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[colinc]

Hello, newbie here.
I recently received the Record of Service for my uncle, Frank Charles Cheal MX 53210.
He joined as a Scholar/O.A. apprentice in 1936. Anybody know what O.A. means?.
I tried emailing Medals@SPVA.mod.uk to see if he awarded any Long Service medals but the emails aren't sending.
Some of the ships he served on, have (Lauderdale) or (Rotherham) alongside them, any suggestions on this?

Any forthcoming help will be greatly appreciated, thank you.

[PhiloNauticus]

OA = Ordnance Artificer

That means he would be trained to maintain and prepare ordnance [ guns, torpedoes ... things that go bang ]

His service record will show his Accounting Base [a shore establishment, or larger ship] which had the staff to administer things like pay.  The ship he was actually serving on would be noted in the brackets.

If you post his record it may help

[colinc]

Thanks PhiloNauticus.

I've attached the first two sheets which contain most of the information.

On the left hand side of the page, there appears some text, 5AI/1 etc. what does this refer to?

Cheers.

[PhiloNauticus]

Notations on the side like 5A1/32  are Pay List Numbers, likewise, where there are notations like Vict {or Victory} 1-2A or 4-2 they are pay references.

The Trade or Occupation was to show his civilian employment before joining the Navy – he is shown as Scholar, which means he joined the Navy straight from School  at the age of 15.  He then served three years training as  an Apprentice.

He started as an Artificer Apprentice, then steadily progressed upwards, from Ordnance Artificer 5th Class [OA.5], to 1st Class [OA.1] and finally Chief Ordnance Artificer [COA]

Medals – as he served through WW2,  I  would think he would have been entitled to the 1939-45 Star – Atlantic Star - Africa Star – War Medal 1939-45.  He did have his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal as well [noted as LS & GM and  ‘Trace Medal 21.1.54’]

The various shore establishments would have administered his pay etc

PEMBROKE 2           Chatham
DRAKE 2          Plymouth
EXCELLENT       Portsmouth
BOSCAWEN       Portland
ORLANDO        Greenock
HANNIBAL       Initially established at Algiers, then Taranto, Italy
ST ANGELO       Malta
VICTORY III       Portsmouth
VERNON       Portsmouth
OSPREY       Portland
 SEA EAGLE       Londonderry
 CALEDONIA      Rosyth

For the ships he served on –
  GEORGETOWN = destroyer, ex-USS Maddox, transferred under Lend-Lease. 
   (H.C.) – sorry, I cannot explain this one !
 LAUDERDALE  - Hunt class  Escort destroyer
 ROTHERHAM    = R class Destroyer
LIVERPOOL  =  Town class light Cruiser
DUKE of YORK   = Battleship       
DIDO = Dido class light Cruiser
JAMAICA = Colony class light Cruiser
CRISPIN = C class destroyer
BELLEROPHON = Reserve ships, Portsmouth
KENYA = Colony class light Cruiser
ZEST = Z class destroyer
BRIGHTON = Type 12 frigate
YARMOUTH = Type 12 frigate

He was evidently discharged from the RN in 1966

[Philip L]

Some information I found in this book.

The Royal Navy. An Illustrated Social History 1870-1982. Captain John Wells. Reprinted 1994.
With a foreword by Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Lewin of Greenwich.

I cannot photo page because of 1994 copyright. But here is a little bit of information from page 225 and 226.

In 1939 artificer apprentice training was transferred from the Fisgard block of the Mechanical Training Establishment at Chatham, partly to Caledonia at Rosyth and partly to Portsmouth and Devonport. The former had already started training engine room and electrical apprentices; those of the later were accommodated at the new RN Artificers Training Centre at Torpoint in Cornwall, adjacent HMS Raleigh. This was Commissioned as HMS Fisgard by Captain (E) in 1946, the name fortuitously handed down from the old hulk that started Boy Artificer Training as part of Fisher's scheme early in the century. 

Philip L

I have now (30th August 2026) found something relevant on Page 137.

Keyham continued to train engineer officers, while instruction for engine room, electrical and ordnance artificers was now combined in four hulks comprising Fisgard, which in 1932 moved from Portsmouth to Chatham.

Philip L

[colinc]

Thanks for the info Philip L, I will look into that.

Thanks PhiloNauticus as well, much appreciated.
I've attached part of page 3 of his service record and his medal record sheet.

Cheers

[PhiloNauticus]

That confirms that was discharged in 1966.

Also, that he had the Italy Star, but did not qualify for the Atlantic Star.

You may already have seen these, but just in case you have not:

https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DE-HMS_Lauderdale.htm

https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4655.html#google_vignette

[colinc]

Thanks for your help PhiloNauticus.

Cheers.