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It is on my uncles headstone, he died during the war serving on a Dutch Ship, they looked after his grave up until his mother died, they also paid for all lthe plot and funeral etc. Much obliged for any input at all. Regards Liz

Liz I may not be much help, but have you tried googling? KV seems to be something to do with dutch submarines. Good luck. Angela

Could it be matroos, which I think is sailor or seaman in Dutch?

Could it be the name of his ship? Like SS Ashbury, but in Dutch? Jay

Hi, Thanks everyone, don't know what I was thinking in typing Matrass, of course it should have been Matroos KV. I too found that it mainly meant Sailor and that the KV was a submarine, I need to establish exactily what's what. He drowned in dry Dock in Runcorn in 1944, have a paper cutting about his death, but seems that all the evidence was conflicting about how he came to be in the water. I also found on one of athe MI sites another headstone in Newcastle with the same inscription on. Total mystery, can't send for his Naval documents until I establish ship etc. Any further ideas most welcome. Liz x

Liz, the KV (a submarine) was decommissioned in 1937. By 1944 Holland was an 'occupied' country so no longer had its own Navy. If your Uncle was still a serving seaman he may have been in the RN.. depending, of course, on how good his English was. Perhaps he was working in some other capacity? Have a look at this web site:- www(.)dutchsubmarines(.)com M. Steer

Hi Margaret, Appreciate your information, I saw that KV was decommissioned in 1939. Uncle Jack was definitely on a Dutch Ship, his gravestone is written in Dutch, was maintained by the Dutch. Jack was 18 when he died, one of many RN personel to be deployed to other Allied ships. Jack died in May 1944 in Runcorn docks, he fell? from the ship whilst it was in dry dock, and altho' in English waters he was deemed to be on Dutch land under their flag on the ship. He was English not Dutch. I found a site with a lists of all British Seamen serving on Dutch vessels during the WW2, but can't seem to find it now, there are plenty of sites but all in Dutch, which -pardon the pun - is Double Dutch to me. Mysterys galore in my family searches. Liz x

Liz, found this:- KV apart from being a class of submarine is a Dutch Military Medal. Kruis van Verdienste (Cross of Merit) I believe it was awarded to Merchant Seamen. M. Steer

Hi Margaret, Well that is a strong possibility, his headstone says (all in Dutch) KONINKRIJK DERNEDERLANDEN JE MC MCARTHY MATROOS K.V 11.11.1925 21.05.1944 So as you can see Matroos K.V may mean Sailor with medal, they spelt his name wrong - it should have been J. E McCarthy, Have tried to look in the Dutch dictionary for meanings but so many different alternatives, as I said in one of the added messages, there was also another one in Newcastle with the same sort of Inscription. Regards Liz x

Hi Sara, Thanks for that input, I had all the translation for everying other than the KV, these initials are a puzzle as they seem to cover so many different meanings. Do you have any idea what the KV would stand for - have already been advised by Margaret it could be Dutch Military Medal. Regards Liz

Liz, just a thought - why not try contacting the Dutch Embassy? M. Steer

Hi Margaret, I've had a PM from someone who lives out in the Netherlands, she says that she thinks your right about the medal, says she will email me a picture of it and other information which is great. I will let you know what the outcome is, thank you for all your help Margaret and of course all the other folk who helped too. Regards Liz x

Hi According to the list of dutch awards the K.V was introduced in feb 1941 and is short for Kruis van Verdienste the Cross of Merit Hope this helps Stew