Prefix letters on Royal Navy Medals

[brett361975]

Can anyone help with the following prefix letters on Royal Navy Medals,

I have no idea what they mean can any one help

J (THEN NUMBER) what does the J represent?

M (Then Number) what does the M represent?

Rank given as ERA 5 (WHAT IS THIS RANK?)

Any help gratefully received.

Regards

Brett

I think i have posted this in the wrong section but don't know how to change it. My apologies

[Odin]

J represents Seaman Branch (Seamen, Signal and Telegraphist ratings)

K represents Stoker Branch (Stoker ratings)

L represents Officers' Stewards and Cooks and Boy Servants

M represents Artisan and Miscellaneous Branch which includes Engineer Room and Electrical Artificers, Armourers, Carpenters, Shipwrights, Sick Berth ratings, Ships' Cooks plus many others (ie plumbers, coopers, wiremen, painters)

F indicated men entered in or transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service

An ERA 5 is an Engine Room Artificer 5th Class which I'm not absolutely sure at the time of WWI whether that was a junior Petty Officer Rate or a Leading Seaman Rate.

[horatio2]

J = Seamen and communications ratings (1908 - 1953).

M = Miscellaneous branches 1908 - 1953, including Engine room and Electrical Artificers, Armourers, Carpenters, Blacksmiths and many more.

ERA5 = Engine Room Artificer 5th Class.

[joseph]

Brett,

Its the right section, Numbers were issued from a register the J and M prefix was given to men in these branches

Regular service between 1908 to 1923

J 1 - J 110000 Seamen and Communication ratings

M 1 - M 38000 Engine Room Artificers

K 1 - K 63500 Stokers

M 1 - M 38000 Artisans and Miscellaneous

M 1 - M 38000 Sick Berth Staff and Ship's Police

L 1 - L 15000 Officer's Stewards, Officer's Cooks and Boy Stewards

Engine Room Artificer 5th Class would have completed the course of training as a Boy Artificer and passed the technical examination. He ranked among the Leading Hands and would be rated up to ERA 4th Class after 12 months and have the recomends.

Regards Charles

[brett361975]

thank you for all the fast replies, question answered.

Regards

Brett

[Anne Green]

I am looking for help in identifying meaning of abbreviations on the Medal Rolls.  The person I am interested in has "S" for rank and No  B.Z/3491.  In the column 'how issued or disposed of' there is "Mr" and in the 'remarks' column is I.C. 4800/1916

 

Anne

[horatio2]

Signalman (Sig) Frank HIGGINS had the RNVR Offical No, for Bristol Division RNVR (B) and he was a wartime volunterr (Z), hence BZ/3491. His medals were claimed by and issued to his mother (Mr). The reference in Remarks is to the Admiralty Index Casualty (IC) for 1916. - a casualty of the sinking of HMS HAMPSHIRE.

Edited 26 July , 2020 by horatio2

[Keith_history_buff]

The following may be of use in respect of some of the initials in use on these Admiralty medal rolls
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-military-campaign-and-service-medals/

[Anne Green]

Marvellous information there, well done!  I am trying to find out more on a Frank Higgins.  He was a good friend of  my grandfather who was a signalman  and also navy volunteer.  There are many in the medals list and this one is likely but Bristol might be not be right.  This chap was best man at grandfather's wedding  in Sheerness in 1918 and godfather to my mother born in 1920.  I have a small gold cross he gave her and also a photo of him.   My mother  tells me he was lost at sea subsequently due to being swept overboard while wearing seaboots.  Does the casualty reference mean that he died in 1916, if so, I have the wrong chap.  

 

I have looked at local newspapers for an account of his death and local graveyards.  Is there a register of 'lost at sea' in peacetime?  I presume the ones that died in WW1 are recorded.

Edited 27 July , 2020 by Anne Green
additional query

[Keith_history_buff]

Anne, I would advise starting a new thread, just about him with his name in the title, as this thread is about prefix letters on Royal Navy medals.

A new thread always gets a lot more traffic, and the likelihood of you getting better responses goes up as a consequence. Old threads are usually seen as dead.

[Anne Green]

I apologise.  I am guilty of wandering off into family history/genealogy.  

[horatio2]

If you are seeking an RN (i.e. RN, RNR or RNVR) rating or a rating in the Mercantile Marine Reserve (MMR) named Frank HIGGINS who served in WW1 as a signalman, then the Bristol Division RNVR man already discussed (who was killed in 1916) is the only man who appears in the records.

 

There is one RNR rating of that name who served as a trimmer in the RNR trawler section; one MMR rating who also served as a trimmer; an ordinary seaman of Tyneside Division RNVR, who was a POW 1917-1918; a telegraphist of Bristol Division RNVR; and not a single RN rating.

Edited 27 July , 2020 by horatio2