Royal Navy Research Archive Forums

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Advanced Search  
Pages: 1 ... 7 8 [9] 10
 81 
 on: 29 August 2023 08:16:54 am 
Started by ArthurM - Last Post by ArthurM
During World War 2 my father, William Jesse Moore, was a Colour Sergeant in the Royal Marines
From September 1943 to August 1944 he was listed as Portsmouth Division and the next line on his service record is 18 August – 4 November: HBL (which I believe is Home Based Ledger), RH Tiger Group.
From 5 November he is listed as Braganza, which I take to be HMS Braganza, the shore base in Bombay and he was there until 16 January 1946.  It sounds a fairly hellish posting.  There were several service deaths from illness; RM O’Halloran died of heat stroke in June 1945, although he was only 36 years old; and I know my father caught malaria there and from then on had a lifelong hatred of eating rice!
Can anyone tell me what RH Tiger Group means?
When he is listed as posted to Braganza would that mean he is actually in India, or could he be in transit to this posting, or is the RH Tiger Group his movement from the UK to Bombay? 
Thanks for your help, Arthur 

 82 
 on: 18 August 2023 07:28:18 am 
Started by AlexHants - Last Post by AlexHants
Hello, I’m new to the forum and I’m hoping somebody can help.  I have searched the forum before posting this, but I can’t see to find the answers.
My friend recently passed away and I would like to find out more about his discharge from the Royal Navy in the 1950’s.  He was discharged for homosexuality and I understand he had a ‘choice’ of a custodial sentence, or treatment, and I believe he chose the latter to avoid bringing shame on his mother.
The attached ‘Remarks’ section of his records detail the SNLR, but I can’t find out what any of the other terms and abbreviations are.  I would be very grateful if somebody can advise!

 83 
 on: 14 August 2023 04:44:08 pm 
Started by Adyc - Last Post by Adyc
Hello,

I am new here and am doing some research for a friend of mine's grandad who served in WW2. I am fairly familiar wit military records but am wondering how to view which ships they served on, is this purely via their service record?
Any help would be much appreciated, as I say RN records are fairly unfamiliar.

 84 
 on: 12 August 2023 11:27:15 am 
Started by kenm - Last Post by Audie
James Hilton Alston
The following details come from the Royal Navy Artificer Apprentice class lists.  These were handwritten in large ledger books, and at one time they were kept near to the Captain’s Office in HMS Fisgard in Torpoint.
James Alston was in Benbow Division.
His trade is given as Fitter and Turner (E)
Official Number MX 52225
He was rated Engine Room Artificer 5th Class (Leading Hand equivalent) on 1st January 1940
He was discharged on 6th January 1940, and allocated to Devonport.

Artificer Apprentices at Chatham from January 1932 were accommodated in the Old Detention Quarters, which was renamed Fisgard Block.  They were trained in the Mechanical Training Establishment inside HMS Pembroke, RNB Chatham.
In 1939 it became increasing clear that Chatham would be vulnerable to air raids during a future conflict, so plans were made to evacuate Apprentices in the event of war with Germany.  It was decided to construct a new training establishment in Torpoint, East Cornwall.  Temporary accommodation would be provided in Portsmouth and Devonport until such time as this new establishment could be built. 
On 1st September 1939, the order was given to implement the evacuation plans.  Six hours later Apprentices were on the move.  This meant the end of Fisgard Block and of Apprentice Training in the MTE, Chatham.
Following the order to evacuate Fisgard Block, the most senior class, J Class, was drafted to Port Depots to join operational ships, thus missing the last six months of their formal apprenticeship.  Of the remaining classes A, C, E and G Classes were transferred to the Ebenezer and St. Marks Church Halls in Devonport, which had been requisitioned and converted for this purpose.
B, D, F and H Classes moved to HMS Argus, then HMS Frobisher, and then to wooden huts erected in the Naval Barrack, Devonport.  Academic instruction took place within the Barracks and with workshop training in the Dockyard.
The Church Hall accommodation proved to be totally inadequate, so E and G Classes were transferred to the MARSHALL NEY, an old monitor which formed part of the Devonport MTE, in which all Apprentices received instruction.  In December 1939 the Apprenticeship was shortened to four years because of the urgency for trained men at sea in the Fleet.
In February 1940 the Devonport Apprentices were moved into the more acceptable Stoke Dameral High School for Girls (the young ladies had vacated earlier!)  In May 1940 the Devonport Apprentices were joined by Apprentices from Portsmouth.
Also, in 1940 the construction of the new establishment in Torpoint began.  Half the current Apprentice Classes (at Stoke Dameral School) took up residence at the RNATE in Torpoint in July 1940.  The remainder joined them in October 1940.  The Senior Classes remained at Stoke Dameral School when engaged in practical ‘Afloat Party’ at work on ships in the Dockyard until 1942.
Books that explain this are:
‘The Story of HMS Fisgard’ by Lieutenant Philip Payton RN (1983)
‘Sons of Tubal-Cain’ by John North (2019)

 85 
 on: 07 August 2023 07:42:15 pm 
Started by papayranger - Last Post by papayranger
Hi,
New to the forum, so here goes. I am researching the histroy of North hill on Papa Westray, Orkney. Part of the history of the hill is that during the second world war as a precursor to D-Day the hill was shelled from out at sea in readiness for the invasion. I have some local anecdotal info about the shelling, but I dont have any factual information from the Royal Navy postion, which ships were involved, where they shelled the island from and the purpose of the exercise etc..
Any info at all will be very gratefully received or links to who might be best to contact.
Thanks for reading.

