Battle of Jutland

[Rory Reynolds]

Hi all

I have the medals to a chap who, according to his service record, was an Able Seaman aboard "Orion" from 1 August 1913 until 16 August 1918.

A quick google tells me that "Orion" was an Admiral's flagship at the battle of Jutland and would, thus, place my man there at the time. That is unless there were more than one "Orions" afloat?

How would one be able to establish with any degree of certainty that 215637 AB Samuel Douglas was at Jutland?

Any advice, info would be highly appreciated.

Regards

Rory

[joseph]

Rory,

Only one HMS Orion from 1910 to 1922,

Regards Charles

[melliget]

Rory.

For £3.50, you could download his service record:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

Douglas, Samuel

Official Number: 215637

Place of Birth: Belfast, Antrim

Date of Birth: 06 August 1885

Apart from the ship name aspect, that should confirm it.

regards,

Martin

[Rory Reynolds]

Thanks chaps

I have, as stated, the service record iro Douglas as I downloaded it a while ago. This is where I picked up what ship he was on and what the relevant dates were.

What I should still like to know is whether or not the chap would have been at Jutland if his record places him on a ship that was there at the time. I suppose what I am asking for is whether or not there are ships crew lists etc. for Jutland?

Regards

Rory

[joseph]

Rory,

You may be lucky and find a ships list, the service registers are all to do with pay so if it says he was on the ship he was on it, what is his list and number and does it say anything in the discharge box?

Regards Charles

[melliget]

Sorry, Rory. I read that a little too quickly.

[Rory Reynolds]

No problem Martin

Joseph, according to the record under List and Number there is a 5(2) and 423 or 433 for the period 9/11/1913 - 3/10/1917 it then changes with a promotion but this is post Jutland.

Please note (I don't know how to type it correctly) but the "2" next to the 5 is smaller and "higher" than the 5 if this makes any sense....

There is nothing in the Discharge box.

Regards

Rory

[joseph]

Rory,

He was onboard, that is a Military Branch, ships company, junior rates list, if he was elsewhere it would change.

Nothing in discharge box means he was not in hospital or prison.

I would say 99.5% onboard, have you tried the local papers to see if he is mentioned?

Regards Charles

[Rory Reynolds]

Thanks Charles

You certainly know your stuff.

Unfortunately I am in South Africa and thus wouldn't know in which papers to look. I would appreciate any pointers.

Regards

Rory

[per ardua per mare per terram]

I suppose what I am asking for is whether or not there are ships crew lists etc. for Jutland?

No Royal Navy crew lists/ musters are available after the 1870s.

To reinforce what Charles has written, unless there is an indication to the contrary he was aboard. If he was not (for a legitimate reason, which should be recorded in his papers) when the ship sailed then he would have been in trouble afterwards! That too should be recorded. As non of that evidence is there then it is 99.5% probable he was aboard at Jutland.

[Rory Reynolds]

No Royal Navy crew lists/ musters are available after the 1870s.

To reinforce what Charles has written, unless there is an indication to the contrary he was aboard. If he was not (for a legitimate reason, which should be recorded in his papers) when the ship sailed then he would have been in trouble afterwards! That too should be recorded. As non of that evidence is there then it is 99.5% probable he was aboard at Jutland.

Thank you all. This is wonderful news in that I have the gongs of a Jutland survivor albeit that he didn't see any action he was at least there! As an aside Mr. Douglas emigrated to South Africa and was working on the Gold Mines in Johannesburg before passing away in his 60's

Regards

Rory

[ashton]

Rory

I have a Sailors Certificate of Service (ADM S459) which notes that he was paid the "Jutland Prize Bounty" on the 22.08.1921.

Unfortunately this is not recorded on his ADM 188 but maybe there is a list somewhere of those who were paid the bounty?

Regards

Derek

[domwalsh]

In my experience, the "Jutland bounty" notation appears in about 25 per cent of cases.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Not a lot of people at the Battle of Jutland saw any of the action, their jobs prevented it and it was often too far away. His Majesty's Ship Orion definately fired her guns in anger on the day, but was not hit in return.

Pictures http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/orio...htm#HMS%20Orion

[Rory Reynolds]

Thank you one and all for your contributions. You have added to my ever growing pool of nautical knowledge.

Rory

[Jesse]

I guess it might have been handy if they had awarded a medal to all of the participants, so as to show up on their service record. In today's military you'd get 5 medals just for being near the scene.

Hi all

I have the medals to a chap who, according to his service record, was an Able Seaman aboard "Orion" from 1 August 1913 until 16 August 1918.

A quick google tells me that "Orion" was an Admiral's flagship at the battle of Jutland and would, thus, place my man there at the time. That is unless there were more than one "Orions" afloat?

How would one be able to establish with any degree of certainty that 215637 AB Samuel Douglas was at Jutland?

Any advice, info would be highly appreciated.

Regards

Rory