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Author Topic: My Father's war record  (Read 1399 times)

peterb59

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My Father's war record
« on: 26 February 2025 12:29:10 pm »
Hello. Just joined this forum as I have come across my father's RN service record. His name was Eric Blunt and there are 3 numbers on his certificate, JX247510, MX88406, and MX75992. He served from December 1941 to April 1946 as an engineer.
I looked up all the ships in his record and was surprised to see that there was only one that was and actual floating ship, HMS Tyne, the rest were shore bases. He served in West Africa (Freetown) and in the Far East. There appears to be no record of how he got there, I am guessing when they were being transported to a new posting the ship was not counted. He has HMS Drake immediately before Freetown and before Sydney.

Was this a common assurance for engineers? He rarely spoke about his time in the Navy apart from odd tales about conditions in Sierra Leone. This is the list. I am just interested in anything that would paint a picture of these years. Thanks

30/12/1940   19/03/1941   HMS Ganges
20/03/1941   04/04/1941   HMS Drake
05/04/1941   21/07/1941   HMS Collingwood II ?
22/07/1941   25/07/1941   HMS Victory V
26/07/1941   24/10/1941   HMS Drake
25/10/1941   25/11/1941   HMS Eaglet
26/11/1941   05/07/1942   HMS Eaglet
06/07/1942   27/08/1942   HMS Drake
28/08/1942   25/11/1942   HMS Eland
26/11/1942   01/15/1944   HMS Eland
02/05/1944   01/08/1945   HMS Drake
02/08/1945   03/10/1945   HMS Golden Hind
04/10/1945   07/11/1945   HMS Tyne
08/11/1945   25/11/1945   HMS Golden Hind
26/11/1945   07/12/1945   HMS Golden Hind
08/12/1945   02/04/1946   HMS Drake
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PhiloNauticus

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Re: My Father's war record
« Reply #1 on: 26 February 2025 05:12:38 pm »

The numbers are confusing - on joining he would have been issued with a Service Number, and this would not normally be changed - JX indicated Seaman branch on post-1925 pay scales, whilst MX was for other, or Miscellaneous branches, including Engineers

It was normal practice, if being drafted to a foreign base that he would have remained 'on the books' of his previous base until he arrived. This was to ensure continuity of pay etc., as he would not have been counted as part of the ship's company of the ship he was taking passage in.

re: the Ships - are there other names in brackets on his record?
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