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RNVR record - help please


nhclark

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Interesting chap this one. A professional electrical engineers, Sergeant with the London Cable Signal Company, Territorial Force, awarded the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal in April 1914.

I had thought that he had remained in the TF for the War, but recent documents released at TNA in London show that he actually joined the RNVR.

post-16913-1233622664.gif

The record comes from ADM 337/93. This file seems to cover a number of "professional" men, such as engineers and solicitors etc., who volunteered for the RNVR.

Both three men on the record page I have downloaded were assigned to "President A.A.C. London." What was "A.A.C. London" - could it have been to do with anti-aircraft duties? Norman Watsham was, in his early days, associated with the development of carbon-arc lamps, such as were used in searchlights I believe.

Can I find anywhere any details of "A.A.C. London"?

Any help most gratefully received.

Thank you,

Noel

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Some records at the UK National Archives Kew:

AIR 1/2643 Anti-aircraft Corps: letter of praise in The Times

ADM 116/1344 R.N.V.R. Anti-Aircraft Corps - Institution of - Reports of Progress

ADM 116/1345 R.N.V.R. Anti-Aircraft Corps - Institution of - Reports of Progress

ADM 116/1346 R.N.V.R. Anti-Aircraft Corps - Institution of - Reports of Progress

ADM 116/1347 R.N.V.R. Anti-Aircraft Corps - Institution of - Reports of Progress

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Thanks for the replies, gentlemen.

I found some information on this unit in "The Times History of the War", volume 19.

Noel

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By the way, I found the whole set here: http://www.archive.org/index.php

Just put the title in the search box.

All the volumes can be downloaded to your hard disk as .pdf files.

Doesn't take long to download a volume if you have broadband.

Noel

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The whole set is at my local reference library! Its one of those "oh I can consult them any time" so never get around to it. If I'm not careful they'll get sold off.

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Just going back to the "...enlistment ledgers...at the Fleet Air Arm Museum."

What exactly does an "enlistment ledger" contain? Does it give a record of the man's complete service with the RNVR?

As bad luck would have it, the Museum has suspended its research service for the first part of 2009. Any idea when the service might resume?

Thank you,

Noel

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As it says in the title - enlistment papers only, although sometimes other related documents may be bound in, e.g. birth certificates. For full service details you need the man's record of service from Kew.

The explanation on the FAAM website states "Normal service will be resumed later in the year and the Museum’s website will announce when we resume the service." Some limited service is continuing to provide copies of service papers that do not demand an inordinate level of research but there is a charge for any service provided. Always worth asking, so long as a refusal does not offend.

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Noel,

To supplement your information from The Times History, here is something which I came across in my recent reading;

From 'The Honourable Artillery Company 1914-1919'

a chapter titled 'The Depot'

page 480/1

"The Artillery Ground was used for a considerable period during the war as an anti-aircraft station, and it is known to comparatively few that the first anti-aircraft gun in England, worthy of the name, was fired from our (the Honourable Artillery Company) ground. Lieut.-Col. A. Rawlinson, CMG, CBE, DSO., then a Lieut.-Commander, RNVR, succeeded at the end of September 1915, in obtaining from General Gallieni, the French War Minister, and Gen. Joffre, the French Commander-in-Chief, a 75mm anti-aircraft gun on a special automobile mounting, as there was not a single gun obtainable in England which was of any use against air attacks. He thought it probable that the heart of the City of London might be selected for attack, and therefore looked about for the most advantageous site for his gun. An ideal gun position for the purpose was found in the Artillery Ground, and forthwith arranged with the authorities that the gun should go there and prepare for action on the first receipt of news of a Zeppelin having crossed the coast-line.

A portion of the Artillery Ground was taken over by the Admiralty, under the Defence of the Realm Regulations, on October 6th, 1915, as an anti-aircraft station. The authorities did not have to wait long, for the new gun and caisson left Ladbroke Grove, North Kensington, at 9.05 pm on October 13th, 1915, in response to a warning of approaching Zeppelins. They drove at breakneck speed through Oxford Street and Holborn, with deafening sirens and dazzling headlights to aid in clearing a passage through the traffic, and the first round was actually fired from the Artillery Ground at 9.25 - only twenty minutes after leaving Ladbroke Grove. The effect of the firing is unknown, but the Zeppelin promptly made off.

A kite balloon was at work over the ground from November 1st to December 6th, 1915, but was then removed.

The Anti-Aircraft Battery was established at HQ (that of the Honourable Artillery Company) towards the end of 1915, and remained until early in 1917. They came into action on the night of September, 1916 in which a Zeppelin was brought down at Cuffley, firing 19 rounds "rapid" on that occasion, with singularly little damage to the surrounding buildings. Later, the Court of Assistants were asked by the Lord Mayor, and promptly agreed, to allow to be erected in the Artillery Ground for the purpose of a public exhibition portions of that Zeppelin and of the other airship brought down at Billericay. An enormous number of people came to see the exhibits and a sum of over £1200 was thus raised for charity. Some of the relics were presented to the (Honourable Artillery) Company as a souvenir"

regards

Michael

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