Alongside service in the army, the other main military destination for many of our ancestors, particularly those living along Britain’s hundreds of miles of coastline, was the Royal Navy. This chapter explains how you can locate relevant service papers, where they survive, as well as find out more about life on the ocean wave from official material such as ships’ logs, admiralty correspondence and pension records, as well as in museums, archives and research institutions around the country.
It was in the reign of King Alfred (871–901) that the first known naval fleet in this country was established to defend against Danish invaders. Hence, King Alfred is credited as the founder of the Navy. About a century later, Edward the Confessor established the institution of the Cinque Ports, key ports on the south coast where merchant vessels could be refitted for military purposes in defending against Norse attacks. As this conversion process was relatively easy, there was no specific requirement for a separate military navy, although King John commissioned the construction of a large military fleet in 1212 to attack France. The year 1340 marked the first occurrence of a major naval engagement at the Battle of Sluys off the coast of Flanders, though previous large-scale skirmishes had frequently taken place for over a century beforehand. From an institutional point of view, though, the origins of the navy as a recognized ‘department of state’ come with the appointment in 1391 of the Earl of Rutland as the first ever Lord High Admiral.
‘Henry VIII is credited as the ‘Father of the Navy’.’
The origins of the modern Navy are to be found in the Tudor period. The first dry dock was constructed in Portsmouth by Henry VII, who personally owned a fleet of seven ships. His son Henry VIII built a large number of fighting ships including the Henry Grace a Dieu, the largest warship at the time in 1514. Henry VIII also established the Navy Board in 1546 as well as the Office of Admiralty. He is thus credited as the ‘Father of the Navy’.
The Tudor monarchs were well aware of the benefits of exploratory travel and the potential spoils of the New World and were keen to develop a suitable naval force to undertake such voyages. Of course it was during the Tudor period that the Navy faced one of its most famous conflicts against the Spanish Armada in 1588. The Navy did not at this time have a permanent staff, either officers or ratings. Instead men were recruited to serve when required.
The reign of Charles II led to further developments in the history of the Navy; it was given the official title of the ‘Royal Navy’ in 1660, and the Royal Society of London was also established during the reign of Charles II to help further knowledge of seafaring and scientific knowledge. The Royal Navy became an increasingly important fighting force in the wars against the Dutch during the mid-seventeenth century. Developments in fighting techniques also meant that converting merchant ships to military vessels was no longer an effective option, and a unique military Navy became essential. It was Samuel Pepys who instituted the Naval Discipline Act in 1661, bringing in strict discipline rules and codes of conduct marking the beginnings of a professional naval force.
The growth of the British Empire during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries placed new demands upon the Royal Navy. Dockyards were built in various parts of the world, ensuring the fleet remained rapidly mobile. Scientific innovations in seafaring such as sophisticated means of navigation, accurate charts and powerful weaponry were embraced by the Royal Navy, helping it to dominate the seas. Many buildings were constructed at the turn of the eighteenth century to administer the Navy, such as the dockyards in Portsmouth, Chatham, etc., the Royal Hospital in Greenwich and the Admiralty building in Whitehall (in 1699). This era was marked by numerous conflicts with various European powers, and the Royal Navy established its reputation as the world’s foremost maritime power after the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The growth of the Navy in this period led to a large increase in the numbers employed in the force, both ratings and officers, up to the end of Napoleonic Wars. However, once this conflict was over, the Royal Navy did not face any large-scale war until the First World War. The primary role of the Navy changed to policing and protecting trade routes and the numbers employed decreased considerably.
The living and working conditions for ratings were far from comfortable. Living space on the ships was very cramped, food was far below adequate and pay was minimal. The work itself was extremely physical, exhausting and also hazardous, with injuries not being uncommon. The risk of disease was also ever present for the average rating.
