RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: oldtimer on Sunday 01 February 09 16:52 GMT (UK)
-
Hi ;)
My Great uncle is back left on this photo, which I have been told was taken during WW2.
Bert was born in 1901 and had served in the army in the Great War.
Can anyone tell me what uniform he is wearing here please?
Many thanks
Judy ;)
-
He's a Royal Navy Petty Officer. mate
Pre WW2 as there is a name on the cap tally (? HMS Centurion)
Surprised he doesn't have his WW1 ribbons up though!
-
And pre 1924 by the looks of it!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Centurion_(1911)
-
Thanks Scrimmers :D
It can't be pre-1924 though! He was born in 1901 and I have photos of him in WW1 ;D
-
He looks to be 30-40 ish... ??? ??? ??? ???
During WW2 it just had HMS on the cap tally (lad front right)...
The chap back left has a VERY pre WW2 collar to his shirt...
We need a Matelot guru on this.... ;D
-
The only thing I can think of is that they were part of the skeleton crew that took here over to Arromanches before she was scuttled, and that someone found an old cap tally...
BUT it should still be "HMS" only on there...He's a very naughty boy!
-
Thanks very much!
So - what exactly was a petty officer? :-\ :-\
What would have been his duties on the ship?? ::) ::)
:D
-
Here's some int for you...Ignore the bit on Midshipmen though....They were "Officer Cadets" and only in the structure there for convenience sake!
http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_nav_rankings.htm
-
Thank you very much Scrimnet :D
That's brilliant!!
Judy ;)
-
Rather puzzling.
Judy says her uncle was born in 1901 and served in WWI. He looks about 40 here and would, I think, have been called up at the outbreak of WWII. In which case, as has been previously said, why is the junior rating wearing a cap tally for "HMS Centurion." During the war only "HMS" cap tallies were worn. Jolly Jack should certainly be getting a bollocking for wearing his cap flat-a-back.
HMS Centurion was built as a Thunderer Class warship in 1912/13 and was converted to look like a King George V Class Battleship, to confuse the Germans, in 1941 for blockade duties at Tripoli. This URL gives details http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/21/a6354821.shtml . The name HMS Centurion was from 1956 applied to the shorebase at Haslemere of Commodore Naval Drafting and from 1970 to the Drafting and Pay section in Gosport.
Judy's Gt Uncle was certainly a PO and his branch badge (right arm) looks like that of a Naval Airman although it is too blurred to be absolutely sure.
This URL may be useful in searching for her Gt Uncles records
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/78.htm
-
Rather puzzling.
Judy says her uncle was born in 1901 and served in WWI. He looks about 40 here and would, I think, have been called up at the outbreak of WWII. In which case, as has been previously said, why is the junior rating wearing a cap tally for "HMS Centurion." During the war only "HMS" cap tallies were worn. Jolly Jack should certainly be getting a bollocking for wearing his cap flat-a-back.
HMS Centurion was built as a Thunderer Class warship in 1912/13 and was converted to look like a King George V Class Battleship, to confuse the Germans, in 1941 for blockade duties at Tripoli. This URL gives details http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/21/a6354821.shtml . The name HMS Centurion was from 1956 applied to the shorebase at Haslemere of Commodore Naval Drafting and from 1970 to the Drafting and Pay section in Gosport.
Judy's Gt Uncle was certainly a PO and his branch badge (right arm) looks like that of a Naval Airman although it is too blurred to be absolutely sure.
This URL may be useful in searching for her Gt Uncles records
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/78.htm
Glad the new Naval guru found this...Our old one Salty, has gone AWOL...Despite PMs!!
Thought I wasn't going barmy!
Gosport!!
I knew that name rang a bell....I was at Fort Blockhouse for a time...
-
Thank you Les and Scrimnet. Sorry to have you both scratching your heads ::)
The People at War story was really interesting - thank you!
I was sent the photo by his daughter - sadly now deceased - and she told me it was WW2. After WW1 Bert was a miner, and before and after WW2 he became a baker.
Thank you again for all your help.
Judy
Here he is in WW1 -
-
That is about 1917/1918 and he's in the Machine Gun Corps....
Can't be WW2 as they ceased to exist in 1922
You may find this of interest...(saves me typing it all out!)
http://www.1914-1918.net/mgc.htm
-
Hi Scrimnet :D
Thank you for the link - fascinating reading.
I suppose he was old to go into the army in WW2?
Many thanks for all your interest.
Judy
-
He must have been in the Matelots for a while, as he has reached CPO! ;D ;D