Genealogy Chat

Dear all, I wonder if anyone can help?? I've recently recieved a photograph of my grandfather, aged about 23/24 in some kind of Navy outfit!! The time period is WW2, apparently he travelled from his home in North Wales and was based on a ship in Plymouth and worked there through WW2, but never left base or travelled abroad!!?? What kind of Navy job did he do???? Best directions for research please!!! Thank-you!! Sarah x

Heres a starter for 10. http://www.barnettresearch.freeserve followed by .co.uk/mainaval.htm

You will need to contact the MOD in Gosport Hants for the full details of your ancestor's navy life during 2 W War. The cost is about £25/£30 for details + proving you are the next of kin or have next of kin's permission to obtain records. There is no other way to obtain these details as the records are not yet in the public domain for anybody to see. They are unlikely to be released for public viewing until 75 years after end of 2 W War but may be released earlier if MOD decides to do so. It is a good idea to give them as much info as possible as they may not be able to issue you with the correct details particulaly if your ancestor had a common name. Janet

If you can scan the photo I will take a look at it. mail me if you would like me to and I will give you my E-Mail But as Plymouth is was a training area and an admin area he could of worked in eather of these areas, and that covers a lot of jobs???

Hi All Thank you all so very much for your speedy replies!!!!! Roy- looks like a very interesting site, will have a trawl (pardon the pun!!!) LOL through!! Janet - what kind of records can I expect?? thankfully its a very unusual surname so obtaining records may be a possibility. Peter - very kind offer, could you send me your e-mail and I'll try and scan it in later in the week. Sarah x

My father was in the navy in WWII and worked as a physical training instructor, all in the UK, bringing recruits up to physical fitness standards and rehabilitating wounded/injured sailors, so it could have been that type of job. Remember that a 'ship' might not float, all shore bases are given ship's names i.e. HMS Ganges or similar. Many were requisitioned holiday camps.

Any badges on his sleeve? There's so many different things he/his ship could have done. The shore base at Plymouth is/was HMS Drake but wether or not he was based there doing any one of scores of jobs or at the Gunnery School HMS Cambridge? just along the coast. Some ships were used to tow targets out, some mine sweeping, search and rescue for downed aircraft personnel. A category badge might say what his trade was but not what the ship was doing.

Hi Julie and Brian Thanks for info, unfortunately no badges :( As we speak my father is racking his brains as he's sure he knows the name of the 'ship'.........this could make life a bit easier!!!!! Sarah x

Sarah You can expect to obtain his place and date of birth, and the ships he may have served on during the 2 W War, and that will include shore based 'Ships' and whether or not he left the navy after 2 W War or whether or not he stayed in the navy, and any medal entitlements although the medal entitlements for 2 W War are now on line at Kew, basic knowledge but maybe enough to take your research further. The shore bases at Plymouth at this time included the Royal Naval Hospital, Stonehouse and HMS Vivid as well as HMS Raleigh and HMS Fisguard. You can google for more info on the establishments but you won't get personnel on here, just a history of the places concerned. Incidentally HMS Drake and HMS Vivid are one and the same place, was HMS Drake in early 1930's but became HMS Vivid later in the 1930's. Hope that's the right way round as that is off the top of my head but can find out definitekly if you are interested. Google for the history. My father was on Vivid and I googled the history recently. I also have my fathers records from MOD Gosport. Google MOD Gosport for correct address. Remember that during 2 W War all ships names were blanked out on hats. .Janet.

Hi Meercat The propeller is his trade badge, worn on the right arm, which shows he is a marine engineering mechanic (Stoker). The star is a qualification. one star is an ordinary seaman equivalent, two stars is an able seamen or above. His next qualification would have been leading stoker, with a rank badge on his left arm (an anchor or 'killick'). The only vessels that come to mind would have been mine countermeasure vessels (Minesweepers). Hope this helps Jane