Discharge Reason ?

[seaweed]

Thanks again, more to think about, he was born in 1902 and when starting this service was only 16 yrs and 8 months old, surely he could not have been in the merchant navy as young as that,

Yes, It would be common before and during WW1 that 14 year olds legally served in the Mercantile Marine. Cannot give you any figures but the youngest person to die in any of the services as a result of enemy action  in the Second World War was Galley Boy Reginald Earnshaw.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Earnshaw
It is a fact that 500 plus boys under the age of 16 died whilst serving in the MN in WW2.
Usually they lied about their age, the legal age was 15 but most Masters turned a blind eye.

[MaxD]

Not something I would profess to be good at but the two photographs, even allowing for the passage of time, do not look to be the same.  I wouldn't die in a ditch over it though. 

In your post "the picture we have is not him" - did you mean that the picture you posted is not father or the 16 year old merchant seaman isn't??  If the seaman isn't, then his record has the wrong photo, stuff happens!

Phidias was a cargo vessel of the Holt line http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=13689 Possible scenario is him serving on Phidias and volunteering for the Mine Clearance service when it was formed.

MaxD

[Sc00p]

This would be worth the small investment if you don't already have it: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7714683 
Edit: just realised it's probably the document on FindMyPast.

[seaweed]

Phidias was a cargo vessel of the Holt line http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=13689 Possible scenario is him serving on Phidias and volunteering for the Mine Clearance service when it was formed.

MaxD

PHIDIAS official number 135459. Her 1919 Crew Agreements and Logbooks, which will tell you when he was aboard can be obtained for a fee from
 https://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/viewcombinedcrews.php?Official_No=135459

[weddieD1948]

Thanks again bbart, my son and I came to the same conclusion when we saw the photo, as I said all other details are correct, the address is strange but that is difficult to check after 1911, and in reply to MaxB yes the picture is not correct the seamans picture is not my dads.

[bbart]

the address is strange but that is difficult to check after 1911

There is a little snippet of a John William Burchnall in Dec. 1924 of 60 High St. Nuneaton, getting a fine for riding around on a loud motorcycle.  Perhaps it was a typo, and should have been 66.  Other than that, I can't find any other mention for his or his parents addresses in those years either.  Are there city directories for Nuneaton somewhere?

[weddieD1948]

Thanks yet again bbart, how have you found that in 1924 ? he obviously is back on dry land after his naval activities, I think he must have had problems with employment as he is on the government course in April 1926 and in August 1926 he is off to Australia working on a sheep station ? That's it again until 1938 where we have a picture of him on Skegness front walking with my mum. Once again thanks everybody I am amazed what you lot have found out in a few days, and I have been trying for years. WeddieD1948