Unsurprisingly, officers fared better than did ratings whilst serving on ships. Although officers had to pass a lieutenant’s exam to be considered as an officer, promotion afterwards would mostly be by ‘selection’. This ensured nepotistic practices, as officers would be more likely to be promoted if they came from influential families. They would be mostly from privileged backgrounds and considered gentlemen.
The first steamships began to be used in the nineteenth century; their running depended upon a more specialized workforce of engineers and electricians. The Admiralty established training schools to equip its men with the required skills and the Royal Navy became an increasingly professional force in the twentieth century.
The National Archives holds the majority of records for the Royal Navy, mostly in its Admiralty series (ADM). Additional information may also be found amongst the archives of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Similar to the Army records, service records are divided between naval officers and ratings. The main series for officer records begin in 1660. Records for ratings start much later, in 1853, although it is possible to research the career of a rating prior to that date if details of the ships the individual served in are known. Unlike for the Army, the First World War does not mark any new opportunities for searching out service records as many series continued after 1914. However, Royal Navy records are more complete than Army records.
Prior to 1660 records of individuals serving in the Navy were not kept on a systematic basis. Any surviving documentation will be found amongst the appropriate State, Chancery and Exchequer series held at The National Archives.
Broadly speaking the Royal Navy employed two types of officers: commissioned officers and warrant officers.
The main ranks of commissioned officers ranged from sub-lieutenant, through lieutenant, captain, commander, commodore and rear-admiral to admiral at the very top. They were recruited from 1660 onwards through the grant of a royal commission after an examination had been passed.
Warrant officers included masters, engineers, surgeons, boatswains, carpenters and other ranks that were involved in the practical aspects of running a ship. These individuals held their rank by a warrant and were also subject to examination. Warrant officers became more likely to be promoted to commissioned officers during the latter half of the nineteenth century and into the twentieth.
Records for these individuals may be found in a myriad of sources.
For the earliest periods it may be easier to research an individual by consulting the published sources listed below. All of these sources are available for consultation at The National Archives, the National Maritime Museum, the British Library and other large reference libraries. You may be able to view certain publications online.
• The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy, 1660–1815 by Syrett and DiNardo: This three-volume book lists all the commissioned officers serving in the Royal Navy for the above years, along with their rank and the dates they served in each rank. The book is now available to search online at www.ancestry.co.uk.
• Naval Biographical Dictionary by William R. O’Bryne (1849): This publication lists all serving officers who were alive at the time of publication, from the rank of lieutenant to admiral. Each entry varies in detail depending on each officer. This book has also been digitized and can be searched online as part of the Ancestry website.
• Biographia Navalis by John Charnock (1797): Charnock’s book is a comprehensive survey of all naval officers serving between 1660 and 1797, from the rank of captain to admiral.
• Lives of the British Admirals by Dr John Campbell: A list of all admirals serving up to 1817.
• Royal Naval Biography: or, Memoirs of the services of all the flag-officers, superannuated rear-admirals, retired-captains, post-captains, and commanders, whose names appeared on the Admiralty list of sea officers at the commencement of the present year, or who have since been promoted; illustrated by a series of historical and explanatory notes … With copious addenda by John Marshall (1823–25).
• The Navy List: This publication is based on the same principles as the Army List. It was started in 1796 as Steel’s Navy List and was published quarterly from 1814 onwards as The Navy List. Similar to the Army List it details all officers of the Royal Navy from the rank of lieutenant onwards along with the date of each promotion. After 1810 it records each naval ship and which officers were serving on each. The National Archive series ADM 177 has confidential Navy Lists published during the two world wars.
• An unofficial Navy List was also published from 1841 to 1856, as the New Navy List. It is particularly useful as along with all the information provided in the official lists it gives biographies of officers.
The National Archives holds numerous series of records that contain service history information and, depending on the date your officer ancestor served and the rank he held, you may have to consult more than one of these series. Below is a list of the types of records held by The National Archives and the information each series contains.
Register of Officers’ Returns
There are three main series that contain service register histories after the Royal Navy started a central record-keeping system from the mid-eighteenth century onwards:
1.
