Royal Navy career - looking for pointers
Posted: 29 Dec 2019 21:40
I have managed to get a copy of my great-grandfather's Royal Naval career from National Archives and was wondering whether any one of our resident experts could give me some pointers regarding the formative parts of his naval service.
William Holden's early career was based on the following ships:
HMS Ganges (Training ship based at RNTE Shotley) - 3 Aug 1906 to 14 Apr 1907 (~8 months)
HMS Natal (Warrior class cruiser) - 15 Apr 1907 to 11 May 1907 (~1 month)
HMS Hogue (Cressey class cruiser) - 12 May 1907 to 6 Sep 1907 (~4 months)
HMS Vivid I (Training unit based at Devonport) - 7 Sep 1907 to 24 Sep 1907
HMS Mars (Majestic class pre-Dreadnought battleship) - 25 Sep 1907 to 17 Jan 1908 (~4 months)
HMS Talbot (Eclipse class cruiser) - 6 Jul 1908 to 15 Dec 1910 (~28 months)
During this time he would rise from the rank of Boy Seaman to Able-Bodied Seaman and during his post HMS Talbot career he would eventually become a Leading Seaman and end up as a Petty Officer.
Towards the end of the First World War, until just before he left the Royal Navy, he was assigned to HMS Pekin, an auxiliary patrol shore base at Grimsby, where he was on mine-sweeping duties, for which he would be awarded the DSM.
My question is regarding his postings prior to HMS Talbot, which appear quite short. Would these have been training exercises at sea, or something similar?
Many thanks in advance
Steve
William Holden's early career was based on the following ships:
HMS Ganges (Training ship based at RNTE Shotley) - 3 Aug 1906 to 14 Apr 1907 (~8 months)
HMS Natal (Warrior class cruiser) - 15 Apr 1907 to 11 May 1907 (~1 month)
HMS Hogue (Cressey class cruiser) - 12 May 1907 to 6 Sep 1907 (~4 months)
HMS Vivid I (Training unit based at Devonport) - 7 Sep 1907 to 24 Sep 1907
HMS Mars (Majestic class pre-Dreadnought battleship) - 25 Sep 1907 to 17 Jan 1908 (~4 months)
HMS Talbot (Eclipse class cruiser) - 6 Jul 1908 to 15 Dec 1910 (~28 months)
During this time he would rise from the rank of Boy Seaman to Able-Bodied Seaman and during his post HMS Talbot career he would eventually become a Leading Seaman and end up as a Petty Officer.
Towards the end of the First World War, until just before he left the Royal Navy, he was assigned to HMS Pekin, an auxiliary patrol shore base at Grimsby, where he was on mine-sweeping duties, for which he would be awarded the DSM.
My question is regarding his postings prior to HMS Talbot, which appear quite short. Would these have been training exercises at sea, or something similar?
Many thanks in advance
Steve