Difficulty deciphering my grandfather's service record. RMLI Pte CH/15914 Charles Alfred Roberts

[Ibis117]

I have recently unearthed my Grandfather's service record (1907-1916) in the RMLI, and it has a few names that I have been unable to trace/interpret/decipher. 

All help gratefully received, I really don't know where to start.

Having enlisted in 1907, on his 19th birthday, he was at Deal, before transferring to the Chatham Division in June 08.

Under "Division or ship" he's then listed as being in/at

Antrim, 04/09 - 10/11

Chatham, 10/11 - 01/12

Cressy, Jan 12 (two weeks only)

Crescent, 01/12 - 05/12

Egmont, 05/12 - 06/14 (I have concluded this is HMS St Angelo, in Malta, which fits with a letter to my grandmother at this time)

Sutlej, 06/14 - 07/14 (armoured cruiser of this name?)

"Harrier Cerberus" 08/14 - 03/15

"Cdo Cerberus"  03/15 - 12/15 (I think it says "Cdo", but the handwriting is very stylised.)

"Cdo Charon" 01/16 - 02/16

and, finally,

Chatham - where he is invalided from the service in February 1916.

He died in 1919, and has CWG headstone in Chatham cemetery.

Copy of service record attached, plus a close up of the names I'm struggling with.

[horatio2]

The penultimate entries are sea drafts to HMS CERBERUS and HMS CHARM, unarmed boarding vessels serving with the Downs Boarding Flotilla, based at Ramsgate, They were both tenders to their parent/ship.depot ship HMS CETO at the Ramsgate base.

[horatio2]

43 minutes ago, Ibis117 said:

Egmont, 05/12 - 06/14 (I have concluded this is HMS St Angelo, in Malta,

The Malta Base was HMS EGMONT. The name was not changed to HMS ST ANGELO until 1933.

45 minutes ago, Ibis117 said:

"Harrier Cerberus"

The Ramsgate Base was HMS HARRIER until renamed CETO in March 1915.

48 minutes ago, Ibis117 said:

Sutlej, 06/14 - 07/14 (armoured cruiser of this name?)

Correct.

His trio of WW1 medals was claimed by and issued to his widow.

[Ibis117]

18 minutes ago, horatio2 said:

The Malta Base was HMS EGMONT. The name was not changed to HMS ST ANGELO until 1933.

The Ramsgate Base was HMS HARRIER until renamed CETO in March 1915.

Correct.

His trio of WW1 medals was claimed by and issued to his widow.

Wow. Thank you so much. 

Downs Boarding Flotilla? So much more to research.

So it's "Ceto", not "Cdo"? That makes things much clearer.

His widow is buried with him. Or, at least, adjacent.

Medals probably went to eldest son, now long deceased.

They're not in "the suitcase of stuff" in my sister's attic.

[RaySearching]

The W.F.A pension ledger card shows the cause of death as

(1) pulmonary tuberculosis 

(2) ? 

contracted on active service

 

Ray

[Ibis117]

Thank you, Ray.

Puzzled that "Children" doesn't list my mother, born 10/05/1918, (or is only children prior to leaving the service?)

Death certificate has 

1:Pulmonary Tuberculosis

2: Exhaustion.

Presumably, the pension would be paid until my grandmother died in 1938.

Coincidentally, tuberculosis also claimed my paternal grandfather, in 1921.

Not found out anything about his war service, other than Pte William Knowles was in the East Lancs Regiment.

[RaySearching]

 

3 hours ago, Ibis117 said:

Puzzled that "Children" doesn't list my mother, born 10/05/1918, (or is only children prior to leaving the service?)

One of our pensions experts may be along shortly to answer your query regarding the pension

@ss002d6252

Ray

 

 

Edited 27 September , 2021 by RaySearching

[ss002d6252]

Quote

 

Chatham - where he is invalided from the service in February 1916.

He died in 1919, and has CWG headstone in Chatham cemetery.

 

 

3 hours ago, Ibis117 said:

 

Puzzled that "Children" doesn't list my mother, born 10/05/1918, (or is only children prior to leaving the service?)

A child had to be born before, during, or within 9 months of discharge from the military.

Craig

 

[Ibis117]

1 hour ago, RaySearching said:

 

One of our pensions experts may be along shortly to answer your query regarding the pension

@ss002d6252

Ray

 

 

You were right! Thank you.

24 minutes ago, ss002d6252 said:

 

A child had to be born before, during, or within 9 months of discharge from the military.

Craig

 

Thank you, Craig.