Service Record 1913-1929

[Eirian]

My husband's great uncle, Arthur Moore, served during WW1 in the Royal Navy. We have just found his service record, attached, and we have interpreted the records as showing that he served on the following ships in WW1 :

14th May 1914 to 15th April 1915 - on HMS Neptune

25th June 1915 to 21st November 1918 - on HMS Britannia

We are not experts at this, and would be grateful if someone could look through this and explain in more detail. In particular we can't make out much in the remarks column. Also we believe that "Victory I, II and III" must be shore establishments - is that correct?

The family knew he had served in both World Wars, and that he had survived being torpedoed, which we now believe must have been the Britannia in Nov 1918.

Any insight would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

Eirian

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Photos:

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/neptune.htm

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_britannia1.htm

War service Britannia

3rd Battle Squadron Grand Fleet .

26 January 1915 ran aground in the Forth.

29 April 1916 3rd Battle Squadron moved to Sheerness under Nore Command.

September 1916-February 1917 Adriatic.

February-March 1917 refitted at Gibraltar.

March 1917 attached to 9th Cruiser Squadron mainly based at Sierra Leone.

May 1917 under refit at Bermuda.

9 November 1918 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U50.

http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/pre-dreadnought...edward-vii.html

[Eirian]

Thanks very much for the links, and information.

I realise the image of his record is tiny and difficult to read, so here is a section of the Remarks column which we can't understand.

Hope someone can help interpret it please (apologies, because this part of his service record continues after the end of WW1, so strictly not within the scope of this forum).

Eirian

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Unfortunately there are several entries I can't read, because of the resolution. Here's what I can make out:

He entered the Royal Navy when he was 16 in 1912 (1913 was when he was 1918 and could was an adult, that is when his pensionable service was calculated from). He was already a seaman seving on Merchant Ship ?

Trained on His Majesty's Ship (all names below are HMS) Ganges I

Spent some time in Devonport; Vivid I being the barracks there.

First went to sea with the RN, when he was 17, on Irresistible http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_irresistible.htm

Transferred to the barracks at Portsmouth Victory I

Neptune

Received training at the gunnery school Excellent

Britannia

Back to Portsmouth.

I can't read the name in brackets, this is the ship he served on Victory II and Dido were depot ships.

All the ditto marks mean that he was on the ship I can't read but his admin was done by the ships named.

Back to Portsmouth.

Back to gunnery school.

Back to Portsmouth.

Barham http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/barham.htm

Malaya http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/malaya.htm

Back to Portsmouth.

Back to gunnery school.

Back to Portsmouth.

Nelson http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_nelson.htm

[SiegeGunner]

Is the entry you can't read "Victory II (Orient)" ?

[Eirian]

Thanks a lot to you both! That's brilliant.

Here's a bigger version of the hard to read bit:

Looks a bit like Victory X (.....?)

And lower down, under Victory I it looks a bit like Colinger Ling (Wivern) perhaps ?

[sadsac]

Eirian, find here LOGS of HMS NEPTUNE & BRITANNIA ;

Logs are MAINLY a navigation document, but sometimes give other usefull info.

In PRO file ADM 53

NEPTUNE ADM 53 / 52388 to 52391 for 140514 to 150415

BRITANNIA ADM 53 / 36169 to 36209 for 250615 to 091118

Regards Sadsac

[ARABIS]

The vessel listed in brackets is Truant, which was a destroyer.

David.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

the Remarks column which we can't understand.

You have to cross reference the symbols to where they occur in the rest of the record:

(2) Over 6 years as an Able Seaman [this is a step in pay] 10/8/1919 vide left 20 ledger.

Passed educationally for Petty Officer on 7 March 1923.

Tick circle vide June ledger.

Tick cross reverted to Able Seaman.

Tick vide lady 25 ledger.

Tick cross ? in office [reference to an Admiralty letter]

Traced Medal [see below] 10/8/28

? Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and Gratuity

23/9/29 vide ? 28 ledger.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Victory X (Truant) http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/old_...tm#HMS%20Truant

Dido (Truant)

Victory X (Truant)

Victory III (Truant)

Back to Portsmouth.

? Colwyn Line (Wivern) http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/shor...tm#HMS%20Wivern

Edited 25 January , 2009 by per ardua per mare per terram

[Eirian]

Thank you for all your helpful answers. Your expertise (and your 20/20 vision) are much appreciated.

It makes much more sense to us now, and gives us other leads to follow.

Regards

Eirian

[ARABIS]

The depot ship listed with [Wivern] is Columbine. Port Edgar, Firth of Forth.

David.

[Eirian]

Ah! Columbine. I can see it now you've told me . . . Many thanks.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

I see it too - now; I couldn't work out what the line going between Victory and Columbine had to do with it!