All my entries in my discharge books from 1967 onwards for both signing on and off have been signed by the ships captain. The only signature from a shipping master is the signature in my first ever discharge book when it was issued in Liverpool in September 1967 where a certain Mr. Williams signed it as issued on entry into the Merchant Navy.
As master I used to sign all my crew members discharge books (or continuous service Record Book as they are more commonly called in many countries) when they joined and left the ship along with my own Discharge Book.
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