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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: ASheriff on Sunday 26 December 10 17:00 GMT (UK)
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One of my ancestors served in the first World War and on his pension documents it says "Man states he served in Royal Navy".
I can't find any record of this service. Is it possible he was trying to get a bigger pension than he was entitled to or are RN records incomplete?
Any help appreciated.
Thanks.
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The National Archives holds RN records - see here:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/royalnavyrating1853-1923.htm?WT.lp=rg-3124
jds1949
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I can't find any record of this service.
Would it be possible to provide us with his name/DOB, etc?
Regards,
Peter.
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I knew that my father served in the Royal Navy during WW1, but I couldn't find his records either.....
.... until it dawned on me that the records are indexed by service date, not DOB ! :-[
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I can't find any record of this service.
Would it be possible to provide us with his name/DOB, etc?
Regards,
Peter.
I'll give you what I've got..
His name was Samuel Whitworth.
He was a Private in the 2nd Bn., South Lancashire Regiment, number 3557
Died 0n 13 Sep 1918
His death cert in 1918 says Age 43 years.
I have never established his birth record, but I have his death, marriage, ancestors etc.
His WW1 pension records are fascinating (to me anyway) - tells about his wound at Thiepval in 1916, the hospital he went to, what they did to him, and then an entry "Man died 13.9.18". It breaks my heart every time I read it. Just one of the poppies that falls every remembrance day.
I'd love to find out about his Navy service (if it exists), as he sounds like a colourful character. One of the remarks on his pension records is under "discriptive marks" it says "wound marks and numerous tattoing all over body". It also says "Man states he served 12 yrs in Royal Navy".
Any help greatly appreciated.
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Thanks for this ASheriff,
Don't know if anybody else is having trouble, but I don't seem to be able to access the NA's 'Documents Online' page???
I'll keep trying.
PJ
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...It also says "Man states he served 12 yrs in Royal Navy".
ASheriff,
Just out of interest, what date did Samuel enlist in the Army?
PJ
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...It also says "Man states he served 12 yrs in Royal Navy".
ASheriff,
Just out of interest, what date did Samuel enlist in the Army?
PJ
I believe it was September 8 1914. His former trade or occupation is given as "miner" so there may have been a gap between his Navy service and his Army misadventure.
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Thanks... funnily enough, I was just looking at his pension record as you posted your last reply.
Having a bit of trouble accessing the pertinent National Archives page for Naval records, but as soon as it becomes available to me, I'll search for his records.
Cheers,
PJ
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Hi,
Just in case...
There is a Samuel Whitworth, a collier, who served in the Royal North Lancs reg, right age, for 12 years - his father is Samuel, brother Major, wife Bestey
Junev
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I have now been able to search the NA site for Samuel - no luck with the RN records under 'Samuel Whitworth', 'Sam Whitworth', 'S. Whitworth' or just plain 'Whitworth'.
His Army MIC is listed, but nothing for the Royal Navy.
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Hi,
Just in case...
There is a Samuel Whitworth, a collier, who served in the Royal North Lancs reg, right age, for 12 years - his father is Samuel, brother Major, wife Bestey
Junev
Thanks junev - I'll look into that.
And PJ, thanks for your efforts, looks like it will remain a mystery.
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Have you tried varying the spelling of Samuel's surname during searches, or 'wildcarding' it?
PJ
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PJ, nope. I haven't. I'll throw some hours at that.
One last gasp...
It says he served 12 years. Is that likely to mean he joined at 16 and did his 10 year engagement starting at age 18? If so it might give me a date of entry into Navy.
Second, in the "Why can't I find an entry?" section on the NA site it states Service records for ratings issued with CS numbers 1- 40,000 (including those with an A or B suffix) are found within pieces ADM 188/1-4, which are not searchable by name. You can download these records free of charge and scroll through the documents, which are similar to indexes in appearance.
Does anybody know enough about this stuff to know if he might be in there? I gather CS numbers are for "Continuous Service" which if he did 12 years it's likely he did.
Ta.
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To answer my own question it looks like those records end in the mid-late 1860's
My guess is Samuel Whitworth joined in 1890 if indeed he did join!
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If he joined the Navy aged 16, his twelve year service would have commenced when he became eighteen. As a boy rating, his elevation to Ordinary Seaman would have only begun at eighteen; prior to this he would have been classed as a Boy Seaman 2nd Class and 1st Class as he progressed until he reached eighteen.
PJ