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[Boomerang]

Hello all,

I just acquired by Great Grandfathers service record. I interpret this as telling me was in the Royal Navy for 22 years : 1905-1927.
The record shows him serving on many ship or bases over this time and progressing from BS2L (?) to CPO.
During WW1, it says he was posted to HMS Dido. I understand it was a 'depot ship'. During this time he was a Leading Seaman and then a "PO" (I assume Petty Officer) - after the "PO" is has in brackets (n.s) - would this be 'non-substansive' ?

There's a number of other notes on the record that I will be trying to interpret later. Including a stamp with handwriting spaces in it :
"PAID WAR GRATUITY"
"HMS Dido LLIST 89"
"Rattlesnake"

I am tryiing to gain an appreciation for what type of work he may have been involved in during this period.

thanks in advance,

Stuart

[PhiloNauticus]

War Gratuity was an extra payment for those who had served for more than 6 months in uniform

The 'List' number just refers to a pay list

Rattlesnake was a destroyer:

http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/H.M.S._Rattlesnake_(1910)

PO - Petty Officer

CPO - Chief Petty Officer

ns - non-substantive

BS2 = Boy Seaman, second class

If you post up his ships/rates etc or could attach a copy of the record, it can be de-ciphered

[Boomerang]

Hello PhiloNauticus,

thank you for the information. I read up on the Boy seaman Class 1 and Class 2 which he started with, and I have started to try and navigate my way around the different ships and the bases. I sincerely appreciate your help and any direction on resources that are around. I have the intent to create a more deeper history 'story' to share based on the record and the names of the ships/places and dates.

I have attached his record.

Regards,

Stuart

[PhiloNauticus]

He was evidently a Gunner - GL.III = gunlayer 3rd class

 He seems to have moved around a lot! As far as I can see from his record:

PEMBROKE – I         21 Nov 1904 – 11 Jan 1905
BOSCAWEN III         12 Jan 05   4 May 05
HAWKE            5 May 05   10 Sep 05
VICTORY I          11 Sep 05   1 Jan 06
KING ALFRED         2 Jan 06   14 Mar 07
ALACRITY         15 Mar 07   1 May 07
KING ALFRED         2 May 07   10 May 07
ALACRITY         11 May 07   27 Sep 08
CRESCENT         28 Sep 08   11 Dec 08
VICTORY I         12 Dec 08   13 Feb 09
EXCELLENT         14 Feb 09   22 Oct 09
BLAKE            23 Oct 09   28 Feb 11
ST GEORGE         1 Mar 11   24 Apr 11
EXCELLENT         25 Apr 11   13 May 11
VERNON         14 May 11   28 Mar 12
HECLA            29 Mar 12   30 Apr 12
TOPAZE II         1 May 12   31 Jun 12
MINERVA II         1 Aug 12   28 Aug 13
DIDO            29 Aug 13   19 Aug 18
VERNON         20 Aug 18   4 Jan 19
VICTORY X  (for RATTLESNAKE)   5 Jan 19   31 Mar 19
DIDO (for RATTLESNAKE)   1 Apr 19   31 Aug 19
DIDO (for OPHELIA)      1 Sep 19   16 Oct 19
VICTORY I         17 Oct 19   3 Feb 20
VERNON         4 Feb 20   17 Aug 20
COLUMBINE (for SPENSER)   18 Aug 20   14 Sep 24
VICTORY I         15 Sep 24   17 Oct 24

PEMBROKE                     dates not reproduced
BOSCAWEN III
HAWKE
VIVID
DONEGAL
MONMOUTH
AMPHITRITE
VIVID
DEFIANCE
VIVID
DEFIANCE
VIVID II
…joined…?
CAESAR
DEFIANCE
ROYAL ARTHUR
VIVID I
DEFIANCE
VERNON


... I will post a bit of info / links on each if I can

[PhiloNauticus]

PEMBROKE – RN barracks at Chatham
BOSCAWEN III – Boys training ship at Harwich: an old battleship of 1865 she was renamed GANGES in 1906
http://www.harwichanddovercourt.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/boscawen-iii.jpg

HAWKE – cruiser, serving as a training ship
See:  https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/ship.php?ShipID=3555

VICTORY – RN Barracks, Portsmouth
KING ALFRED – armoured cruiser; she was on the China Station 1906-07
ALACRITY – despatch vessel on the China Station
   http://www.worldnavalships.com/directory/shipinfo.php?ShipID=1771

CRESCENT – cruiser; serving with Home Fleet at Portsmouth 1909
 https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/ship.php?ShipID=1249

EXCELLENT – gunnery training school, Portsmouth

BLAKE - cruiser, converted to a Destroyer Depot Ship:
https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_blake.htm

ST GEORGE – cruiser; converted to Destroyer Depot Ship
 See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_St_George_(1892)
https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/ship.php?ShipID=1249

HECLA – destroyer depot ship:
 http://www.worldnavalships.com/depot_ships.htm#WW1 Destroyer Depot Ships

TOPAZE cruiser, used as a depot ship
 https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/ship.php?ShipID=4496

MINERVA cruiser; used as a depot ship
https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/ship.php?ShipID=1442

DIDO – cruiser, used as a depot ship
http://www.worldnavalships.com/directory/shipinfo.php?ShipID=771
RATTLESNAKE destroyer
https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/ship.php?ShipID=352

OPHELIA destroyer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ophelia_(1915)

SPENSER – destroyer
 https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/shakespeare_class1.htm

[Boomerang]

Thanks again for the wealth of information !

I am trying to locate a photo I have of my G-Grandfather - in his uniform. I may only have a hardcopy that is not with me in my current location. I recall it having a crossed cannons insignia, and a ships wheel insignia.

Is there a source of the ships logs ? So that I can see where the ships he served on, went and what they did ?

Regards,

Stuart

[PhiloNauticus]

Ships Logs are held by the National Archives at Kew. 

You can search here:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/advanced-search

If you insert the name of the ship in as 'Exact word'    -  insert  ADM 53 in 'any of the references' 

....warning: there are a lot of them...

[Boomerang]

oh yes - that is a lot of records. Unfortunately none are digitised.
I will look at the options and see if there is away to at least get one or two that are highly relevant.

Thanks again for the guidnece.

Regards

Stuart