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[clutha]

Can someone tell me if this certificate has enough info to get the WW1 service record of my late father in law, and if so what site to use?

[PhiloNauticus]

I think you may struggle a bit with this: the document produced would indicate that his actual service was with the MMR - mercantile marine reserve.

This consisted of merchant seamen serving on merchant vessels which were requisitioned by the Admiralty - some MMR men also served with the RNR, which appears to be the case from the document.

I believe that WW1 merchant seamen's records are pretty well non-existent.  You could try looking at some of the National Archives sites, for example:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/royalnavalreserve.htm

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/merchantseaman1858-1917.htm

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/merchantseamanafter1917.htm

[clutha]

If the certificate was issued from HMS President VI, how would he end up in the Merchant Navy?

The information from the family is that he was less than truthful about his age when joining up and his son is sure he went to a shore base in Italy.
I can't find any reference to such a place and think he may have meant Malta.

His 'Commencement of War Service' on the cert. is on his 18th birthday. Would he be possibly doing other duties, shore based before he reached 18?

Where would records of RN personnel stationed in Malta be kept.

He was called up at over 40 years old for the RN and served on HMS Carisbrooke Castle.

Thank you for your previous response

[PhiloNauticus]

I would think it means that he was already serving with the Merchant Navy (MMR) and at 18 briefly saw time with the RNR, hence the reference to President, which was not actually a ship, rather it was offices in London which served as the Accounts Base for reserves; President VI was for 'transport services', tugs and the 1919 deployments to Murmansk

Have you tried getting a copy of his service record?