Why did my 2 x Great Grandfather serve in the Army when he was in the Navy since childhood?

[horatio2]

 

Boy 2^nd Class was the most junior boy rating in the RN. Boys could join in that rating as young as 15½ . (RM bugle boys joined as young as age 13.) They could be advanced to Boy 1^st Class after one year of training but earlier at the Captain’s discretion for those of exceptional ability or previous experience. (11 months in this case.) Advancement to Ordinary Seaman was normally at age 18 (as in this case) but could be delayed to 18½. At age 18 this also started the 12-year Continuous Service (CS) engagement.  

Training took place in boys’ training ships, often sold RN hulks. This man was trained in HMS CALEDONIA (at Queensferry, Firth of Forth) from 9 May 1902, later moving to Portland, Dorset in HM Ships MINOTAUR (later re-named HMS BOSCAWEN II) and AGINCOURT (later re-named HMS BOSCAWEN III). His first sea draft was to the ship’s company (List 5) of HMS JUNO for four months.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Juno_(1895) 

His first brush with naval law came when he was serving in the ship’s company of HMS ALBION. His 12 days in cells in August and October 1905 earned him a Character downgrade from VG to Good at the end of that year.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Albion_(1898) 

 In April 1907, serving now in HMS BULWARK, he was sentenced to 60 days detention (23 Apr to 23 June) when he “Did break out of ship”. For “Quitting ship, boat, working party, or other duty, without leave, but not with intent to desert” the maximum punishment was detention. A Character downgrade to Fair resulted at the end of that year.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Bulwark_(1899) 

You can find out where BULWARK was on 9 August 1908 by obtaining her log from TNA  -  https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1482619

 

 

Edited 3 March , 2023 by horatio2

[lmcfaull]

Thank you so much for all this amazing information 

[FROGSMILE]

28 minutes ago, lmcfaull said:

Thank you so much for all this amazing information 

I told you he was an expert! 

[lmcfaull]

He really is ! Amazing help ! Thank you 

[lmcfaull]

Has anyone got any idea if it is likely anywhere would have a photograph of Robert as the family don't have one and as he died in WW1 - maybe from his time in the Navy etc? 

 

[Allan1892]

3 hours ago, lmcfaull said:

Has anyone got any idea if it is likely anywhere would have a photograph of Robert as the family don't have one and as he died in WW1 - maybe from his time in the Navy etc? 

 

Newspapers local to where the family lived at the time would be my place to look. Newspapers are available to view at Find My Past (a subscription site -- check your local library to see if they have access to FMP) - they are also available on https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ -- again a subscription site.

Good luck in your search.

[lmcfaull]

Thank you for the advice

[lmcfaull]

Does anyone know please if photographs were taken of recruits to the navy?  The family would love to see a photograph of Robert McFarland McFaulds (also later known as Robert Leslie McFaull/Macfaull) as we have never seen one.

[Keith_history_buff]

2 hours ago, lmcfaull said:

Does anyone know please if photographs were taken of recruits to the navy?

I've never heard of such a thing happening. If it had, then I would have expected to have seen numerous examples to have been reproduced on this forum. In 20 years of using the forum, I've not seen anything like it, so I believe the answer is no.

[Keith_history_buff]

The nearest that I have seen is that for men who enlisted in the merchant navy after WW1, where their card has survived, there is a mugshot photo. These can be accessed if you are a FindMyPast subscriber, but I presume your 2x Great Grandfather did not.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

On 03/03/2023 at 11:15, lmcfaull said:

Norah who was from Wales.

Census 1911 and Free BMD would suggest that she was born in London (either Poplar, Islington or Wandsworth) .

Where does the Welsh connection come from?

Edited 18 May , 2023 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[lmcfaull]

Thank you for all of your help.  Norahs Grandaughter told me that Norah was from Wales but that may mean her parents were - I have not investigated that line of the family tree yet.  Robert was born in Glasgow.