Demobilisation of R.N. Ratings in 1917 to Rejoin the Fire Brigade

[Malcolm12hl]

While reconstructing the crew of H.M.S. ABOUKIR when she was sunk on 22 September 1914, I was interested to discover that two of the ex-R.F.R. Ratings who survived (Arthur Lander 194648 and David Morgan Williams 224824) were subsequently demobilised within two days of each other in mid-July 1917 to rejoin the Fire Brigade.  In the first case the notation on the service record specifies the London Fire Brigade, and as the second man was a Londoner he almost certainly went to the same service.  The timing is interesting as it comes soon after the two large daylight Gotha raids on the capital on 13 June and 7 July, and has left me wondering whether these two postings were part of a larger shift of service personnel to the fire service to meet the threat.  Has anyone any other evidence of such transfers?  I would imagine that a number of reservists had pre-war experience with the Fire Brigade.

[horatio2]

I cannot confirm a link to Gotha raids. However, early demobilisation of RFR, RNR and RNVR ratings and officers (including marines) to rejoin their previous employment was quite common. E.g. some 2.5% of men joining Chatham Division RMLI for 'duration of the war' were discharged early specifically to rejoin their former civilian employment.

Usually these were 'war critical' jobs e.g. ship-building, munitions, mining, general engineering, etc. It is not possible to deduce at this range quite how these demobs came about but most probably through application to the Admiralty from the employers. It is not beyond belief that the officers and ratings concerned may have also been in touch with their former employers with a 'get me out of here' request.

[Malcolm12hl]

Thank you again Horatio.  I have not sampled RN service records systematically (yet!) but I have come across a significant number of mid-war demobs, and it does seem that the Admiralty was more prepared to release men in such fashion than the War Office.