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[SaltireGold]

I am new to this forum so please bear with me.

I am trying to write up my uncle Edwin Rupert John Shipman’s naval service for our family history. His eldest daughter who does not have a computer or access to the internet has provided me with a copy of her fathers Certificate of the Service where it lists his Official Number as JX.247404 Port Division - Portsmouth.

There are quite a few things I am struggling with and wondered if anyone can help me please.

1. I have tried to find my uncle’s service record on various sites but  not been able to find an online copy of it, is there some restriction on dates or am I looking in wrong place?
2. Is there anyway I can get more information on what my uncle was doing when in Egypt at these various shore bases and on the LCI HMS Glengyle?
3. There are some abbreviations which I do not understand under Swimming qualifications (NRIC YRJM 132836)
4. Under medals and clasps “S1073 Serial No 311875 issued” does that mean he received a medal or clasp?
5. Next to the last date 24 Jan 1946 in the column Cause of Discharge….is stamped [Released in Class “A”], what does this mean?
6.  Under “Wounds received section is WS1 3 and WS1 4, what does this mean?

What I have been able to ascertain so far is as follows:

He was posted at a number of shore bases, I have listed them in the spreadsheet below/attached:
Starting at HMS Ganges training and by the dates I would assume that he was one of the first waves of "Hostilities Only New Entry Training”.
Then after a few weeks posting at HMS Victory, Portsmouth he was posted to HMS Stag (Division K) Egypt and various other posting between Mar 1941- Jul 1943.
Then he was posted to HMS Claverhouse (BV42), Inchkeith, Firth of Forth, Scotland, one of three boom defence vessels safeguarding the Firth of Forth. On 22 Dec 1943, BV.42 was lost to an internal explosion at Leith, the following day my uncle was posted to HMS Claverhouse (BV.18) until Jul 1945 before returning to HMS Victory and then spending two months at HMS Northney III on Hayling Island(I believe this was used by the Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP) before returning to HMS Victory to be discharged.

Any help with above questions and any detail particularly around the time he spent in Egypt and Northney III is welcome.

[PhiloNauticus]

In response to your first point - service records are not on line, so searching will not find them.   They have to be requested from MoD, as detailed elsewhere on this site, by a relative.   This has evidently been done by his daughter.

[PhiloNauticus]

Question – although you give his rating, what was his trade or specialisation?  It would be indicated on his service record – that will help with what he was doing

Q2 – difficult to say without knowing what he was trained for !

Glengyle, for example, was a landing ship, and her wartime career is well documented on the internet, but he was only onboard for a very brief period, when she was at Suez
HMS Stag (Division K) – Stag was the name of the shore establishment in Egypt, with various outposts – I believe the K indicated Kabrit.  This became HMS Saunders.   See: 

https://www.combinedops.com/Training%20Signals%20HMS%20Saunders.htm

https://www.combinedops.com/Training%20CTC%20Middle%20East.htm

Q4 – I think it is S1075 ?  I think that was the medal form, listing the medals he was entitled to.  He would probably have received the campaign medals – 1939-45 Star ; Africa Star; 1939 – 45 War Medal.

Q5 - Class A release meant that he was discharged, but was still subject to recall in an emergency

Q6 – WSI – not a wound, but in this case pay.  It will be WSI = War Service Increment – not WS1.  From 1945 naval personnel were entitled to extra pay for having served for 3 years or more during the conflict.    In this case, I would suggest that WSI 3 it indicated he was shown getting extra for 3 years, and then WSI 4 for 4 years. 

[SaltireGold]

Many thanks for your very informative feedback. To assist I have uploaded my uncle's Service Record to help unpin and clarify some of my questions and your response to some of those.

My uncle was a plasterer by trade before he signed on, I am hoping that some of the abreviations in the SR will assist someone in providing a little more colour around what his role was in the navy and especially when he was in Egypt.

[SaltireGold]

My previous reply had four attachments but I could only see the last one when my reply was posted on the message board, this post contains the other three pages of my uncle's service record.

