HMS NEPTUNE @ BATTLE OF JUTLAND

[Grandad Allan]

My Grandfather was on board HMS Jutland during the Battle of Jutland, then transferred to the 4th Battle Squadron in 1917. Any information on the 4th Battle Squadron would be appreciated also in 1921 he was part of the R.F.R. mobilised to quell the uprising in Ireland continuing in service until September 1932 when he was discharged at the age of 40years with a gratuity of £100. Service number SS3390. He also served on HMS ROCKET any further information concerning Walter Allan would be helpful in researching his life in the Navy.

[kenf48]

@Grandad Allan

Welcome to the GWF 

I think there is a typo in your post, 

1 hour ago, Grandad Allan said:

My Grandfather was on board HMS Jutland during the Battle of Jutland,

 

[horatio2]

He was a seaman rating on a Special Service (SS) engagement which required him to serve five years in the Fleet, followed by seven years in the Royal Fleet Reserve (RFR). In the vent WW1 stopped his release in 1915 after five years and he did not join the RFR until demobilised in 1919.

His mobilisation in April to June 1921 was nothing to do with Ireland but was part of the government's response to the national miners' strike.

HMS NEPTUNE was in the 1st Battle Squadron at Jutland but was transferred to 4th Battle Squadron thereafter. Your GF spent seven years in NEPTUNE but the last nine months of the war were served in HMS ROCKET, part of the 15th Destroyer Flotilla based on the depot ship HMS SANDHURST at Scapa Flow.

More on the two battle squadrons here:-

http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/First_Battle_Squadron_(Royal_Navy)

http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Fourth_Battle_Squadron_(Royal_Navy)

Assessed as as VG' Character throughout (awarded two Good Conduct Badges (GCB)) and mostly 'Superior' Efficiency as a seaman.

Edit:- A closer look shows that, although granted one (first) Good Conduct Badge (G.1.B) on 12 Sep 1913 it was "ceased" (i.e. deprived) on 12 Jun 1914. This would have been a punishment for an unrecorded 'crime' in HMS NEPTUNE. The GCB was restored six months later on 18 Dec 1914. Deprivation of a GCB always involves a lower Character assessment and, although hard to see, his assessment at the nd of 1914 was "VG*".   

VG* can be awarded only once in a man's service as a 'Last Chance Saloon" way of overcoming an un-characteristic blotting of the disciplinary record., which could have impact on, for example, eligibility for a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Edited 19 May , 2024 by horatio2

[Grandad Allan]

Thank you "horatio2", we have 4 of Walters medals which we acquired from his daughters estate, my Mum, when she passed last month aged 96. We also found out that he may have been on submarines. Mum must have got her facts wrong about Ireland, Grandad always mentioned Black & Tans? According to Mum W

[horatio2]

He claimed three WW1 medals: 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal and British War Medal.   What is his fourth medal - WW2?

He never served in submarines nor did his active RN service take him to Ireland.   Over the years family 'history' often gets distorted and embroidered in the telling.

Edited 19 May , 2024 by horatio2

[Grandad Allan]

Think we have worked out the four medals, PIP,SQUEEK & WILFRED & the forth one is his Long Service Medal, with the Dreadnought on one face & the Admiral of the Fleet on the other.

[Grandad Allan]

Just a wild idea, but we do not have any photographs of Walter in his Naval uniform, any thoughts as to where we might look to acquire one?

[horatio2]

51 minutes ago, Grandad Allan said:

the forth one is his Long Service Medal, with the Dreadnought on one face & the Admiral of the Fleet on the other.

The obverse is King George V in the uniform of an AoF.

As previously noted, his fortuitous VG* Character for 1914 allowed him to be awarded the LS & GC Medal (RFR) in September 1925, after fifteen years RN + RFR service with VG (including one VG*) Conduct. Had his 1914 Character assessment been only 'Good', he would not have qualified for that medal until 1929.

47 minutes ago, Grandad Allan said:

we do not have any photographs of Walter in his Naval uniform, any thoughts as to where we might look to acquire one?

Your best chance (but vanishingly small unless he did something of local interest) is in local newspapers. The RN did not routinely take personnel photographs. 

Edited 27 May , 2024 by horatio2