keithchristmas Posted 3 December , 2006 Share Posted 3 December , 2006 I am currently reserching AB Sidney Phillips and have obtained a copy of his ADM188 Reserve record. Unfortunatly, the copy I have downloaded is not very clear. It would appear that he served on a ship called Port Said. But I can quite read the name. It reads: Egmont ( Port Said) 30/11/1916 - 30/6/1918 Duke ( Port Said) 1/7/1918 - 31/3/19 The next ship was Hannibal, but I can't decide whether there is also ditto make here too. I assume that Egmont and Duke were depot ships and that Port Said was the ship upon which he served. If so, can anyone prove any information about this ship? Would Hannibal (Majestic Class Battleship) have also been a depot ship by April 1919? Under sub-rating and badges it appears to say 'coders' 1/7/1918 , but again it's not very clear. What could this mean? Any help greatfully received! Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAAAEd Posted 4 December , 2006 Share Posted 4 December , 2006 I would suggest that all ships mentioned were indeed depot ships, they were all elderly, and that they were located at Port Said. Egmont may have been an old 465 tons composite screw gunboat Bullfrog of 1881, although my information has her as named Egmont in 1923. She is recorded as harbour service by 1905 so this could fit. Duke is a mystery for now. Hannibal was indeed of the Majestic Class, disarmed in 1915 for transport and depot ship duties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 4 December , 2006 Share Posted 4 December , 2006 For HMS EGMONT see: http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/achilles.htm For HMS DUKE see: Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 4 December , 2006 Share Posted 4 December , 2006 Hi. "Under sub-rating and badges it appears to say 'coders' 1/7/1918 , but again it's not very clear. What could this mean?" Is it possible to see a scan to help determine this bit, and what was his Substantive Rank. Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lörscher Posted 4 December , 2006 Share Posted 4 December , 2006 The HANNIBAL at the end of WW 1 also was located at Port Said, base for the S.N.O. there ! Oliver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithchristmas Posted 5 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 December , 2006 Charles, I attach a copy of the sub-ratings section from AB Sidney Phillips record. Hope you can read this! Do I also understand that he served upon various depot ships at Port Said rather than on a ship by that name? Regards, Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 5 December , 2006 Share Posted 5 December , 2006 Do I also understand that he served upon various depot ships at Port Said rather than on a ship by that name? Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 5 December , 2006 Share Posted 5 December , 2006 Keith, Looks like "Coders", which is intriguing as they; as far as Im aware, didn't exist until the 1930's. The only other word I can suggest is Loaders. I would say he served at Port Said as opposed to the depot ships, his 'list and number' may indicate if he was Ships Company or Detatched Duty. Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionboxer Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 A relations service record states that he was on Egmont 3 and Egmont 4 between May 1916 to December 1917, next to which is written RND Port Said. What's that all about? Lionboxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 I would say RND Port Said is Royal Naval Depot Port Said. The administration for which would be done by Egmont. Regards charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithchristmas Posted 6 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2006 Charles, As requested, I attach List of his Ships including the List and Number details. Does this confirm that AB Phillips served at the R.N. Depot at Port Said during this period? Regards, Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 Keith, Yes, he only served as ships company on one ship that was the survey sloop Merlin. Does it say 'Camp' after Egmont 15? Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithchristmas Posted 6 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2006 Charles, I have enlarged the image as far as it will go and it does appear to say 'camp'. Does this confirm that he was based at the RN Depot at Port Said. If the Egmont was the depot ship at Port Said, what does Egmont 15 mean? Did you have any further thoughts with regard to his sub-rating? Regards, Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 Keith, I cannot find a ship called Port Said, list number 15 is detatched duty, ships company are on list 5. He was just administered for pay and victuals by Egmont and lived elsewhere that elsewhere being Port Said. I have not come up with anything on the Sub Rating, Coder is not in the standard lists, if anything crops up I will let you know. Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithchristmas Posted 6 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2006 Many thanks to everyone who have helped with this enquiry. The information received has been a great help. Kind regards, Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historydavid Posted 7 December , 2006 Share Posted 7 December , 2006 Charles, Both sides used codes (the German one was captured from the Magdeburg by the Russians and passed to Britain, which set up Room 40 to decipher intercepted messages). So "coders" must have existed although not as an individual rating. Suggest it was probably done by a specialist section of the telegraphic staff but treated as an additional accomplishment. Best wishes David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 7 December , 2006 Share Posted 7 December , 2006 David, Thanks for that, I have looked at the references for substantive rates but nothing on Coders. In fact cannot come up with anything that fits at all, I shall keep looking, all suggestions gratefully received. Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spithead Posted 7 December , 2006 Share Posted 7 December , 2006 David, Thanks for that, I have looked at the references for substantive rates but nothing on Coders. In fact cannot come up with anything that fits at all, I shall keep looking, all suggestions gratefully received. Regards Charles Hello Charles and Battlecruiser Found this page containing 'Establishment of the Coding Branch' which although dated 1940 may have some answers to do with 'Coders' as above. Here Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 7 December , 2006 Share Posted 7 December , 2006 John, Thanks for that, I've followed that back to Cypher Clerk in the early 1930's. Im sure there would be something of that ilk, just finding it, especially during the war whilst in Egypt. Regards charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historydavid Posted 7 December , 2006 Share Posted 7 December , 2006 Charles & battlecruiser, I think that if the word coders was being added to official certificates it would have been officially recognised, ie of Admiralty origin. Perhaps it was something that was introduced late in the war then dropped afterwards, until re-introduced in the 1930s. Best wishes David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 18 June , 2019 Share Posted 18 June , 2019 Hi Keith, just seen this. Are you still on line? I have war records for my grandfather which are the same as yours. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 19 June , 2019 Admin Share Posted 19 June , 2019 14 hours ago, Ian Yates said: Hi Keith, just seen this. Are you still on line? I have war records for my grandfather which are the same as yours. Ian Welcome to the forum Ian Keith hasn't logged on since 2013 but if you reply to this you will have enough posts to access the private message system. Click on Keith's user name and select message (the envelope icon). Once you have sent your message Keith will receive an email to his registered address alerting him to the message. No guarantees of a reply though. Good luck! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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