Very interesting and good to see the photos.
My own family have long naval links too. My mother's family have been officers in the Navy or Marines since 1775 - and possibly before. My great-great-great-grandfather (think thats the right number of greats!) was also at Trafalgar. He was the senior Marine officer with Nelson's Fleet and went on to become a Major-General. He also commanded the Woolwich Division of Marines in the 1840s. His father was also an officer in the Marines and was present at the Battle of Bunker Hill in the American Revolutionary War. According to family legend in later life he was briefly responsible for the care of George III during his second bout of madnes. No idea if thats true!
My maternal grandfather was a Rear-Admiral. His three sons and my mother all joined the navy. My father was the first of his family to become a naval officer. He met and married my mother when she was an officer in the WRNS. Upon getting married my mother had to leave the WRNS - things were very different then! My father had quite an eventful service career - mainly in the Far East. He was on the cruiser HMS London when she tried to fight her way up the Yangtze River to rescue HMS Amethyst in 1949.
After their service in the RN two of my uncles transferred to the RNZN and had careers there. Two of my New Zealand cousins followed them into the RNZN and one of them is still serving.
And I'm the end of the line. I enjoyed my service but I don't think my young son will go into the navy. He's not in the least bit interested. Not that there will be any navy left for him to join by the time he's old enough to do so!
I've found some more information about your two MLs. They had fairly standard service lives and there is nothing to suggest any reason why so many tallies should be in existence for either of them.
529 was built by James Miller of St. Manance, Scotland. She commissioned on 14th July 1942 and was commanded by C.C. Campbell RNVR between 18th August 1942 and 22nd December 1945, when she was paid off.
495 was built by William Weatherhead of Cockenzie, Scotland. Ordered 27th August 1941 and commissioned in May 1942. I can't find any details off when she paid off.
Pete
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