G.I.B - Sub rating or badge

[John D]

I recently obtained copy papers for a rating in the RNVR. In the column titled Sub-ratings and badges are the initials G.I.B with a date of 14.9.17. Does anybody know what this stands for.

In the line below were the words 'Watch Cert', which presumably is a seperate 'badge'.

Many Thanks

John

[roger]

John,

is it possible that G.I.B. could be G.C.B. in which case it would stand for Good Conduct Badge.

Roger.

[Stuart Brown]

Gunnery Instructor Badge ?

Just a guess.

[RNCVR]

Hi John,

This G.1.B entry means he was granted his first Good Conduct badge on 14 Sept 1917.

He would receive his first GCB after completing 3 years adult service with no conduct assessments of less than 'very good' on his record.

I dont know what the 'Watch cert' entry means tho - I thought Watchkeeping certificate but I doubt as a rating he would have rec'd a Watchkeeping certificate - this was something an Exceutive officer would have qualified for. I have never seen an entry like this on a ratings SR, but I dont collect RNVR, just RN, & have never seen an entry like this one one of their SR's.

Bryan

[Michael Lowrey]

My thought (guess) would be some of sort watching keeping certification. The RN made use of a vast number of trawlers and drifters, most civilian vessels taken into naval service. They were often manned by fishing crews themselves taken into naval service. Obviously, such small vessels had to have watch keepers and they most certainly would all be executive officers.

Best wishes,

Michael

[John D]

Many thanks for the replies.

Having checked again, it probably is G.1.B. as identified by Bryan.

Michael made a good observation, although in the RNVR, this chap had the rank of Engine Room artificer (1st class) - seems as though he took exams in 1913, and he served most of WW1 on the submarine depot ship Pactolus. No mention of any subs, so I guess he was on maintenance duty.

Maybe one of his duties was keeping watch and the certificate was subordinate to the qualification obtained by an executive officer.

John

[roger]

The watchkeeping certificate is probably a machinery watchkeeping cert. as oppossed to a bridge one, which is probably what we were all thinking of

Roger.

[RNCVR]

Yes, as Roger says, this is correct, now that we know his rate, it is definitely an "Engine Room Watchkeeping certificate". ERAs (Engine Room Artificers) would definitely qualify for an E.R.W. certificate. There probably should be a date on his SR as well indicating when he qualified for the certificate.

If he did serve on submarines he might have a sub record card & these are held at the Royal Naval Submarine museum in Gosport. Not all submariners have records cards tho, so if he has no card, that is not always an indication that did not actually serve on a sub.

I have submariners in my collection that definitely served on subs & yet they have no record card on file at the RNSM.

Bryan

[John D]

Thanks to Bryan & Roger for the additional info (apologies for not providing the full facts at the outset).

John