Second Sea Lord

[corisande]

In researching an officer, I find on his file a note that says "Second Sea Lord wishes to see any further letters".

Does this mean the Second Sea Lord was taking an active interest in this officers case, or is it (as I assume) because the Second Sea Lord as Chief of Naval Personnel, it merely means that Personnel Dept want to know if there were any further letters? In other words I do not know how rare such an entry is on a file

[simonharley]

I don't recall coming across a similar notation in the nearly 2,000 service records I've looked through over the years, but it doesn't sound unlikely that the Second Sea Lord might take a personal interest. When was the notation dated, and what was the rank of the officer in question?

[corisande]

The notation dates from 1919

The bit immediately before it on his record is

"letter from the officer requesting whether he should be boarded by Mil Medical Board as he was in Syria. Informed not necessary, but on his return home he should report to the MO at the nearest naval hospital with a view to invaledecy.

Left Constantinople in Maple 9 Sep 1919 for Marseilles en en route to the UK for demob,16 Sep 1919

Demobilized from date of arrival in England. Date to be reported

28 Sep 1919 Admitted hospital (?), 10 Oct 1919 discharged

31 Oct 1919 Invalided Otis Media Left Ear

Complains that the Admiralty have ???? employment

Second Sea Lord wishes to see any further letters"

The man was a Temp Assistant. Paymaster, and did not appear to come from an "influential" family. His condition was not grave, merely an ear infection. There is nothing in his record to show any other medical problems

[seaJane]

I wonder if he felt that the Admiralty had blocked his chances of future employment? If he was getting noisy about his treatment, 2SL might have liked to have warning.

[corisande]

I suppose I was just surprised that in an organisation the size of the RN in 1919, that the Second Sea Lord would take a personal interest in the ear ache of an Assistant Paymaster

[seaJane]

It does seem unlikely, I admit...

Is there any chance that you can post an image of the words in question so that we can try to make out what "????" may have been?

sJ

[corisande]

There is no definition in the ???? word, so it is not a question of making out what is written. I have Photoshop and have tried, but there isn't enough actually there, to increase the contrast of.

I was more trying to understand why himself on high might have taken an interest unless the family had pull (but I am fairly sure they didn't). The illness itself does not appear severe, particularly will war wounded in such large numbers.

I guess in lieu of the fact that nobody on the forum has come across such a ref (In my line of research I don't come across many RN ) then, if nothing else I can conclude that it is quite rare

[simonharley]

The Second Sea Lord did get bothered with all kinds of things relating to appointments (the papers and diary of Sir Frederick Hamilton, Second Sea Lord from 1914 to 1916, illustrate this very well) so as I said it's not unlikely one would have taken a special interest in a case. Unless there was a drastic redistribution of Board duties after 1917 then anything to do with a demobilised officer would have ended up going to the Fourth Sea Lord or Civil Lord. Is it possible that this officer might have served at some point under Browning who was the Second Sea Lord in late 1919?

[corisande]

Simon

Thanks for that. Browning looks an interesting character from his photo! He could have served under Browning, but it would be difficult for me to get them to the same place at the same time, and I probably would not gain anything by establishing that.

I think I have picked up enough on the thread now to satisfy myself that it unusual but not unknown for Second Sea Lord to take an interest in a case. . Thanks for the help

My knowledge of things naval improves but slowly.