Jonathan - Papay ranger

 86 
 on: 27 July 2023 09:40:51 am 
Started by 106500 - Last Post by 106500
I am seeking as much information as possible about John Edward Dolan (known as Jack) a distant relation to me and wonder if readers could help me find more detail on this gentleman. He was a RN Lieutenant Commander in wartime but very sadly left the Navy under a cloud having experienced two Courts Martial. The reasons for his misdemeanours I understand can be attributed to family as he suffered the tragic death of his child (all of who are buried near to me in Cornwall) in the late 1940s. He was awarded the MBE and I had the good fortune to view his medal (photo attached) from his daughter recently. Any assistance would be most welcome as finding out more about Mr Dolan (who I remember well as a child) would be much appreciated by his daughter who is in her 80s now. To us Mr Dolan was a hero and I hope it might be possible to provide comfort to his daughter of anything that might details his experiences.

Thanks for reading this.

Some years in 2019 ago a helpful forum member posted this information:

Apparently joined Royal Navy in 1927 as a Boy Seaman.  Evidently selected for accelerated promotion, as he had reached Warrant rank ten years later.  His career can be traced in Navy Lists after this.

Promoted to rank of Gunner 1 April 1937   
Appointed: HMS St Vincent June 1937   
Appointed: HMS Bridgewater 20 September 1938
Awarded MBE in New Year’s Honours List 1 Jan 1941
Promoted to Acting Lieutenant 31 May 1942   
appointed: HMS Porcupine  1 July 1942
Confirmed Lieutenant, and seniority adjusted to 2 April 1939
Appointed: HMS Lewes  26 January 1943
Appointed:  HMS Renown 25 April 1944
Appointed:  HMS Highflyer  28 March 1945 as an acting Lieutenant Commander
Confirmed Lt Cdr ...1946
Appointed HMS Daedalus … 1947
Appointed HMS Pembroke … 1948

He seems to have ended his career on a low note, with two courts-martial for drunkenness:
August 1947: found guilty by court-martial of five charges of assault, being drunk and generally behaving badly at RAF station Hednesford. Sentence:  severely reprimanded; dismissed his ship.   Evidence was given that he was celebrating “an addition to the family” and the session did not end well…
 March 1948:  found guilty by court-martial of being drunk on duty: severely reprimanded; dismissed his ship; loss of six months seniority. I have no details of this incident

 87 
 on: 15 July 2023 08:49:36 am 
Started by spooks1959 - Last Post by PhiloNauticus

It says Philippeville.  Nowadays known as Skikda

 88 
 on: 14 July 2023 12:36:42 pm 
Started by spooks1959 - Last Post by spooks1959
I am compiling the history of this hospital ship for inclusion in the RN Reach Archive but have encountered an undecipherable port of call on her movement’s card held by the National Archive.

During August to December 1943 she was operating in the Mediterranean calling at, or at anchor in, North African, Italian and Sicilian ports, most of these are identified but one alludes me – see attachments – the place underlined in red are the port of call in question. Can anyone decipher this name and locate it on a map?

 89 
 on: 24 June 2023 04:45:07 am 
Started by Michael Leichsenring - Last Post by Michael Leichsenring
Greetings All.

On reflecting on this matter, I do see two options that could explain this anomaly.

Firstly, a Fulmar from FAA No. 808 Squadron was in fact launched, on a day earlier in the search, i.e. 25 May.

Secondly, one or more aircrew of FAA No. 808 Squadron flew in a Swordfish during the initial search for the Bismarck, and/or during the subsequent attacks launched against the Bismarck.

Can any Member shed any light on this apparent anomaly please?
Kind regards, Michael.

 90 
 on: 14 June 2023 12:32:33 pm 
Started by haryc - Last Post by PhiloNauticus

re: Shore bases
He would not necessarily have been there - they acted as Accounting Bases for small ships, so when you have an entry of St Angelo (Bryony) it means that the admin / paperwork / pay etc was administered by  HMS St Angelo - the shore base at Malta - the name in brackets shows the ship he was on - the corvette Bryony
https://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4724.html

As for the mysterious name, is it possible for you to post up a copy of his service record? Lile doesn't ring any bells, but someone may be able to decipher it if we could actually see it


Pages: 1 ... 7 8 [9] 10