Ships company position of OB or OS

[Nina10]

Can anyone tell me what OB or OS would stand for. I can't quite make out if the second letter is B or S but the first is definately O.
Thanks

[DeepSea]

What context are you talking about

[Nina10]

It was entered on a manifest against my fathers name for Position in ships company

Nina

[John Callon]

Can anyone tell me what OB or OS would stand for. I can't quite make out if the second letter is B or S but the first is definately O.
Thanks

Hello Nina, OS stands for Ordinary Seaman.
Regards,
John.

[Nina10]

thanks. Can you tell me the difference between Ordinary Seaman and Able Seaman?

[Graham Payne]

Hi Nina 10
DB = you are a Deck Boy for 9 months unless you have pre sea training then 3 months or so,( Starting at 16 years of age )
JOS = Junior Ordinary Seamen a further 9 months with Steering Certificate
SOS = Senior Ordinary Seamen a futher amount of time until you reach the age of 18
EDH = Effeciant Deck Hand after you take the Board of Trade exam. ( earliest 18 years of age )
A.B = 1 year after holding EDH Cert & Life Boat Certificate. ( earliest 19 years of age )
Hope this is of help, my memory is not so good nowadays but this is more or less for the '60s, if wrong I'm sure others will help with a correction.

[Nina10]

Thanks - that does help

Nina