Skipper Robert Brown

[Norma Saugen]

I am looking for any info you May have about skipper Robert Brown on both the Colleen and Hekla 11 around 1917-18, also the Impeccable in 1918.

can anyone help?

ns, granddaughter

[Lawryleslie]

Welcome to the forum Norma. Are you saying your Grandfather was a Royal Naval Captain in rank?

[seaJane]

May I just check whether you might mean Implacable? I don't think there was an Impeccable in 1918.

 

Also, Skipper sounds more like Merchant Navy than Royal Navy. Do you have any more information such as date and place of birth? There are a lot of Robert Browns in the National Archives (there are two "Robert Brown, Skipper"s in the Navy List for 1917) and those details would be a great help.

 

Hecla was a depot ship on the Coast of Ireland Northern Division (HQ Buncrana) and Colleen may have been based at the Coast of Ireland Southern Division (HQ Queenstown) - I can't quite make it out from the Navy List. So if he was Irish that would be a lead.

 

seaJane

[horatio2]

This is your man, Skipper RNR - served inter alia in HECLA II, COLLEEN and IMPLACABLE while skipper (from Sep 1917) of the hired HULL trawler HMS AQUAMARINE (minesweeper):-

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8547678

 

Prior to being promoted to Skipper he had served as Second Hand in the hired Leith trawler HMS CRAIG ISLAND (minesweeper) for about five weeks. He left when she war transferred to be based on HMS COLLEEN at Queenstown on 28 Feb 1915. He was promoted to Skipper in January 1917.

Edited 23 January , 2019 by horatio2

[Norma Saugen]

On 22/01/2019 at 22:05, Lawryleslie said:

Welcome to the forum Norma. Are you saying your Grandfather was a Royal Naval Captain in rank?

No his rank was skipper servicenr SA .874

 

Thank you for your reply

[Terence Munson]

Hi, Welcome also.

His B.o.T. Skippers Certificate of Competency No. 1273A was issued 11 July 1910,
and he was MiD (Mentioned in Despatches), 8 April 1919 (London Gazette),-

For Services in Drifters, Trawlers and Yachts in the Auxiliary Patrol 1 July 1918 to 11 November 1918.

Terry

[Norma Saugen]

On 22/01/2019 at 22:08, seaJane said:

May I just check whether you might mean Implacable? I don't think there was an Impeccable in 1918.

 

Also, Skipper sounds more like Merchant Navy than Royal Navy. Do you have any more information such as date and place of birth? There are a lot of Robert Browns in the National Archives (there are two "Robert Brown, Skipper"s in the Navy List for 1917) and those details would be a great help.

 

Hecla was a depot ship on the Coast of Ireland Northern Division (HQ Buncrana) and Colleen may have been based at the Coast of Ireland Southern Division (HQ Queenstown) - I can't quite make it out from the Navy List. So if he was Irish that would be a lead.

 

ho

On further inspection of the info I have it was the "Implacable".

I have now been informed that Robert Brown had reg, nr SA 874 in the RN reserves .He was born in Cockenzie, Haddingtonshire 12.03.1973 and was normally skipper on a fishing vessel. The papaer I have quotes "service in the Royal Navy when called out by proclamation" 1915-1922.

Thanks for your reply

On 22/01/2019 at 22:27, horatio2 said:

This is your man, Skipper RNR - served inter alia in HECLA II, COLLEEN and IMPLACABLE while skipper (from Sep 1917) of the hired HULL trawler HMS AQUAMARINE (minesweeper):-

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8547678

 

Prior to being promoted to Skipper he had served as Second Hand in the hired Leith trawler HMS CRAIG ISLAND (minesweeper) for about five weeks. He left when she war transferred to be based on HMS COLLEEN at Queenstown on 28 Feb 1915. He was promoted to Skipper in January 1917.

 

On 22/01/2019 at 22:27, horatio2 said:

This is your man, Skipper RNR - served inter alia in HECLA II, COLLEEN and IMPLACABLE while skipper (from Sep 1917) of the hired HULL trawler HMS AQUAMARINE (minesweeper):-

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8547678

 

Prior to being promoted to Skipper he had served as Second Hand in the hired Leith trawler HMS CRAIG ISLAND (minesweeper) for about five weeks. He left when she war transferred to be based on HMS COLLEEN at Queenstown on 28 Feb 1915. He was promoted to Skipper in January 1917.

Thanking you for info - as far as I gather now, the rank of skipper didn't really mean your were in charge of the ship but could have different duties on board. Correct?

[horatio2]

Incorrect. An RNR Skipper was a Warrant Officer and when appointed to a commissioned drifter or trawler he was the Commanding Officer (the 'Captain' in common parlance).