War at Sea Sevice

[Sam Danie2016]

Hi I am trying to find out more about a family members service record. Any help is much appreciated. 

[horatio2]

Welcome to h GWF.

Charles LETTS enlisted as a Boy  Seaman on 30 Aug 1900. He was on a 12-year Continuous Service (CS) engagement which started on his 18th birthday, 28 Sep 1901, on which date he was also advanced to Ordinary Seaman.

His 12 years CS was completed on 3 Oct 1913 when he was discharged, joining the Royal Fleet Reserve (RFR)on the next day.. This period of service lies before the WW1 subject of this Forum/ The ships in which he served are listed and an internet search for “HMS xxxxxx” can inform your next line of enquiry.

Looking at his WW1 service, he was mobilised from the RFR on 13 Jul 1914 and finally demobilised on 25 February 1919. His ships are again listed except for the period on the books of HMS PRESIDENT III from June 1917. During this period he was demobilised (and immediately re-mobilised) to serve as a seaman gunner (SG) in Defensively Armed Merchant Ships (DAMS). Those DAMS are not named.

His disciplinary record was VG for the most part, although in January 1917 he appears to have been reduced from Leading Seaman to Able Seaman for an unspecified offence which also reduced his Character Assessment from VG to Good at the end of 1917.

From 8 Apr to 8 Jun 1921 he was again mobilised from the RFR during a national miners’ strike.

Edited 20 April by horatio2

[horatio2]

His time in HMS VENGEANCE from 16 Dec 1915 to 2 Mar 1917 is partly covered by  the transcribed ship's log (Feb 1914 to Dec 1916)  here   - 

 https://naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-01-HMS_Vengeance.htm

His 'home port' was Chatham and his shore time  between sea drafts was usually spent in the RN Barracks, Chatham, the 'stone frigate' HMS PEMBROKE.

He claimed and was issued with (post-discharge) his WW1 trio of medals marked in the rate of Able Seaman.

[Sam Danie2016]

Thank you so very much for this information, I have been doing my family tree for a while now and don't understand all papers of relatives. This has given me such a great insight into my GG Uncle. Your help has been invaluable.