Dominion Posted 20 October , 2020 Share Posted 20 October , 2020 (edited) I've picked up a medal recently for an Australian Sailor and it's an area I haven't ever really looked into before. A.N.F 1150 J. M. Armstrong L. STO. R.N. I'm guessing A.N.F is Australian Naval Force - I've located his original enlistment, but is there any more that's available? Looks like he signed up pre-war and served about HMS (HMAS?) Pioneer - Did Australian sailors have similar service records to those in the Royal Navy with the extensive lists of all ships/bases served at? Australian Navy.pdf Edited 20 October , 2020 by Dominion Asked by a member to allow it to be more readily searchable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 20 October , 2020 Share Posted 20 October , 2020 Hello, The scope of his WW1 service will be covered by his double-sided ratings' service card, within the A6770 series of documents. These can be accessed via NAA or via the discoveringanzacs domain. This latter site seems to be down at the present moment, unfortunately. http://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/ With regard to the former, here is a link to NAA https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/NameSearch.aspx Hope this helps. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 20 October , 2020 Share Posted 20 October , 2020 Here's a screen shot of the name search, with "Navy personnel records" selected to narrow the search further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 20 October , 2020 Share Posted 20 October , 2020 Some of the men of the ANF appear on the 1911 England Census, as part of the Royal Navy return for the China and East Indies environs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KizmeRD Posted 20 October , 2020 Share Posted 20 October , 2020 (edited) He died 4th October 1945 back in his hometown of Greymouth N.Z. MB https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-pioneer RTH 7 Mar 1887 Brunnerton, Grey District, West Coast, New Zealand DEATH 4 Oct 1945 (aged 58) New Zealand Karoro Cemetery Greymouth, Grey District, West Coast, New Zealand Edited 20 October , 2020 by KizmeRD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 20 October , 2020 Share Posted 20 October , 2020 I thought the name rang a bell. I added to his profile. He came to the UK to do his training, and appears in Portsmouth on the 1911 Census https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C145685 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 20 October , 2020 Share Posted 20 October , 2020 The ANF had been formed for service around the waters of Australia & New Zealand, and was an integral part of the Royal Navy. This changed just prior to WW1 when the Royal Australian Navy came into being. With the exception of about 60 ratings, most men transferred over to the Royal Australian Navy, regardless of their place of birth & residence of NoK. For the remaining 60 or so men of the ANF, they served in the Indian Ocean during WW1, serving aboard HMS Pyramus and HMS Philomel. These men appear on the medal roll. There is an error insofar as Samuel Stuart JAMES, Walter OLIVER and George Thomas SAUNDERS transferred to the RAN prior to WW1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominion Posted 20 October , 2020 Author Share Posted 20 October , 2020 Thanks for the information Keith and Kizme. I had a search on the NAA and I couldn't find a record with his information - I'd already searched the Royal Navy lists on the National Archives and not found anything either. Would I be right in assuming he enlisted on HMS Pioneer originally and then was transferred to HMS Pyramus and/or HMS Philomel as you mentioned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 20 October , 2020 Share Posted 20 October , 2020 PM coming your way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 21 October , 2020 Share Posted 21 October , 2020 My medal roll numbers weren't quite right. There are 77 ratings' names on the medal roll. Two are not ANF. The three that I mentioned transferred to the RAN before the war. So, 72 ANF ratings and two whom I believe are RNR like William Henry Knowles, but are a mystery (Henry John Pilbrow, John Tonkin) and I could find no further records. To conclude my activity on this particular thread, here's a link to an article about HMS Philomel from the Torpedo Bay museum's website https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-collections/ships/philomel-pearl-class-cruiser/ Here's another article about this ship. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/hms-philomel As you are aware, the service record will only give the dates of when he was on the ship. It will not tell you where, but fortunately for HMS Pyramus the ship's log for most of WW1 has been transcribed here: https://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-05-HMS_Pyramus.htm To conclude. here's an account from a pre-war sailor aboard HMS Pyramus: https://www.navyhistory.org.au/tag/hms-pyramus-aust-station/ Hope this is of interest. Best wishes Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarulegacy Posted 13 October , 2021 Share Posted 13 October , 2021 This may be of interest my grandfather served on HMS Philomel in the first world war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarulegacy Posted 13 October , 2021 Share Posted 13 October , 2021 HMS Philomel in the background, and HMS Britomart in the background, HMS Philomel with German Prisoners on board. 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