Doug504 Posted 24 October , 2014 Share Posted 24 October , 2014 I've been doing some research into the burials in my local CWGC, (Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland), and came across the following individual whose rank is listed as "Trimmer". HALL M. D.O.D. 21/09/1918 Trimmer Royal Naval Reserve H.M.S. Pembroke United Kingdom '4578/TS' Can someone enlighten me as exactly what a "Trimmer" was / is? Doug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 24 October , 2014 Share Posted 24 October , 2014 Doug, a Trimmer brought coal from the bunkers to the stoke hold for the Stokers and Firemen in an ordered (balast like) way to keep the trim of the vessel Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 24 October , 2014 Share Posted 24 October , 2014 I believe it was quite a skilled job. SEE HERE It's wikipedia but worth a read. CGM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunsilk Posted 25 October , 2014 Share Posted 25 October , 2014 Doug Its more of a job in the loading of coal into a ship. As Sunderland exported coal there were lots of trimmers keeping the ship balanced during the loading process. In a warship the scale of the task is much less, but still important. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 25 October , 2014 Share Posted 25 October , 2014 In the Trawler Section of the RNR, in which this chap served, the trimmers did the same job as a stoker. Trawlers did not usually carry RNR stoker ratings, who were generally employed in warships of the Fleet. RNR trimmers are not to be confused with trimmers in ships of the mercantile marine, whose task was as described in earlier posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 25 October , 2014 Share Posted 25 October , 2014 Thank you for explaining the distinction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 25 October , 2014 Share Posted 25 October , 2014 .............RNR trimmers are not to be confused with trimmers in ships of the mercantile marine, whose task was as described in earlier posts. ....but I think most of those in the RNR were, or had been trimmers in the Mercantile Marine (fishermen), before the war, hence the TS prefix / suffix. One of the best descriptions (I believe), of a trimmers lot, can be found in this earlier post: Link Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 25 October , 2014 Share Posted 25 October , 2014 Indeed. The RNR trimmers were (generally) taken up with the others of a trawler/ drifter crew. The point is that trawler/drifter trimmers (whether fishing or RNR) performed the tasks that were undertaken by stokers in larger merchant ships, where trimmers just did the trimming. RNR trimmers could have one of several official number suffixes: CE, TC, TE or TS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 25 October , 2014 Share Posted 25 October , 2014 Indeed. The RNR trimmers were (generally) taken up with the others of a trawler/ drifter crew. The point is that trawler/drifter trimmers (whether fishing or RNR) performed the tasks that were undertaken by stokers in larger merchant ships, where trimmers just did the trimming. RNR trimmers could have one of several official number suffixes: CE, TC, TE or TS. Trimmers just doing trimming would not be an option on a peace time fishing vessel, I'm surprised it was on admiralty trawlers / drifters. I struggle to see the logic of official number suffixes and wouldn't have recognised CE, or TE, but possibly TC as Trimmer / Cook. I thought the suffixes would have recognised Board of Trade qualifications for those who enrolled into the RNR. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 25 October , 2014 Share Posted 25 October , 2014 At risk of repetition: peacetime and RNR Trawler Section trimmers on trawlers/drifters were not "trimmers just doing trimming" they were the boats' stokers as well. CE = Trimmer-cooks in Trawler Reserve Emergency Section. TE = Trimmers in Trawler Reserve Emergency Section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug504 Posted 26 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2014 Thanks for all the replies folks, something else I learned. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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