The Navy Net: Rum Ration

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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:41 pm
Author: sea_mine Location: Co. Kilkenny, IRELAND
Hi List,

I am trying to identify the officer who wrote up a diary with entries from 01-01-1919 to 10-08-1919. He was stationed in Malta during this period and may have the surname Denn and a possible rank of Lt. Commander when he retired (not in 1919 I suspect).

There is a mention in the diary of him celebrating his twenty years service, so I presume he joined in 1899.

Can anyone give me a starting point as to where I might track down the identity of this officer?

Thanks,

Pat

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 pm
Author: lsadirty Location: Guzz, in the rain as usual
The 1919 Navy List would be a good starting point - dunno if it's available on line. Failing that, the Naval Library in Pompey DY or the Naval Historical Branch, who do have copies.

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:24 pm
Author: soleil Location: London
Listed in the 1901 census is one Thomas Denn, born in approximately 1882 in Ballycricker, Ireland.

Registration District is:

Royal Navy at Sea and in Ports Abroad

Under town it says "Malta"

Vessel: Victorious

Could this be him?

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:32 pm
Author: sea_mine Location: Co. Kilkenny, IRELAND
Thanks for that.

I have just been told that one of his medals reads:

GNR.T.DENN.R.N.

Does that mean anything to anyone? I think it may be his Victory Medal but am not sure as my info is third party. I have also just now got permission from the Diary owner to post links to pdf files which I have been scanning for the last two weeks.

Each file is approx 20 MBs and covers two months as follows:

Jan-Feb 1919 | Mar-Apr 1919 | May-Jun 1919 | Jul-Aug 10th 1919 + Misc. Accounts

I still have to convert the scanned entries for the period 1st July - 10th August to pdf. I should have them done over the weekend.

Regards,

Pat

Edited @ 00:05, 17-09-09 to include link to last part of Diary

Last edited by sea_mine on Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:06 pm; edited 1 time in total

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:34 pm
Author: sea_mine Location: Co. Kilkenny, IRELAND
Hi soleil

I think you may have him - excellent work and many thanks

Pat

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 5:32 am
Author: NorwayChris Location: Hammerfest Norway
Pat,what was/is this guy to you,is he family ??

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:18 am
Author: sea_mine Location: Co. Kilkenny, IRELAND
Hi,

No, the present owner of the diary works with me in the Property Registration Authority (Land Registry) in Waterford. His family were given the diary by Denn.

The address given in the record above is "Ballycricker, Ireland" which I think should read Ballybricken, Ireland - Ballybricken is part of the city of Waterford - see here.

Off to work, talk later guys.

Pat

Last edited by sea_mine on Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:54 pm; edited 1 time in total

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:19 am
Author: NorwayChris Location: Hammerfest Norway
Ok Pat,good luck with the research, Cool

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:52 am
Author: Naval_Gazer Location: Vernon in spirit
GNR would have stood for 'Gunner', a gunnery specialist Warrant Officer with over 10 years' seniority. He would have worn a gold stripe half normal thickness (i.e. 1/4") on the sleeve of his uniform and been addressed as 'Mister'. Although junior in rank, he would have risen from the lower deck through aptitude and perseverance and been a formidable member of the ship's company. Many went on to achieve much more senior rank. RN Gunnery officers have traditionally been known for their strength of character.

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 5:32 pm
Author: sea_mine Location: Co. Kilkenny, IRELAND
Thanks for the info on the medal.

Does anyone know anything about HMS Victorious in 1901 when the above census was carried out?

I assume from the name she was a capital ship and obviously not the same vessel as the famous WWII carrier - or did the name refer to a shore station?

Regards,

Pat

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 5:47 pm
Author: sweetpea Location: At The Rum Ration Tea Party.
Thomas Denn's Service Record is available via download on the National Archives website.

Link: www.nationalarchives.g...ultcount=1
And also here:
www.nationalarchives.g...ultcount=1

Hope this helps.

SP.

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 6:28 pm
Author: BreathingOutOnTheWayUp Location: Somewhere on Portsea Island

sea_mine:

Does anyone know anything about HMS Victorious in 1901 when the above census was carried out?

I assume from the name she was a capital ship ?

Regards,

Pat

Hello Pat,

That HMS Victorious was indeed a capital ship - one of nine Majestic-class battleships

(The Majestic class was a ship class of predreadnought battleships, built under the Spencer Programme of 8 December 1893,
which sought to counter the growing naval strength of France and the Russian Empire....).

If it helps I found this

www.absoluteastronomy....ous_(1895)

Extract <<Operational History. HMS Victorious commissioned on 4 November 1896 for service in the Fleet Reserve at Chatham Dockyard.

On 8 June 1897, she went into full commission for service in the Mediterranean Fleet. Before leaving the United Kingdom, she was present at the Fleet Review at Spithead for the Diamond Jubilee to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria on 26 June 1897.

She moved to the Mediterranean where she relieved battleship HMS Anson.

In February 1898, Victorious detached from the Mediterranean Fleet for service on the China Station. According to a report in the New York Journal on 16 February, she ran hard aground while entering the harbor at Port Said en route to China. Her coal had to be taken off before she could be floated free.

In 1900, she returned to the Mediterranean and underwent a refit at Malta.

Her Mediterranean service over, Victorious paid off at Chatham on 8 August 1903 and began a refit there that lasted until February 1904.>>>

From Google I discovered this, too, at Amazon

www.amazon.co.uk/log-H...B00088O1PY

The log of H.M.S. Victorious 1899 – 1903

(Including that part of the commission in H.M.S. Revenge)

A bit expensive at £90.00, but from the following details you may find another copy elsewhere:

Unknown Binding: 153 pages

Publisher: The Westminister Press (Gerrards Ltd.) (1903)

Language English

ASIN: B00088O1PY

Best of luck with your researches.

Bob

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:38 pm
Author: sea_mine Location: Co. Kilkenny, IRELAND
SP, Bob & All,

Guys, I really cannot thank you all enough for the help. I have downloaded the two pdf files from the National Archives - well worth the £7 - unlike the The Aerial Reconnaissance Archives (TARA) where I have spent a small fortune on recon images taken on D-Day.

I have uploaded the two pdfs here and here if anyone wants to take a look. Am I reading the record right in that:

Thomas Denn retired at his own request with the rank of Commissioned Gunner on 11/01/1923.

He appears to have spent a week in Plymouth Hospital - anyone make out the illness and or date?

Thanks,

Pat

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:04 pm
Author: sea_mine Location: Co. Kilkenny, IRELAND

Quote:

A bit expensive at £90.00, but from the following details you may find another copy elsewhere:

...

Best of luck with your researches.

Bob

Bob,

As soon as I win the Lotto, that will be the second item on my shopping list after the summer cottage in Normandy Laughing

Pat

Re: 1919 Diary ID

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:23 pm
Author: soleil Location: London
Pat

The dates look like 14/11/21-21/11/21 and the illness is Cystitis - there are two words in front of the word "Cystitis" which I can't decipher, though.

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