Discharge book 1917

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi All.
I have just received my fathers first world war discharge book from my sister. Something odd about it as he was in the RN but his book is a continuous certificate of discharge issued by the Board of Transport.There is no I.D.other than his signature and no photo. There is one page for his signings and discharges, the following page is for a copy of character if desired by the seaman duplicated throughout the book.
His first discharge is from HMS Eagle which from what I can gather was a aircraft carrier . His second and last as the war finished was HMS Crescent, a cruiser launched in 1892 and sold in 1920. I am sure he once told me he was on a Q ship but that, unless this was his second book.
Discarge book 1917020.JPGDiscarge book 1917020.JPGDiscarge book 1917021.JPGDiscarge book 1917022.JPGDad 17 DEC 1917019.JPG
My father is seated.
Cheers Des

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Shipmates, Hi Des ,lovely to have your family history mine was all lost in a house fire, so no record of my dad war time service, was the Q ships cloak and dagger? so may not be recorded in any book.

[Hugh]

Hello Des,
Do you wish to give your dad's full, name date and place of birth and his Discharge No - can't read it off the photo?

Regards
Hugh

[Des Taff Jenkins]

HI Hugh.
His name was Hayden Gwyn Beynon Jenkins, Born February 14th 1897. Discharge book no 934682
I have his birth date as 1896 but that could be a mistake.
Cheers Des

[Hugh]

Hello Des,
I wondered about the RN connection and the Dis A. Book. We know that they were incompatible, i.e. RN ratings didn't have discharge books. There was one exception, however, and that is what I have been checking - The MMR.
My hunch was correct he was a Trimmer in the MMR (Mercantile Marine Reserve) an ellusive bunch of guys now unfortunately, as there is little in the way of surviving records. These men manned Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Auxiliaries such as Armed Merchant Cruisers, (AMC), Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary (MFA) - the fore runner of what we know as the present day Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). They would be employed on a T124 Agreement, subject to Naval Discipline - effectively they were classed as Royal Navy. You mention Q ships, I would guess they were also crewed by a mixture of MMR/RNR. Your father was awarded the British War Medal.

See attached below which is his medal card from the MMR.

Hope that helps.

Regards
Hugh

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Hugh.
Thanks for that information mate, I will write to my sister and update her, I though it was odd having a MN book and being in naval uniform, and I do remember him saying something about the Q ships.
Cheers Des

redc.gif

[Evan Lewis]

Good bit of History ,Des.
Good of Your Sister to have looked after it so well.
i too am indebted to my late Sisters, for what W.W.1 memorabalia ,and some more recent ,which was forwarded.

Great! That we have sound Members like Hugh,able to add so much extra Info.

Note, Your Dad,worked under the same Articles of 1894 ,as our Era did.

Remember Them?.Right near the Top,it would Quote .Of whom S1X (or whatever ) are engaged as Sailors .

Then followed such things as Victuals, tin of Milk oz's Butter .etc,etc,.Not alowed,Fire-arms ,Bowie knives and so on.
Then the Rules and Regulations. (Where they had You by the Short and Curlies.)
All the Shall and Shall nots.
God Help! the Crew Members who worked under any Martinet,who might have been inclined to"Go by the Book"

Thou Shall Work at the Discretion of the Master;Thou shall, When and Where required Etc.
Thankfully ,the greater Majority.of Masters. Didn't take them too literally.

Nearest I came to one who did was on the Seniority, (Everards) One of the Swifters he pulled ,was at Rotterdam. A
Saturday afternoon. Knowing we were to Shift Ship ,in some four or five Hrs time. Rather than put us on Stand-By. He forbade Shore Leave, "At the Masters Discretion.
That's just one of a number of incidents concerning him.
Came -up the Bridge ,in Dressing Gown one evening . Howling gale in the North Sea.Opened the Wheelhouse Door. Say's "2nd Mate" Ah paid You a Bob too much" Closed the door and Pisssed off.2nd.turned to me.Said ."What can you make of Him"?