Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914-18 (William J. Capp)

Unique name: William J. Capp is a unique name amongst the extant Medal Index Cards for the Mercantile Marine War Medal held at The National Archives

Medal(s) verification: William John Capp, is confirmed entitled to the award of the Mercantile Marine War Medal and the British War Medal (silver issue) per the respective Mercantile Marine Medal Index Cards held and accessible at The National Archives, reference file series BT 351/1/20982

Reference the Absent Voters Lists for London, 1918 & 1919, William J. Capp is included showing a residency address at, 77 Ramsden Road, London, S.W.12, and described as Seaman serving on H.M.T. 'Corsican'. Merchant Navy Board of Trade records (including a very good photograph of the recipient) held at The National Archives, confirm William;s service as a 'Steward' aboard the Corsican 1918-1919

H.M.T. Corsican: The 11,419-ton steamship was built at the shipyard, Barclay, Curle and Co. Ltd. of Glasgow, and launched in April 1907. She was used in passenger and cargo traffic between Canada and the UK. The Corsican was the identical sister ship of the Grampian and the Hesperian, both of which were built by Alexander Stephen and Sons. Up to this point in time, these three steamers were the largest vessels in the history of the Allan Line. From April 1914, The Corsican made four Glasgow to Montréal roundtrips before being taken over as a troopship in August carrying troops from Southampton to Le Havre. She then resumed transatlantic voyages and carried, among others, the first Newfoundland Regiment to leave St. John’s for Europe on October 27, 1915, on her decks. During her military service, she became part of the property of the newly named Canadian Pacific Steamships Ocean Services Ltd. when the acquisition of the Allan Line was completed on 16 July 1917. On August 24, 1918, The Corsican re-entered its commercial service, on the route London-Quebec-Montreal and from 30 January 1919 she returned to the route Liverpool-Saint John. On 16 November 1922, The Corsican was renamed The Marvale and her passenger capacity was reduced to the third grade. Over the next three years, The Marvale served Canada from London, Glasgow, Liverpool and Antwerp. A major refitting in 1922 left her with a new passenger accommodation configuration (cabin/third)

William John Capp, son of William John Capp (a 'Cook') and Jessie Capp (nee ) was a native of Rotherhithe, Surrey, England, where he was born in 1893. Inter-war Merchant Navy / Board of Trade records 1921-1934 (File Series BT349), for William John Capp, show him holding various rates, including Assistant Steward & 3rd Pantryman, and having made numerous voyages, including aboard the White Star Line vessels S.S. 'Antonia' & S.S. 'Corinthic'

The recipients Mercantile Marine War Service Medal index card, and post 1920 British Merchant Seamans photograph ID cards are extant & held at The National Archives

Condition: About EF

Code: 24269