navy service number

[Hardyboys]

good evening, i have a marriage certificate that say" P/J 979806 Able Seaman Royal Navy 1959". 

1. The reference above, does anyone know if this is a regular Navy reference or a National Service one ?

2. Either way, is there somewhere one can contact using this reference to get further information or even track down a photo of this person ?

[mmm45]

He was a Portsmouth based Commuincations or Signals branch.
You have enough info to apply for a Service Record IF you know the person is deceased if he is by 25yrs then you can apply without permission from next of kin.
Veterans Agency site has the necessary forms to download.There will be a £30 charge from MOD.

Ady

[Hardyboys]

Thanks for the info,

are you saying he was regular Navy and just not national service ?

Is it possible to access a photo from Navy Archives without the family's permission as he may still be alive. This person is my biological father but i have only recently found i was adopted by my dad when he married my mother after the possibility of marriage was blocked in 1957,by the parents, as he was too young.

I dont want to contact my "new family" if i can get a picture of what he looked like without doing so.

regards

[km1971]

His records may not contain a photograph. More importantly no information will be released about a living person. So whoever is applying they have to provide a copy of the death certificate. The only exception is when the subject died while serving, as the MOD/RN etc will know this.

Regarding a claim of kinship. I think the thing that interests them is the £30. Just remember to ask for a copy of the whole file. As they will try and fob you off with a summary.

Ken

[Hardyboys]

thanks for the replies.
does anybody know if this number was a national service number or a regular number as this may affect how i proceed in my quest for further information (P/J 979806)

on a side question, my mum married dad after he did his national service in the army in Cyprus, whereas my other Father did his service in the Navy. Did people doing national service have a choice where to serve ie Army,Navy or RAF.  All this is new to me and was just curious to know.

regards

[Arethusa]

It's highly unlikely that it is a National Service number.  in 1960 total strength of RN was around 98000, only 500 of those were National Service men, mainly electricians