ashurrell Posted 5 September , 2017 Share Posted 5 September , 2017 I'm currently researching the role my great grandfather played in WW1. I have little information to go on, with my grandfather dying before I was born, and my father knowing little about his life. I have bought and downloaded naval records, which include his involvement with HMS Idaho at Milford Haven, in Wales. However, his letter is 'DA', which I have researched to find out that it stands for Divisional Artillery. Would artillery regiments really be present on HMS Idaho, which was a small boat used for patrol and later as a tugboat? I'd appreciate anything you could tell me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 5 September , 2017 Share Posted 5 September , 2017 Hello ashurrell, and welcome to the Forum! DA for divisional artillery is a specifically Army reference, and would therefore not be correct for RN vessels. It's possible that DA had a different meaning in the Navy. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashurrell Posted 5 September , 2017 Author Share Posted 5 September , 2017 Thanks for clarifying. However now I can't find DA as being an abbreviation in the navy, but the record that I have definitely says that he was in the RNR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 5 September , 2017 Share Posted 5 September , 2017 (edited) I think DA is deck hand in the RNR. Edited 5 September , 2017 by IPT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashurrell Posted 5 September , 2017 Author Share Posted 5 September , 2017 DA is a prefix to his service number. I'm new to military research and assumed it was the same thing. Does DA mean deck hand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 5 September , 2017 Share Posted 5 September , 2017 I tweaked my post but was too slow. Yes, DA as a prefix or suffix means Deck Hand in the RNR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashurrell Posted 5 September , 2017 Author Share Posted 5 September , 2017 Thank you, this clears it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashurrell Posted 6 September , 2017 Author Share Posted 6 September , 2017 (edited) Actually, the National Archives list deck hand to be D.H or D.HD. Where did you find DA meaning deck hand? Edited 6 September , 2017 by ashurrell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernest james Posted 6 September , 2017 Share Posted 6 September , 2017 Look at page 282 of the Kenneth Douglas-Morris book 'The Naval Long Service Medals 1830-1990' where he outlines the RNR Trawler numbering system for men. D.A. stands for deck hand but 'Deck And' might be easier to remember. Sometimes the letter is shown as a prefix eg DA 1234 which is the way the National Archives (TNA) show it and sometimes it appears as a suffix eg 1234 DA which is in line with the RNR Regulations. I follow the RNR Regulation approach because it allows a more coherent explanation of the numbering system than the TNA can manage . ernest james Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 6 September , 2017 Share Posted 6 September , 2017 1 hour ago, ashurrell said: Actually, the National Archives lost deck hand to be D.H or D.HD. Where did you find DA meaning deck hand? Do not confuse the abbreviations for the rating of Deck Hand, (D.H. or D.Hd.) with the suffix (I agree with ernest james) to the Official Number of a Deck Hand which is DA. (Similarly Second Hand is abbreviated to 2.Hd. and has an official number suffix of SA.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashurrell Posted 6 September , 2017 Author Share Posted 6 September , 2017 Thanks for the clarification. One more thing: was it usual for a 31 year old to be a deck hand? From the job title, it sounds like it would be given to younger men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 6 September , 2017 Share Posted 6 September , 2017 31 years old? A strapping youngster compared with deck hands in their late fifties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashurrell Posted 6 September , 2017 Author Share Posted 6 September , 2017 Really? I'm very new to this and I'm very young myself, so I'm not very apt at military research or basic knowledge like that. Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernest james Posted 6 September , 2017 Share Posted 6 September , 2017 Was he a fisherman before the war? Thats the background of many of these men. ernest james Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashurrell Posted 6 September , 2017 Author Share Posted 6 September , 2017 He was. He came from a long line of fishermen living in a fishing village in south Devon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernest james Posted 7 September , 2017 Share Posted 7 September , 2017 Kingsbridge? Do I have the right man? ernest james Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashurrell Posted 7 September , 2017 Author Share Posted 7 September , 2017 Yes, near Kingsbridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernest james Posted 7 September , 2017 Share Posted 7 September , 2017 Thanks for replying. ernest james. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rerun57 Posted 7 September , 2017 Share Posted 7 September , 2017 Hello. I am from Pembroke Dock, on the shores of Milford Haven and I am interested to know a little more about HMS Idaho. What was her role? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 7 September , 2017 Share Posted 7 September , 2017 HMS IDAHO was the depot ship/parent ship for trawlers and drifters (most of them hired) of the Auxiliary Patrol based at Milford Haven. Although most support activity (including pay and administration) was carried out ashore, such 'stone frigates' had to be commissioned RN ships as men had to belong to ships in commission to be subject to the Naval Discipline Act. 'Nominal' ships fulfilled this need. HMS IDAHO was,initially, a hired yacht of that name until January 1919 when the name HMS IDAHO was passed to a trawler, GIOVANNI GUNTI and the yacht was returned to her owners. Before August 1916, the Milford Haven base was known as HMS SABRINA or SABRINA II., the role being met by another hired yacht of that name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now