ADM 196: Officers’ Service Records (Series III), 1756–1966
This is the main series of service records compiled by the Admiralty. Although the dates begin from 1756 the majority of records are from between 1840 and 1920. However some records may well go back to the mid-eighteenth century. The series has been microfilmed and there is an index to the series in The National Archives, although it is not complete. If your ancestor is not mentioned in the card index, he may still be in the series. There are numerous indexes within the series itself that can also be consulted. The registers record the details of the individual’s career (including promotions and ships served on), birth, residence and marriage details.
The records cover all commissioned officers entering the Royal Navy until May 1917, and warrant officers till 1931. If your ancestor entered the service after these two dates the records will still be retained by the Ministry of Defence. They are only available to next of kin and can be requested from two different departments, dependent on whether the officer concerned is alive or dead:
The Directorate of Personnel Support (Navy) – for deceased personnel
Navy Search TNT Archive Services
Tetron Point, William Nadin Way
Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE11 0BB
Tel: 01283 227910
Fax: 01283 227942
Email: navysearchpgrc@tnt.co.uk
Data Protection Cell (Navy) – for personnel still alive
Building 1/152
HM Naval Base Portsmouth
Victory View, Portsmouth PO1 3PX
Tel: 02392 727381
Fax: 02392 725829
2.
ADM 29: Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Coastguard and related services: Offificers’ and Ratings’ Service Records (Series II), 1802–1919
Although this series is mainly for ratings it also includes warrant officers amongst its records. The records were produced for individuals seeking pensions or medals, as they had to provide a record of service. Hence the Navy Pay Office produced these certificates of service. These are also available on microfilm.
3.
ADM 9: Survey Returns of Offificers’ Services, 1817–48 and ADM 11: Offificers’ Service Records (Series I), 1741–1903
The information found in ADM 9 and ADM 11 constitutes the various surveys of officers that occurred in the nineteenth century. One survey was carried out in 1817, shortly after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. As hostilities had now ceased the Navy found itself vastly overstaffed and had to decide which officers to retain in peacetime. This was done by sending out circular letters to individual officers and asking them to fill out their details of service. A similar survey was also carried out in 1846.
The records do not include every serving officer as not every officer received the letters, nor did every officer choose to fill in the required information. A large number of returns were also lost. Nevertheless, the surveys that do survive can be found in ADM 9 or ADM 11 (and in ADM 6 for warrant officers). Indexes can be found in ADM 10/1–7.
The Navy Pay Office was responsible for compiling pay registers for officers. The information contained in these registers was used to compile certificates of service and for pension purposes. As such they contained a full, but basic, record of each officer’s service with the Royal Navy. There were registers for officers on full pay or half pay (for officers who were paid a retainer to keep them on reserve or a type of pension). The registers were kept from 1668 until 1920.
• Full pay registers can be found in ADM 24 (1795–1872) and ADM 22 (1847–74)
• Half-pay registers are in ADM 18 (1668–89), ADM 25 (1693–1836), ADM 23 (1867–1900) and PMG 15 (1836–1920, containing a name index for each volume)
Succession Books
It is also possible to trace an officer’s career using succession books. These books detail which individual held a particular position on each individual ship during the years each volume covered. The books would also state the previous ships each officer served on for both warrant and commissioned officers. The books are indexed by ship and by name. They cover the years 1673 to 1849 and can be found in ADM 6, ADM 7, ADM 11 and ADM 106.
Passing Certificates
Another useful source for researching naval officers is the surviving passing certificates. As the Navy required a skilled workforce to function properly, officers would have to sit a number of examinations in the initial stages of their careers to demonstrate competence. The certificates are held in a number of series depending on the rank of the officer. The certificates start from 1660 and go up to the early twentieth century.
