Help understanding / Interpreting WW1 Naval Record

[Winter1301]

Hi All, 

 

I'm reaching out in an attempt to get some help in interpreting the Naval record of my Great Grandfather.  Unfortunately he died young and his story has been lost to family as a result. 

 

We never even knew he was in the Navy, until we came across this document recently. I have attached it to this post. 

From what I've been able to piece together he was signed up to the Navy as a boy (15), probably by his parents and that the "Date and Period" 12 years, relates to the promise of 12 years service from his 18th birthday. He only achieved Boy II class as it appears he is discharged in 1915. 

 

He serves on the Royal Arthur and Lowestoft (possible during the time of the battle of Dogger Bank), but in between both he serve time at Pembroke I, which I believe is used at reference to hospitalisation? 

 

I can't work out what has been written in the "If Discharged, Whither...." column, i assume it's an abbreviation? and the writing next to it is so small. can anyone help?

 

In the remarks column there are two comments made, one that looks to say "traced xxxxx U.P xxxx 22.4.18" is this something standard, that anyone could take a guess at? 

In the second I can only make out the words 'public' and 'Scotland yard' - possibly July 1925. Can anyone help here at all? 

I'd also love to know if there is any other documentation that might exist beyond this that I could track down to help bring Arthur's Navy life to life a bit more? 

Many Thanks in advance, 

Winter1301

[depaor01]

13 minutes ago, Winter1301 said:

Hi All, 

 

I'm reaching out in an attempt to get some help in interpreting the Naval record of my Great Grandfather.  Unfortunately he died young and his story has been lost to family as a result. 

 

We never even knew he was in the Navy, until we came across this document recently. I have attached it to this post. 

From what I've been able to piece together he was signed up to the Navy as a boy (15), probably by his parents and that the "Date and Period" 12 years, relates to the promise of 12 years service from his 18th birthday. He only achieved Boy II class as it appears he is discharged in 1915. 

 

He serves on the Royal Arthur and Lowestoft (possible during the time of the battle of Dogger Bank), but in between both he serve time at Pembroke I, which I believe is used at reference to hospitalisation? 

 

I can't work out what has been written in the "If Discharged, Whither...." column, i assume it's an abbreviation? and the writing next to it is so small. can anyone help?

 

In the remarks column there are two comments made, one that looks to say "traced xxxxx U.P xxxx 22.4.18" is this something standard, that anyone could take a guess at? 

In the second I can only make out the words 'public' and 'Scotland yard' - possibly July 1925. Can anyone help here at all? 

I'd also love to know if there is any other documentation that might exist beyond this that I could track down to help bring Arthur's Navy life to life a bit more? 

Many Thanks in advance, 

Winter1301

Whither abbreviation is Invd - Invalided. 

Other disease? Nervous System (mental)

Dave

Edited 16 July , 2020 by depaor01

[ajsmith]

47 minutes ago, Winter1301 said:

and the writing next to it is so small. can anyone help?

it says "Other unreadable nervous system (mental) "

 

47 minutes ago, Winter1301 said:

n the second I can only make out the words 'public' and 'Scotland yard' - possibly July 1925.

It says "Cause of invaliding to Public Carriage Office ??? Scotland Yard July 1925 ? 12899" Perhaps he was applying for a taxi licence

 

I think they were trying to trace him to send him his War Gratuity.

Edited 16 July , 2020 by ajsmith

[Winter1301]

Dave & ajsmith, 

 

Thank you so much for replying that is a huge help!  It's really great to start to learn about someone who for so long has just been a name on a family tree. 

Both seem obvious now you've been able to point it out. Just as many new questions as answers! 

 

Thank you again, hugely appreciated!!

James

[Medaler]

Hello James,

 

I can add very little to your information, but much depends on how far you want to go. I noted with interest that he previously worked as a Signal Box Boy with the Great Eastern Railway and it would be worth a look to see if they have any surviving records. It might be worth contacting these people.......

 

https://www.gersociety.org.uk/

 

You might even end up with a picture of the signal box that he worked in.

 

Have you found him on the Census returns?

 

I would agree that he was present at Dogger Bank and Heligoland Bight on the Lowestoft.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Lowestoft_(1913)

 

 

Has that helped any?

 

Regards,

Mike

[Winter1301]

Hi Mike, 

 

Thank you for this. I will definitely contact that group of the Eastern railway and see where this leads. 

I've tracked him down in the 1911 and 1901 census and we know he married Claire in 1919 and a couple of months later had a daughter (Joan), who was my Grandmother. Given the timing between the marriage and birth, I assume this was a marriage of 'doing the right thing'. 

 

It all goes cold then, from family stories we know they were estranged. The family only found out about his death from a newspaper - which is what eventually has lead to me finding his service record. 

 

"Arthur Edward Wilton (36), of Brooksfield Road. Walthamstow, dived into the water at Leyton baths yesterday, and when he rose to the surface was seen to be in difficulties. He was unconscious when dragged from the water and he was later found to be dead"

As he dies in 1934, everything goes cold - The search continues. I don't think he went on to have another family, his probate registered his next of Kin as his mother, although this could be down to the fact it was an sudden and early death. It's a shame really as his mother lived a long life to 1954 which would have put her in living memory of the current old guard, but there was no interaction at all between families. Would have loved to have heard her stories, one of the generation to live through both wars. 

 

 

[horatio2]

It is possible that more personal information could be found by obtaining a copy of the Engagement Papers that he signed in 1913 on enlisting as a Boy Seaman. These papers are held in the archive of the Fleet Air Arm Museum (National Museum of the Royal Navy) and, because he enlisted under the age of 17, a signed Parental Consent Form should be attached. NMRN is currently under Covid closure but it could be worth enquiring once they re-open to business.

As an aside, Arthur Wilton claimed his three WW1 medals from the Admiralty and they were issued to him, probably in 1920.

[KizmeRD]

He applied to the Public Carriage Office become a London taxi driver in 1925 and his navy record indicates that the cause of his invalidity from the navy was disclosed to them (they must have requested a check). The PCO was administered by the Met. Police.