Hi there,
I'm new to this, so bare with me.  I'm comparing my grandfathers navy record to his payroll record.  There are a couple times where he was marked as "duty" on the payroll ledger.  What does that mean?  One of the times is during a period when he was presumed dead.  His ship sank and his mail was returned.  I have the message from Admiralty inquiring if he had died.  The Mediterranean c in c responded and said no he was at Afrikander, which I know was a shore base in South Africa.  But during this time frame of "missing". His payroll bounces around from campgrounds, shore bases and "duty".  It's during a time when we thought he was a POW, during the take over of Tobruk (1942). 
Would really like to know when payroll would use the term duty?  Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thank you.  I was thinking the photo was taken around 1933 or just after because a couple of the photos have my grandparents in and they married in 1933 and in one photo I think I can see my grandfather's wedding ring.  Come 1935 their first child was born and the photos tend to be child orientated after that.  If only people would write names on the back of their photos!

I know people joined the army for WWII, did they join the Royal Navy in the same way
Yes, people could wait to be 'called up' or could volunteer.

Just another thought on trying to fix this a little more – LS & GC medals were awarded for 15 years’ service, from the age of 17 and a half – so the earliest age it could be given is 32. 

Assuming that this is a pre-war photo, and because he has no WW1 medals, then this would suggest that the photo was taken between 1933 and 1939. 
Counting  back, this means that he would probably have been 17 [and a half] between 1918 and 1924.  Counting back from then, suggests a birth year between 1901 – 1907.

 

Thank you.  I know the right arm is out of view.  I thought it was a strange pose too.  Not exactly showing off his uniform and medal etc.  I had been searching from 1940 afterwards from the other information given to me, but my instinct was 1930s due to other photos taken in the same garden with other members of the family.  I will start trawling pre war  I know people joined the army for WWII, did they join the Royal Navy in the same way or was that a less conscripted service?  thank you for your help.  I'm hoping that if I can identify him then it unblocks clues to the other family photos.

There is little to be gained from the photo - his branch badge, showing his trade/job is on his right arm, but cannot be seen clearly in the photo.   He is wearing a single medal, which may be the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal [blue with white edges] - problem with that is that it was introduced in 1848, and is still being issued, so there are thousands of recipients. I am not aware of one source that would help with that, but perhaps one of the genealogical sites may help? - see also the Wiki page on the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848)

As to the date - I think this is almost certainly pre-war, probably mid/late 1930s.   He has three good conduct badges - each one represents four years service, so he has done a minimum of 12 years time - plus he has what could be a LS&GC medal, which is awarded after 15 years service.   If this was taken in the 1950s, he would certainly have wartime service medals  - which he does not.   The photo would fit someone who joined the Royal Navy after  WW1 but before WW2.

Your advice on the cap was not strictly correct.  Before the early 1950s ratings had two hats - white for summer and black for winter, although during WW2 only black caps were worn.  So  the  photo could well date from the 1930s, taken during the summer, which seems to be correct, as he is sitting in a deckchair...

 
 

Thanks for your reply.  I wasn't expecting anyone to be able to identify him but wondered if there was any additional information that an expert might be able to spot from the uniform that might give me another avenue of research.  I must admit that I thought the photo would have been taken in the 1930s given other photos in the album taken in the same garden feature people who would have been the right age for it to be the 1930s but having been told it was a post WWII uniform I had dismissed that.  Is there a list of those who received the long service & good conduct medal that I may be able to search to see if I can find a match at all.  Royal Navy records do not seem to be as prolific as those for the army.

To be blunt, without a name, there is little more that can be said - your local family history group are correct - it is a photo of a Petty Officer; three good conduct badges and a medal;  perhaps post WW-2, although possibly 1930s - but with no name, he could be anyone....

Thank you for allowing me to join.  I am researching my family history and have some photos, some I can identify, others I can't.  The attached photo was taken in the same garden as others in my collection and I therefore would guess this gentleman is a relative.  The local family history group have told me that he is a petty officer in the Royal Navy and has the long service and good conduct medal, along with the related stripes.  I am also told that because his cap is white on the top that it must be post WWII.  That is pretty much the sum of what I know.  Family names include Maslen, Stevens, Smart, Phillips and Hazell.  Family hails from All Cannings/Devizes, Wiltshire, Bath and Portishead (though my gut tells me this is not from the Portishead side of the family).

I have trawled FMP and Ancestry and anything else I can find online but can't find anything that could be classed as a best guess.

Any assistance would be greatly received.

From Manual of Seamanship 1937. By authority of the Lords commissioners of the Admiralty. 1941 Edition. Volume one.

Morse Code (and Semaphore).

Page 39. Naval signaling with Plate 12. Already posted in reply 2.

Photo 1. Page 40-41. Instructions relating to Semaphore.

Page 42-43. Semaphore signs and significations. Already posted in reply 1.

Photo 2. Page 44-45. Morse code.

Photo 3. Page 46-47. Morse symbols.

Photo 4. Page 48-49. Procedure signs.

Photo 5. Page 50-51. Notes on learning the Morse Alphabet.

Philip L

hi
thanks for that .unfortunately dad died in 1998 so not around to ask and he spoke little about his time in the war . his record's do not seem to tally in some plaices with what he told me and the pictures that we have at home from that time . so its difficult to join the 2 together. i knew he was trained initially at hms Ganges . but then it changes as he told me he then went to Scotland to train on acdics .from there he  went to africa . went by train across africa to meet his ship. He caught malaria .that kind of fits .but then it changes he was on a sub that sank .he was injured had a plate put in his chest .then spent remainder on a cargo ship transporting cattle around the med .on the surface .but was actually moving gold to pay the locals for supplies .idea being a cattle ship was a low priority target and would be left alone. have picture of the ship with him standing at the one gun on board that it had for defence.so its the sagitta bit that dose not really tally and having looked at other written records his contains nothing .they all seem to list each time they change ship . his nothing basically 3 pay or ratings changes .that's it not even a description of what he looked like or any medals he received even though we have them at home .I've waited 25 years to be able to look at his records and know have more questions than when i started .but thanks for the help