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Thread: Query . Wireless. PMG. Ship Names. WW1

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    Default Query . Wireless. PMG. Ship Names. WW1

    Hi,

    I am in the process of writing up a detailed Biography on my Gt Grandfather and am a little unclear on specific details relating to his part in WW1.

    Here is what i have:

    Name: Thomas Taylor
    Born: 29/11/1886 Longton, Lancashire

    Wireless proficiency certificate gained in 1912.

    Served in WW1, Wireless telegrapher.

    Served in WW2, Voluntary Interceptor.

    WW1.
    CR.10
    Rating: W.Tel
    Number & Grade of B.T Certificate: PMG 15 (temp)
    Dis A Number : 875794

    In bold is where i i need some assistance from someone more knowledgeable to able to put a backstory together of how he came to be in that particular 'position'. What does the '15' mean?
    I feel like i have gotten lost in the google results when looking up 'Postmaster Generals Department, wireless'!!

    I have included his medal card also if that can help put pieces together.

    Are there any other records i should be tracking down?


    I am also stuck trying to identify the ship numbers at the bottom of the CR.10 (assuming that's what they are)
    to be able to put together an accurate story of his movements during this time.
    Any assistance with this would be very much appreciated.

    *Thomas traveled to Canada in 1901 with his mother and siblings for an unknown amount of time. He shows up again after WW1, marries, has one son, a newspaper article confirms his role in WW2, Thomas died in Leyland, Lancashire 1946*
    Attached Images Attached Images

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    Default Re: Query . Wireless. PMG. Ship Names. WW1

    Hi Fallon, Is this of any help I got it by googling I was no sparky but it might be worth following it up Good luck Terry.
    Pass/Merit/Distinction Equivalent Grades?
    {terry scouse}

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    Default Re: Query . Wireless. PMG. Ship Names. WW1

    Fallon, His Pass/Merit/Grades. Are at the top right hand side of your first picture Cert...P.M.G. Shouldn't be that hard to track the abbreviation of the number 15 back to the early 19th Century. Terry.
    Last edited by Red Lead Ted; 10th September 2019 at 07:31 PM.
    {terry scouse}

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    Default Re: Query . Wireless. PMG. Ship Names. WW1

    Hello Falon
    According to the records the Ship is i am sure Turret Cape 104283 Cape SS Company Canada Montreal
    Then Inland Waters Navigation Co Canada Montreal
    Renamed Sunchief 1948


    There is another Number there (Not too Clear) and by Searching looks like its 118342 which would have been the Comrie Castle of Union Castle Line Built 1903





    Will look into other questions later
    Cheers

    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 10th September 2019 at 10:58 PM.
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    Default Re: Query . Wireless. PMG. Ship Names. WW1

    Not disputing Terry,s input however my research may indicate that the PMG 15 (Temp) only indicates that he was in that Position for a Qualifying Period or Total Period of some 15 Months ?? However this needs to be properly clarified,could have just been in Reserve for that time ???
    Cheers


    Added
    Came across this check but sadly does not bring up the info on a search as I think its for USA only,but there may be a similar site around for the UK ??? Cheers But anyway it looks like that 15 is definitely just the grade number

    https://www.pmgnotes.com/certlookup/
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 11th September 2019 at 05:37 AM.
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    Default Re: Query . Wireless. PMG. Ship Names. WW1

    Here we see a similar Cert of same Era ,only he obtained First Class as you can see in the corner!
    So the 15 must indicate the level obtained .
    Cheers

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    Default Re: Query . Wireless. PMG. Ship Names. WW1

    Firstly, thank you to you both for taking your time to help me with this, it is very much appreciated.

    Turret Cape.
    Yes! Brilliant. Thank you for identifying that for me, and for the pictures!
    I did some digging and found a brilliant website that had the TURRET CAPE as its ship of the month. The article was full of great detail which is the kind of information i was hoping to find to be able to put together some description of his time on it. Very happy!

    PMG 15.

    I continued to do some digging before your replies and stumbled down the rabbit hole that can be the National Archives website.....
    and found:

    PMG 15 1836-1920 Naval Establishment: Half Pay, Retired Pay and Unattached Pay
    Naval Officers' half and retired pay and Royal Marine officers' unattached, half and retired pay.

    But having read your replies, i have to agree that certificate 'GRADE' makes sense. So i will dig a little deeper and see if i can find more details about this grade and what it means, certification etc.


    I do have one question to add in here that perhaps you both could elaborate on for me. It stems from the TURRET CAPE article i mentioned above.

    Quote.


    'Like many of the British-built canallers, TURRET CAPE had retained her Newcastle registry but, on November 4, 1915, the Canadian Lake and Ocean Navigation Co. Ltd. (of 1 Toronto Street, Toronto, which was the head office of the Canadian Northern Railway) changed her home port to Toronto. She was still under C.S.L. management at the time, but her services were soon required on salt water to aid in the war effort. Unlike many of the Canadian canallers, she was not requisitioned for overseas service but, on December 1, 1915, her ownership was transferred to the Cape Steamship Company Ltd., Halifax, a subsidiary of the Dominion Iron and Steel Co. Ltd., Sydney, which was the firm for which TURRET CAPE operated when she first came to Canada.

    TURRET CAPE ran for the duration of the war in the coastal coal trade and, in 1917, the Dominion Iron and Steel Co. took over active management of the ship from C.S.L. which had, until that time, continued to operate her even though she was no longer engaged in lake service. At the close of the war, many of the lakers which had been sent to salt water during the hostilities were returned to the lakes, but TURRET CAPE was not amongst them. She remained on the coast and, in 1926, with a change in corporate structure, the British Empire Steel Corporation Ltd. became her owner and manager.'


    'Salt water'? What is meant by that term in this context?

    Also 'The coastal coal trade' during the war makes for interesting reading...

    I am really starting to build a picture learning more about these ships and the role of wireless on them, which is perfect to be able to put together a picture of where Thomas's journey with wireless started off, before becoming his lifelong passion.
    Thank you again to you both for your really helpful contributions.

    I shall check out that other ship number also *thumbs up*

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