of total tonnage. [12]
The Royal Navy was an important component of the Allied forces during the Second World War and made a significant contribution to the victory over the Axis powers.Its main tasks included the protection of merchant ships in the Atlantic against German U-boats and the defence of British territories.
Bengal Merchant (1812 ship) Benicia (barquentine) SS Berlin (1894) SS Bernhard Blumenfeld; MV Bessel; Betsey (1768 ship) Betsy (1793 ship) Bhavani (1797 ship) Blenden Hall; Boddington (1781 ship) Boddingtons (1793 ship) Bonavista (1825 ship) SS Borussia (1912) MV Bowbelle (1964) Boyd (1783 ship) SS Brick Quinto; SS Brighton (1903) MV Brisbane Star
First World War memorial in Kilkenny, Ireland, giving "Donkeyman" as a rank; such a man was the operator of a steam donkey aboard a merchant ship.. The following equivalent ratings in the Merchant Navy were those officially recognised by the National Maritime Board for British Merchant Navy ocean-going cargo vessels carrying up to six passengers in 1919, 1943, and 1964.
The following Merchant Navy ships were requisitioned, as Ships Taken Up From Trade . Liners SS Canberra 44,807 GRT – equipped with helicopter pad [ 6 ] and carried personnel of the 3rd Commando Brigade to San Carlos on 21 May.