Major General Stanley | 11 Jan 2015 9:26 a.m. PST |
Hi, I found my Grandfathers WWI service record online at the national archives and downloaded it. Most of it seems straight forward, but I have some questions. 1. His height is listed as 5'1 1/2. He was much taller than that, so would that have been his height at 15 as a boy sailor or a mistake or am I reading this wrong? 2. There are two successive entries Neptune(Verdun) and " (Velox). Neptune is a base in Scotland and Velox and Verdun are V class destroyers. Does this mean he served on the base as in some support capacity to those ships? 3. Does the list and number have anything to tell me or is it just an administrative item? 4. His Sub-ratings are SG, RT II, RT III, and then RT II again. What are these? If RT III is better that RT II why would he drop back? I would appreciate any information or insight Chris |
Doms Decals | 11 Jan 2015 9:44 a.m. PST |
1. Almost certainly height on enlistment, yes. 3. Administrative – they cross refer to where he'd be in the ship's records. 4. I strongly suspect Signaller and Radio Telegraphist, with II and III being grades of the latter – presumably busted back for some disciplinary infraction, or less likely a temporary grade being withdrawn. I'm not certain on the RT though – more usual Royal Navy terminology was Wireless Telegraphy rather than Radio – SG for Signals was standard though, and it seems an obvious career progression…. |
Doms Decals | 11 Jan 2015 9:58 a.m. PST |
Ignore my thoughts on (4) – from a bit of a rummage SG as a sub-rating is Seaman Gunner. I can't find RT though…. |
Maddaz111 | 11 Jan 2015 10:20 a.m. PST |
RT is ordinary rating (according to my big book…) RT to 3 ? and then back to 2 suggests extra pay and then docking extra pay when no longer active/ or discipline, or other circumstances… |
Doms Decals | 11 Jan 2015 10:31 a.m. PST |
As a PS on (2) – I don't think so – Neptune *is* HMNB Clyde (which didn't exist in WWI), but in WWI Neptune was a battleship. (Additionally, Velox and Verdun were in different flotillas, although both seem to have been based with the main Grand Fleet at Rosyth.) Maybe some kind of secondment? Seems odd though…. |
NCC1717 | 11 Jan 2015 10:52 a.m. PST |
A 1941 guide lists Rangetaker 1st, 2nd and 3rd Class for the British Navy. That could be 'RT'. Seems a natural progression from Seaman Gunner. |
Major General Stanley | 11 Jan 2015 10:57 a.m. PST |
As far as I know he operated range finding equipment and thus had a great view of Jutland. Albeit, since vanguard was apparently 16th in line, there wasn't a lot to see. He did describe going by a German ship that was dead in the water between the two fleets and firing into it and watching the flames shoot out like stoking a stove. SMS Wiesbaden fits the bill, except for the flames. When he reverted to RT II he was stationed at Pembroke (chatham barracks) in 1926. Unlikely to be disciplinary as character and ability are shown as VG and Supr. There is lots of information about HMS Vanguard at Jutland, But is there a source of information about Emperor of India in the Russian Civil War? Google turns up the barest bones. |
Major General Stanley | 11 Jan 2015 11:00 a.m. PST |
So Range taker makes sense. |
Maddaz111 | 11 Jan 2015 11:56 a.m. PST |
yes I agree range taker makes sense and existed in 1918 (badges first awarded then…) Am assuming different categories exist.. so RT II and RT III represent different grades, as in second and third is RT 3rd a demotion, or for AA weapons or… for tertiary weapons? |
Doms Decals | 11 Jan 2015 12:32 p.m. PST |
Royal Navy subdivisions are usually "Nth class" – on that basis II is better than III, so it's the date of the change from II to III that I'd look at, not the return to II. |
Major General Stanley | 11 Jan 2015 4:12 p.m. PST |
Its interesting. When I look at the date columns more closely I noticed something. He's SG from 6 Sept 16, with no to date. RT II from 12 Sept 16 to 22 Oct 18. RT III ns or as (its hard to see) from 1? Oct 1? to 22 Oct 18, and then RT II ns or as from 22 Oct 10 18 to 30 June 26. Can you have two sub-ratings at once? |
Major General Stanley | 11 Jan 2015 4:20 p.m. PST |
Dom, you also seem to be right about HMS Neptune, although at this point, 1921, it would seem to have been in the reserve fleet. Perhaps it was a depot ship for destroyers? I'm reaching here… |