Discharge Book numbering from WW 2 to 1972 for British seamen

[Hugh]

I think you will find the title of the forum is Dis A numbering from WW2 to 1972 and is intended to reflect on living seamen and identifying themselves with their number.
I doubt that the number quoted belong to the poster in any event, but as always I stand to be corrected

Hi Ivan,
I don't think that the intention of the thread was ever to identify living seamen. It was originally started by David Snook who was doing research on Discharge Books and Discharge A numbers from WW2 to 1972 to try and get an idea of the turnover of British seamen over the period by asking for various Dis.A numbers allocated to seamen through the decades. He could then get an idea of the numbers of books issued to seamen.

The number quoted by Ken Atkinson for Robert Richard Atkinson is correct for R.R. Atkinson b.1914 with a Dis.A issued in 1937.

Regards
Hugh

[Ivan Cloherty]

Yes Hugh I understand and you know that I have great and enduring respect for your expertise, but I do think that 1914 is outside the scope of WW2 and post WW2, so would not help the statistics in any way, just an observation.

[Hugh]

No worries Ivan.
I think the relevant fact here is the issue of the Dis.A which was in 1937 and as Dis books were issued in blocks to MMO's, I think it is also good to have figures for comparison purposes just prior to the war. No doubt the seaman served in WW2 and beyond. It is also interesting to note, at least for me, is that his Dis A. was issued around the same time as my own father's was allocated in Glasgow but there is a 20,000 difference in the numbers which is down to the batch allocation to MMO's and the take up of books.

Regards
Hugh

[johnnyd]

Hi
My Discharge Book no. is R883480 issued feb 1970
Johnnyd

[Ken Trehearne]

Mine is R412277 issued in August 1948 upon leaving the Vindi.
Ken T.

[Jack Kelly]

Hi mine is R624467 issued Apr 1955

[David John Busveids]

Mine is R867205 1968.
David Busveids

[Doctor Bill Smith]

I've done some research on Discharge Books and Discharge A numbers from WW2 to 1972 to try and get an idea of the turnover of British seamen over the period.
Typical numbers issued for various years are

1940 R 217400
1943 R 230000
1945 R 310000
1956 R 658000
1965 R 816000
1972 ??? Was R prefix still used at this time.

I would be grateful for feedback on whether these numbers look reasonable and also for some information on the numbers issued around 1972.
thanks
David Snook

Dear David,

My father joined the Merchant Navy in 1937, then moved on a T124X at HMS Mersey to the Royal Navy. His book number is R161092. Keep me posted on your research. Dr. Bill.

[Patricia Maltby]

I've done some research on Discharge Books and Discharge A numbers from WW2 to 1972 to try and get an idea of the turnover of British seamen over the period.
Typical numbers issued for various years are

1940 R 217400
1943 R 230000
1945 R 310000
1956 R 658000
1965 R 816000
1972 ??? Was R prefix still used at this time.

I would be grateful for feedback on whether these numbers look reasonable and also for some information on the numbers issued around 1972.
thanks
David Snook

My Uncle, Robert Maurice Tayler, got his Discharge Book in 1941 and the number was R229583.
I got mine in 1973 and it was UK010561 so somewhere before 1973 it must have changed.
Patricia Maltby

[j.sabourn]

I have 3 books …. First book issued 1953. This goes up to signing on a ship5.11.72 and paying off 27 .1. 73. The copy of for report of character is null a void so obviously it had been dispensed with by then . The new book, showing no such report needed was issued on the same date I left the ship minus the Report of ability and behaviour . So I assume that was the date near enough when the new UK books came in officially as the same ship I signed on and paid off continues on 27. 1. 73. However the 3 books I have all bear the same number. JS
Certificates of Competency however do not, thank goodness I have the original to remind me of things how they used to be. I have the old Australian one apart from the British, a Liberian one , a Cayman Islands one , and a Panamanian one which never reached me , so have to assume I may have a double wandering around under false pretences . Hope he speakee English . Plus various authority’s to sail on American and Norwegian vessels probably all out of date now. JS