• The largest collection of certificates is that of lieutenants’ passing certificates, which cover the years 1691 to 1902. As the rank of lieutenant was the most junior of the officer ranks, most officers ascending through the Navy would have started as this rank. The certificates contain details of service to the date of examination and may also include copies of baptismal records. They can be found in The National Archives series ADM 107 (1691–1832), ADM 6 (1744–1819) and ADM 13 (1854–1902). There is an index to the majority of these certificates compiled by Bruno Pappalardo, called Royal Naval Lieutenants: Passing Certificates 1691–1902.
• Masters were personnel who had specialized knowledge on the ship they were stationed on and usually spent lengthy periods on one ship only. Their passing certificates can be found in ADM 106 (1660–1830) and ADM 13 (for the second half of the nineteenth century).
• Gunners were responsible for the artillery or guns on a ship. Their passing certificates can be found in ADM 6 (1731–1812, not complete) and ADM 13 (1856–67).
• Pursers (later named paymasters) were involved with the financial aspects of the ship, paying seamen and also ensuring supplies were adequate in the ship stores. Their certificates can be found in ADM 6 (1813–20) and ADM 13 (1851–89).
• Boatswains’ responsibility was for the sails of the ship and also for summoning other seamen to their duties. Their certificates are held in ADM 6 (1810–13) and ADM 13 (1851–87).
• Surgeons’ passing certificates are held in ADM 106 for the eighteenth century.
‘Succession books and passing certificates can be used to trace an officer’s career.’
Confidential Reports
These reports were compiled from commanding officers’ comments on the suitability of officers seeking promotion. They can be very enlightening as comments made by the commanding officers were often very frank and honest. They were kept from 1884 to 1943 and can be found in ADM 196. They are arranged by rank and by date of promotion, although some volumes also contain name indexes.
The ‘other ranks’ personnel of the Royal Navy were known as ratings: the non-officer seamen on the ship. There were numerous different ratings within the Royal Navy through its long history and the line between ratings and warrant officers would not always be clearly drawn. Until 1853 ratings were not recruited by the Royal Navy on a permanent basis. Instead, individuals would sign up for one single commission on a particular ship. Nor was the system of recruitment on a strictly voluntary basis, with the system of impressments (commonly known as ‘press-ganging’) not uncommon, especially in times of war. Men were often conscripted or impressed without consent or prior knowledge; the system started in 1664 but was particularly popular in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It was usually sailors of the merchant navy who were sought by recruiters as they had experience of sailing. Impressments were not used after 1814 as the ending of the Napoleonic Wars meant the Navy no longer required so many men.
In 1853 the system of continuous service was introduced and ratings signed up to serve a fixed period within the Royal Navy. After 1853 it is relatively straightforward to trace the career of a rating, as the Navy kept an individual service record for each man. However, prior to 1853 finding records can be more complicated and a variety of sources may be needed.
Searching for a rating in this period involves turning to muster books and pay books, as no service records for ratings were kept. However, this is only feasible if you know which ship your ancestor served on and the approximate date. Muster books were kept for each ship listing each person aboard. Alongside the name of each rating are birth details and when he joined the ship. Sometimes the muster will also note the previous ship the sailor joined from and which ship he was discharged to. If all this information is given it is possible to trace an individual’s career from first ship to final discharge. Muster books would be kept on an eight-week basis and a separate general muster would be kept annually. Muster books can be found in The National Archives, in series ADM 36–40, ADM 41, ADM 115 and ADM 117, covering the years 1667 to 1878. The ratings are not listed in alphabetical order, and unless there is an index, searching for a particular name can be a somewhat lengthy process.
Pay books can also be used to trace individual ratings. They were kept from 1691 to 1856 and are found in ADM 31 to ADM 35. The information is very similar to that found in muster books. However, these books usually have more indexes then those found in muster books, as the pay lists included ‘alphabets’ (whereby names would be indexed by first initial of surname only) from 1765 onwards, far earlier than musters did.
