I am researching the Simmons family for a relative. There are two men by the name of Robert Simmons who were both in the Royal Navy. In a previous post, PhiloNauticus outlined the career of one of them for me. Now I am looking at his father, also Robert Simmons, who was a gunner. I have a service record of the ships he sailed on. In his death notice in the Sherborne Mercury 16 November 1829, it stated that he was "the author of a very useful book on Naval Gunnery". I was just wondering if this could be "The Sea-gunner's Vade Mecum" published in 1812?

Thank you PhiloNauticus for all the information. I would never have been able to discover all that myself.

There were no ‘service records’ for this period.  If you were not a commissioned officer, then tracing someone is very difficult.  You know that he was onboard HMS Hero in 1809 – the ship’s pay books would show when he joined and when he left that ship.

I note that he listed as a Volunteer for his 1809 medal – a Volunteer was ‘…a young Gentleman intended for the Sea Service…’   This basically meant that he was a boy/teenager, and  he would have expected to achieve a commission as an officer.
This clearly did not happen.

He became a Warrant Officer in 1829 by becoming a Purser – in the Navy at this time, this meant that he was responsible for the ships stores and provisions and from 1825 for pay. This shift in role eventually meant that the rank of Purser was first amended to Paymaster/Purser and later the latter term was dropped

Because he was now of Warrant rank, he is shown in published Navy Lists.

These show that he became a Purser 17 August 1829 and from then he is shown in the annual Lists.  These show the following -

Appointed HMS BRITOMART 22 November 1830
December 1830 – transferred to HMS GANNET
Reported arriving back in England from Jamaica in June 1832 onboard the transport ship Rosslyn Castle
No appointment 1833 - 34
Appointed HMS NIMROD 21 September 1835 where he remained until 1837
No appointments listed after that
May 1849 made Paymaster & Purser
Placed on the Retired List 10 June 1852
Last listed in 1862, which presumes he must have died 1862-63.

I also note [which you probably know] the marriage of Robert Simmonds, purser, in 1839 =
https://devon-cat.swheritage.org.uk/records/DEX/7/b/1/1839/276

I am researching the career of Robert Simmons, born c. 1794 who went to sea at a young age and received a Basque Roads medal for being on the ship Hero. The only other piece of information that I have about his career is a copy of a document which he signed in 1834, stating his age as 39, his service in the navy being 29 years and his willingness to be on a register of people available to be called upon to serve if needed. I received that last bit of info from the Discovery catalogue in the National Archives. Is there a simple way of getting his record? Sorry for being stupid. I am new to this forum

I am trying to fill in a 3-4 year gap in my late father's life. 

He arrived in Perth, Australia, from Ceylon, on board an aircraft (G-AGKU) on 23 April 1945, before travelling to Sydney.  In Sydney ha was attached to the Royal Australian Navy in the Sydney suburb of Randwick.  He married on 31 December 1945 before being sent to Hong Kong in January 1946, returning to Australia December 1947.

On the official arrival papers, he and a number of other passengers are listed as Mr. and under "Profession, Occupation or Calling" as R.N.

Other than these broad facts I have no other information and to my recollection he never spoke of what why he came to Australia and what was his role in HK.

Any information greatly appreciated,

ozrugg

I did do a Google search in the past but did not find anything. But this time I entered, Record made at USO WW2, and a lot of information came up.

From what I understand so far. During WW2, the USO enabled service members in the USA to record 1minute messages on to 5 inch or 78rpm Voice letter record to send home. Often produced in partnership with companies like Pepsi Cola, these letters on record were recorded in booths and mailed to loved ones.

I have read that in England they were known as Voices of the Forces. But I do not know anything about that at this time. Does anyone know about this in Britain or the Royal Navy outside of the USA?

USA Social welfare organizations formed the United Service Organization (USO) in February 1941 (non for profit). Many USO clubs popped up across the USA with many volunteers. I have a post card, which my father collected in the USA, showing the type of thing that was going on.

Philip L

My father, Norman Lock, was in the Royal Navy during WW2. There is an entry in my father's 1943 Diary under 3rd of October 1943. Had a record made at U.S.O. which they are sending home. This is in Photo 5. Does anyone know what a record made at U.S.O is?

I have included 4 other 1943 Diary entries as they may be of interest in relation to the amount paid in American dollars and a trip to Washington, USA while on leave.

Philip L

Services No Longer Required?

Found this on https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=295292.0

Have you tried the National Archives records of Naval Pensions?  I don't know what info these records contain  but perhaps it has some details which you seek. Looks as if you'd have to go to Kew to see them as they're not all digitised yet.
 See https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=Naval+pensions&_p=1800

Hi all,

I’m currently researching a vessel that was transferred to the Royal Navy in the early days of the war under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement. I’m trying to identify which ADM series record vessel armaments for this period.

From previous research on First World War vessels, I know that sources such as 'the Appropriation List of Gun Mounts' and 'the List of His Majesty’s Ships Showing Their Armaments' are found in the ADM 186 series. Is there an equivalent ADM series that covers ship armaments for Second World War vessels?