Discharge Book numbering from WW 2 to 1972 for British seamen

R785168 Febuary 63

I have been clearing out a family member's house and have my uncle's discharge book. Does anyone collect these? If not sadly I will have to destroy it.

If it’s a family member Judy why destroy it. Any other family members doing family trees in the future it may be invaluable . it is a personal record of your Uncles sea going life. Well worth holdng on to . Regards JS... A cousin of mine his father died and his wife at the time cleared his house out and threw all his. Medals from WW 2 out . None. Of the family were very pleased about it , JS

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Originally Posted by Judy Young

I have been clearing out a family member's house and have my uncle's discharge book. Does anyone collect these? If not sadly I will have to destroy it.

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Sadly, you do not give your Uncle's name or what period he served, the Discharge Book is part, and in some cases a persons whole history, it would be sacrilege to destroy it, if you don't want it, give it a local museum, or even a charity shop, someone may have a use for it. If you have a badge, a button, a letter also it will improve its chances of survival as it will give provenance to the other items. Things are easy to destroy, but difficult to recover, but at least you are thinking about it and did not trash it straightaway

Mine was issued 03/08/1965 and is number R808577

My number is R668311 issued 1st February 1957

James Fleming

UK003917 Issued Newcastle 1973 ready to go on my first trip cadet with BP Tankers.

The R PREFIX WAS USED AFTER WW2 CERTAINLY IT WAS IN USE IN 1956 WHEN I JOINED THE VINDI MINE BEING R664472 YOU HAD TO BE 15 AND 10 MONTHS TO APPLY I WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE SCHHOL PRIOR TO XMAS 1956 I JOINED THE MV RANGITATA SHORTLY AFTER AND SET SAIL FOR NZ AND VIS THE PANAMA DWI AND PICAIRN ISLAND ON BOARD WE HAD SIR ANTONY EDEN WHO JUST RESIGNED DUE TO THE SUEZ DISASTER WE HAD STEWARD JOHN PRECOTT ABOARD NOW BARON PRESCOTT EX DEPUTY PM WE SET SAIL FOR NZ IN JANUARY 57 AND HIT THE RENAMENTS OF A HURRICANE IN THE CARIBBEAN - JUST AS ONE OF THE ENGINES FAILED 8 BOYS IN A CABIN SITTING ON OUR BUNKS WITH LIFE JACKETS ON THEY MANAGED TO GET IT STARTED AND OFF WE WENT TO THE DUTCH WEST INDIANS WE A CONTINGENT ROYAL MARINES ON BOARD who were on a exchange with th RNZN

Thanks Roydene
Good to have any info on site, only thing is i think we all are not deaf! LOL Normally the Capital letters denote shouting on the Internet!
Cheers

My wifes grandfather's book was issued in 1941 and his number was R227455, mine is in my signature issued in 1974 and is a UK prefix.