‘Muster books were kept for each ship, listing every’
There are other options that can also be used when tracing ratings. The series ADM 29 has been discussed above relating to warrant officer records. It also contains service history information for ratings as certificates of service were compiled for both groups in ADM 29/1–96. As mentioned, the records in this series were created for seamen seeking pensions, medals or gratuities to detail their service within the Royal Navy. For ratings they were compiled from the pay books mentioned above. The series begins in 1802 although an individual’s service may predate that year as the date relates to when the certificate of service was issued. Some of the series has been fully transcribed and can be searched online by name on The National Archives catalogue.
In 1853 a system of ‘continuous service’ was introduced and ratings were now guaranteed work for a number of years, rather than signing up on a ship-by-ship basis. These service records are held at The National Archives, until 1923. Each rating has an individual service record stating which ships he served on along with personal details (such as birth details and residence).
Men (over 18 years old) would sign up initially for a period of ten years. Boys younger than 18 could also join with parental consent, and so could those already in the Royal Navy in 1853 (signing up for a period of seven years). Ratings were also entitled to sign up again after their initial term for a further ten years, thereby entitling them to naval pensions. Each recruit to the new system would be given a ‘continuous service’ number and their service history would be entered into a register on an ongoing basis. The registers were organized by the given service number. These registers can now be found in The National Archives series ADM 139 from 1853 to 1872. Indexes to retrieve the continuous service number and find the appropriate record are also contained amongst series ADM 139. ADM 139 is currently available to view only on microfilm but there are plans to digitize the series and make it available online as is the case with the later series, ADM 188 (see below).
If your ancestor was in the Navy around the beginning of the nineteenth century a quick way to begin searching for his record would be to consult the Trafalgar Ancestors database. It is available online on The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors and is free to search. It contains the names of all those who fought under Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805 and has been extracted from various Admiralty sources. As such it contains the names of approximately 18,000 men. A successful search result (by name) will point you to the original sources used to compile the database, which may lead you to other sources.
The ratings’ registration system was subject to certain alterations as a new numbering system was introduced from 1 January 1873, and thereafter the service records are held in another series, ADM 188. ADM 188 begins in 1873 and ends in 1923. These dates relate to when a rating was enlisted into the Royal Navy and, therefore, service records may contain information for those still active in the Royal Navy after 1923, up to 1928.
The numbering system was subject to further alteration in 1894. Previously, each rating was given a number on a sequential basis, regardless of what job he held. From 1 January 1894, specific number sequences were assigned for different types of ratings. For example, stokers would have any service number from 276001 to 313000. The numbering system was further modified in 1 January 1908 to avoid any overlap in service numbers. Henceforth service numbers were also prefixed with a letter. The nature of the information in the earlier service records is similar to that found in ADM 139, containing birth details and also physical attributes. The later records after 1892 will provide additional details such as remarks on the individual’s character and more details as to their physical appearance.
Service records for all ratings that enlisted after 1923 are still held by the Ministry of Defence. Depending upon whether the rating is alive or dead, next of kin can access the information from either the Directorate of Personnel Support (Navy) or the Data Protection Cell (Navy) (addresses as above, page 187).
As mentioned, the series ADM 188 is now available online on The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline. It is possible to search the entire series by name, birth details and also service number. However, due to the changes in the numbering system it is perhaps easier not to search by service number only. As always, the index can be searched online free of charge, with a cost being incurred to view the actual document.
There was no centralized pension system for either officers or ratings until the nineteenth century. Prior to that a variety of different systems were in place, depending on whether your ancestor was an officer or a rating. Four main institutes were responsible for administering pensions: the Navy Pay Office, the Chatham Chest, Greenwich Hospital and the Charity for the Payment of Pensions to the Widows of Sea Officers.
As there was no official retirement or pension system in the Royal Navy between the seventeenth century and the mid-nineteenth century, officers were either placed on half pay or continued to work regardless of their ability to carry out their roles effectively any more.