[PhiloNauticus]

 JX 247404 indicates that he was in the Seaman Branch – this could include gunners, torpedomen, boom defence etc – but as the 'non-substantive' column has been left blank, so we have no way of knowing.    Seamen were responsible for a range of duties - helmsman / working anchors and cables / manning boats / keeping the ship clean / etc   
 
BTW - On the last page ‘passed ET2’ means passed Educational Test No.2 – this was a basic exam in English and Maths
 

[SaltireGold]

I did see on one site that the J was for Seaman and Communications the X was introduced to differentiate ratings pay after First World War. but  could not see anything else on his service record which would give a clue as to what role he had onboard ship.

Also I found a site where E.T.2 was explained was used to promote Boys to Ordinary Seamen would that be correct? Most exams are structured towards some qualification and hopefully that would be recognised in pay somewhere along the way in the navy.

Regarding medals is there anyway of know whether he received them or not? I also assume that his next of Kin would have to apply for them if they were not issued or are lost?

Do you know anything about the Swimming Qualifications, my question 3)?

You have been most helpful in filling in some of the gaps I had.

It would be good to know about his role in Egypt and Hayling island as Landing craft seems to be the thread running through all of his postings including his brief time spent on HMS Glengyle.

[PhiloNauticus]

ET2 - yes, it was necessary for a promotion - I would have said from Ordinary Seaman to Able Seaman - and going up a rank would mean a bit more pay.   There was another after that, ET1, which was necessary for promotion to Leading Seaman

Swimming - sorry, can't help with that

Medals - there is no way of knowing whether he actually claimed them - many did not.  It is possible for next of kin to apply for unclaimed or lost medals. 

The MoD states that -
  "...If the veteran has died, you must be the official next of kin. The general rules for the official next of kin are:
•   the person’s spouse or civil partner has the first claim to the medal, and then the eldest child
•   if there’s no spouse or child, the parent is entitled to apply
•   if there’s no spouse, child or parent, the eldest grandchild is entitled to apply
How to apply
Download and fill in the medal application form -
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/749392/MODMO_0001.pdf


But before doing that, it might be worth contacting the Medal Office first, and enquire - see

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/824260/Medals_Office_Leaflet_06-19.pdf

[SaltireGold]

Thank you again for clarifying the position and how to apply for my uncle's medals, I will forward the form and the details on how to make the application to my cousin who as his eldest daughter is his next of Kin.

I appreciate the heads up on the ET.2 and explanation but the dates don't fit with the rest of his record as he was made up to Able Seaman while in Egypt 9 Sep 1941 but the examination pass date for ET.2 was 17 Mar 1944, seems not to fit.

Is there anyone else on the forum who might know what the swimming qualifications mean?

I found a little more information related to AB Edwin RJ Shipman in the Rushden Echo and Argue of 5th November 1943 about his time in Leith.

The Rushden Echo and Argus, 5th November, 1943, transcribed by Gill Hollis, transcribed by Gill Hollis

First to Greet Repatriates - Distinction Claimed by Rushden Sailor

  The distinction of being the first person to greet the repatriated prisoners of war from Germany at Leith last week is claimed by a Rushden man, A.B. Edward Shipman, of the Royal Navy.

  In a letter home A.B. Shipman writes: “I consider myself to have been the first to greet them on arrival at Leith.  This was done through a loud ‘hailer’ as they came on.  I got what I considered to be the loudest cheer when I told them what was waiting for them at the dockside – cigarettes, beer, chocolate, fruit and tea on tap.”

  The fact that his voice was the first the returning Britons heard was confirmed by Pte. Sidney Hare, R.A.M.C., of Higham Ferrers, who was among them.

  A.B. Shipman is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Shipman, of 87, Hayway, Rushden, and has been with the Navy for three years.  He has seen service overseas but was brought back to this country on account of ill health, and is at present serving with the Home Fleet.