Richard Gardner Turnbull in WW!

[bramhallbill]

Hi
I have just seen Richard Gardener Turnbull b 14 Feb 1896 at 27 Gladstone Terrace Windy Nock Gateshead.1921 at the address sees him as a miner shifter working for Heworth Coal Company.
And yet in WW1 he had Service Number   Z/721
Rank/Rating   Ordinary Seaman, Able Seaman
URL   http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7256828
and from pension records
Name   Richard G. Turnbull
Rank   Airman Basic
Record Type   Military
Birth Date   1897
Residence Place   27 Gladstone Terrace Windy Nock Gateshead
Military Service Region   Northern, Northern
Military Country   England
Discharge Date   10 May 1919
Service Number   T.z 721
Ship   Unson Batt
Service Branch   Navy
Title   WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers
Description   Pension Record Ledger
Reference Number   2/N/No896
Next of Kin   
Next of Kin
Name
Richard G. Turnbull
Not sure what to make of it . Bit confused . Any help appreciated.

[Mabel Bagshawe]

I'm not sure what exactly your confusion is between the war record and 1921, as he would have been demobbed and back on civvy street by the census

His war record is a bit confusing - having downloaded his record for free from the National Archives I can see he was in the Royal Naval Division, which I believe might have been made up of naval reservists surplus to the requirements of manning RN ships. So they had naval ranks but served more like as soldiers - so he ended up on the Western Front (and won the military medal).

The pension record has got itself confused - where it says Ship "Unson Batt" this is acutally the Anson Battalion of the Royal Naval Division.  No idea why it thinks he's an airman!

[bramhallbill]

Ta Mabel . I did wonder if he was an ablebodied air man. The pension bit was confusing as I saw him as a beneficiary. His son had the same name b 1931 or there abouts.
Unson Batt .....nice one ta
Bill B

[Mabel Bagshawe]

looking at the record from National Archives there's nothing obvious to suggest he was an airman. He seems associated with the Royal Naval Division throughout

[CaroleW]

Freebmd shows his birth was registered March qtr 1897 so probably born 14 Feb 1897 not 1896

[tonepad]

His Rank of Airman Basic on his pension record is a transcription error.
The navy rank would have been abbreviated AB which means Able Seaman.


Tony

[bramhallbill]

Hi Guys
1939 Has Richard Gardener Turnbull as Miner Incapacitated By Illness but at a push it could be Mariner Incapacitated By Illness as there looks to be too many letters for miner. He gives his  DoB 14 2 97
Cheers Bill B

[tonepad]

He is a Miner, there is a flourish on the letter "M".
Compare with other Miners on the same 1939 Reg page.


Tony