The Admiralty made certain provisions at certain points, awarding pensions to specific officers. For example, thirty of the most senior lieutenants were awarded pensions in 1737. By and large, however, many officers were promoted and then retired on a better rate of half pay on the understanding they would no longer be required for service. This system continued until a more effective method of retiring officers was introduced from 1836 onwards. Prior to that, specific pensions were only awarded on an individual basis for deserving cases.
The Admiralty also awarded pensions to officer’s widows. Wives of officers who died on active service were entitled to a pension awarded from the Compassionate Fund from 1673 onwards (extended to next of kin in 1809). This was further extended to warrant officers’ widows in 1830.
The Chatham Chest, founded in 1581, was used to award pensions to warrant officers. In 1814 the Chatham Chest was merged with the management of the Greenwich Hospital and pensions were now awarded by Greenwich Hospital only. Another independent body (responsible for paying pensions to officers’ widows) was established in 1732, known as the Charity for the Payment of Pensions to the Widows of Sea Officers. The funds were raised from public funds and through a salary contribution from officers. Surviving records are now found in ADM 6.
After 1836 Greenwich Hospital became the only institute involved with pension payments, when the Admiralty took over the running of the service (see below for further details). Henceforth records can be found in either the Admiralty series or in the Paymaster General records (PMG). For further details please refer to Tracing Your Naval Ancestors by Bruno Pappalardo.
Ratings’ Pension Records
It was only after 1859 that pensions were awarded to ratings as a matter of right. Prior to that there was no guarantee that a rating would be entitled to one.
The Chatham Chest, mentioned above, awarded pensions to ratings as well as to warrant officers. The records are held at The National Archives, in series ADM 82, covering the years 1653 to 1799.
The Royal Hospital in Greenwich was the main institute responsible for administering pensions. It was established in 1694 by a royal statute of William and Mary for the relief and support of seamen and to support their wives and children. Similar to the Chelsea Hospital for army pensioners, Greenwich Hospital had both in-pensioners living on the premises and out-pensioners. Both ratings and officers were looked after by the Hospital. There is a series of records for the admission of in-pensioners between 1790 and 1865 in ADM 73. These registers provide detailed information on the individuals who stayed at the hospital. The majority of ratings awarded pensions by the Royal Hospital did not live in the Hospital but in their own accommodation as out-pensioners. Records for out-pensions from 1781 to 1859 can be found in ADM 6, ADM 73 and ADM 22.
Robert Lindsay had long suspected that his maternal grandfather, Raymond Dunmore, had been actively involved in the Royal Navy during the First World War. Family rumours had been passed down that he had served on board the HMS Prince of Wales during the major naval engagement of the war, the Battle of Jutland on 31 May – 1 June 1916. Indeed, it was claimed that he had been ‘blown up’ twice during his career!
Given some basic information about Raymond, such as his date and place of birth (from his birth certificate), it was possible to investigate these stories by obtaining his Royal Naval service record from The National Archives. Today, these records (in record series ADM 188) are available to search on Documents Online via the website www.nationalarchives.gov.uk and can be downloaded for £3.50, but indexes books are available onsite, where the documents can be viewed for free.
The information in his service record showed all the ships he served on from enlistment to discharge, including HMS Prince of Wales. But further research at The National Archives in the official Captain’s Logs in record series ADM 53 confirmed the movements of the vessel, and showed that it played no part in the Battle of Jutland. The truth was even more alarming for Robert’s family, as the documents revealed where he had actually been stationed.
At the time that Raymond Dunmore was on board, the HMS Prince of Wales was involved in the Dardanelles campaign, an attempt to weaken the Ottoman Empire’s grip on the region and open up access once more for Allied shipping and troop movements. Although originally conceived as a naval campaign, thousands of troops – the majority from Australia and New Zealand, the ANZACS – were to be landed on the Gallipoli peninsula with an overall aim to capture Constantinople.
According to the ship’s logs, and official printed histories of the campaign, HMS Prince of Wales was one of three vessels that launched 48 landing craft on 25 April 1915 as part of an attempt to secure a beachhead at Anzac Cove. It is possible that Raymond was part of these landing parties, making sure that the four steamboats, each taking three rowboats, launched from HMS Prince of Wales successfully made the beach. If so, this is the moment when he was most likely ‘blown up’, due to the heavy Turkish defensive shelling of the boats as they made their way to shore. Many hundreds of soldiers and seamen lost their lives during these frantic attempts to leave the water, and it is perhaps unsurprising that Raymond chose not to elaborate too much to his family about his experiences during this phase of the war.
After the introduction of continuous service, ratings became entitled to a pension by right, after serving a period of twenty years. Unfortunately, few records survive for pensions awarded in this period.
Payments were also made to widows and other dependants from the Royal Bounty from 1675 to 1822. A lump sum would be made after the death of an officer or rating whilst on active service, and applications for such awards can be found in ADM 16 and ADM 106.
Apart from the main body of the Royal Navy, various other smaller forces were also created to support the work of the main navy. As at times the merchant navy and Royal Navy would be closely connected, organizations were established that made it possible for the two bodies to interlap when required.
The earliest auxiliary naval force established was the Sea Fencibles. They were in existence during the height of the Napoleonic conflict, between 1798 and 1810. They were a local defence unit staffed by fishermen and boatmen to guard against the threat of invasion. The National Archives retains a variety of records for this force in ADM 28, including pay lists and musters along with details of a charity for widows.
The Royal Naval Reserve was created thanks to the recommendations of the 1858 Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom. The Commission was established in response to threats of a French invasion and amid questions of whether the United Kingdom had adequate defences. The Commission closely examined all aspects of the country’s military defence and made a number of recommendations. One of these recommendations was to form the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR), staffed from merchant seamen who had experience of working on deep-sea ships, and who would be required to serve in the Royal Navy in case of any emergency. The RNR had commissioned ranks along with ordinary seamen. The service records for this force are also at The National Archives.
• Officers’ records can be found in ADM 240. The series covers the years 1862 and 1920 but also lists honorary officers serving up to 1960. The Navy List also includes RNR officers from 1862 onwards.
• Ratings’ records from 1860 to 1913 are held in BT 164 (although only a selection of service records was kept and records do not survive for every individual). From 1914 to approximately 1921 the records can be found in BT 377, organized by service number. BT 377 contains copies of service records of ratings who served up till 1958; the originals of these records can be viewed at the Fleet Air Arm Museum (see page 199).
The Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) was established in 1903 and was to be staffed by volunteers from all sectors of society apart from merchant seamen and fishermen (who were expected to join the RNR). Service records can also be found at The National Archives.
• RNVR officer records are in series ADM 337 for the years 1903 to 1919. There is a card index available for this period and details can also be found in the appropriate Navy Lists. Service records after this period are still with the Ministry of Defence.
• RNVR ratings records can also be found in ADM 337 for 1903 to 1919. The records are organized by service number, which can be ascertained from the medal rolls in ADM 171, if the rating served during the First World War.
Further records can also be found in the Fleet Air Arm Museum. In 1958 the RNVR was merged with the RNR.
‘Women were recruited into the WRNS in 1917 to fill a variety of onshore roles.’
The Royal Naval Division (RND) was established in 1914 from surplus recruits from the RNR. It served as a division of the Army and not a naval service during the First World War and was disbanded in April 1919. Service records for both ratings and officers are at The National Archives in ADM 339, arranged in three sequences:
1. Ratings alive at the end of the conflict
2. Ratings killed on active service
3. All officers (officer details are also in the Navy Lists)
As the RND was actually part of the Army, any medals awarded can be found by searching The National Archives website under the army campaign medals section on Documents Online.
Women were first recruited into the armed forces by the Royal Navy in 1917 to help fill the shortfall of male sailors due to the heavy losses being suffered during the war years. Thus the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) was formed in November 1917. Women were recruited to work in a variety of roles, from cooks and clerks to storekeepers and electricians. Women were not expected to serve in ships, but worked onshore, and the organization was disbanded by 1919 (although it was re-formed in 1939). Service records for WRNS personnel during the First World War are also with The National Archives. Officers’ papers can be found in ADM 318 (the entire series has been catalogued by name and can be searched online) and ADM 321, and ratings’ records in ADM 336.
Service records for women serving after 1919 are still with the Ministry of Defence.
Additionally, the Royal Naval Museum has a large collection relating to the history of the WRNS. Further information can be found online at www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_WRNS.htm.
The growth of the British Empire in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries increased the international presence of the Royal Navy. Ships would be in all parts of the world and dockyards were needed to service these ships throughout the globe, not just the UK. As such naval dockyards needed employees to enable them to function and these employees were likely either to come from the Royal Navy or to join the Royal Navy after working at a dockyard. Often working in a dockyard was a good option for retired ratings and officers.
Records of the dockyards are split between the National Maritime Museum and The National Archives. The National Maritime Museum’s collections relate in general to the administration of the dockyards. More detailed information can be found on their website at http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.581. The National Archives holds staff records for the dockyards, the main series being ADM 42 (Yard and Pay books from 1660 to 1857). Additionally, ADM 106 contains a number of description books (giving physical characteristics) for employees from 1748 to 1830. The entire collection, including specific references for individual dockyards, is described in detail on the website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/rdleaflet.asp?sLeafletID=50.
The Royal Navy issued a variety of campaign medals from the late eighteenth century onwards, the first one being the Naval General Service Medal. Medal rolls themselves give only basic information for each individual receiving such a medal. The rolls can be found at The National Archives, in series ADM 171, organized by conflict and ship. Prior to 1914 there is no specific index for the series.
‘Medal rolls are a useful shortcut to find your ancestor’s service number.’
The rolls are perhaps most useful for the First World War period, as for this conflict they are organized by force (RNR, RNVR, etc.) and then by surname. Hence, it is often a useful shortcut to finding the service number of your ancestor, enabling you to then search for his service record. Gallantry awards during this period are also in ADM 171, and it may be possible to find further references to such awards in the London Gazette or The Times newspaper.
The National Archives series ADM 1 is the Admiralty collection of correspondence and papers of the entire Admiralty department from 1660 to 1976. As such it is a vast series, containing a whole range of documentation relating to the Royal Navy. It can be searched using the index in ADM 12. ADM 1 can be extremely useful for anyone researching a Royal Naval employee, giving all sorts of detailed information. However, finding a reference to an individual can take some time and there is no guarantee of finding anything.
Additional information on ship movements can be found via logs in various ADM series. A full summary of operational records can be found via four research guides on The National Archives website, listed under ‘Royal Navy: Operational Records’ and divided into relevant chronological periods.
Suggestions for further reading:
• The National Archives has produced a number of useful research guides to all aspects of its records for the Royal Navy that can be found on its website
• Tracing Your Naval Ancestors by Bruno Pappalardo (2003)
• Naval Records for Genealogists by N.A.M. Rodgers (1998)
Although The National Archives holds the majority of service records for the Royal Navy, there are other institutions that also have significant collections covering the history of the Royal Navy, and you might find them worth contacting or visiting.
• The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, www.nmm.ac.uk: The Museum holds a large collection on the history of seafaring and naval history in general, including some Royal Naval operation records and archives of the Royal Naval Hospital in Greenwich. There are a number of information leaflets on their website providing further details.
• The Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovil, Somerset, www.fleetairarm. com: The Museum has been given a large number of service documents from the Ministry of Defence for various branches of the Royal Navy, RNR and RNVR amongst others. The nature of these collections is described in detail on their website at www. fleetairarm.com/royal-navy-royal-marines-services-documents.aspx.
• The Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth, www.royalnaval museum.org: The Museum has collections on all aspects of naval history, both primary and secondary sources. Further information can be found on their website.