please help with these photos.....long shot!!

Hi Everyone, I'm new here and gonna post some pics of my grandad who served in the royal navy between 1941 and 1945 (i think) His wedding photo is 1945 and I was told the stripes on his arm mean he had 4-7 years service from when he was 18.

I believe he was a lead mechanical engineer, one step down from petty officer...not sure what a petty officer is????

I am trying to find out more about his naval service, and the people he was with, have no service records and no family, so these pics are all I have.

Any random peices of info or advice would be welcomed

Thank you very much

the one getting married

front right

He is on the left

His name is Robin John McCormick/MacCormack. Born 1923 in Amesbury Wiltshire

 

You need to apply for his Service record, someone on the forum will have the address etc to hand. Its an easy thing to do but does take quite a time to get the details back. Good luck with your search

 

Instructions on how to obtain your grandfather's naval service record are available on this page of the Veterans Agency website but you need to supply a Certificate of Kinship proving you have permission of the official next of kin. Make sure you send the completed SAR (Subject Access Request) form to the right address or you will be disappointed.

Good luck.

 

If you post your photos in this site:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showforum=4&prune_day=100&sort_by=Z-A&sort_key=last_post&topicfilter=all&st=30

Someone may identify the Army cap badges and uniforms. This would then lead to the Unit historys for the regiments which will help to discover when and where the photos were taken.

The mixture of black and white caps in confusing me a little but I'm sure someone will come up with the answer.

Good luck in your search.

Pol

 

The squaddies in the 2nd picture are most likely from either a Scottish or Irish regiment as they are wearing the distinctive Bonnet worn by these regts.I cant make out the cap badges though.It does look like the Royal Engineers cap badge.

 

Hi Mrs K,
What a fine set of photos!
Your Grandad is wearing a three bladed propeller on his right arm, indicating the engine room branch (known as stokers even though they don't stoke any more), his left arm shows a fouled anchor (leading hand, known as a killick in the RN) and a stripe (known as a badge, maximum of three) indicating four years service with good conduct. So in our terminology he would be described as a "one badge killick stoker". So, if he served '41 to '45, he would be towards the end of his service (and the end of the war), when he married, and over the age of 22.
Many matelots by that time had lost some of their kit through the exigencies of war, and it was not always replaceable like for like, so variations in headgear were quite common. Also, he may have just returned from a foreign commission and only possessed a white cap, but all servicemen marrying at that time did their best to present themselves as smartly as possible, and white fronts, caps ,and silks were de rigeur for a matelot at his wedding. His Best Man may have been on the Home station or in barracks.
Janner, NG, and Pol have steered you in the right direction to find out more, and I wish you well in your quest.
Best wishes,
Peter.

 

I have been mulling over the caps in your photos again and came up with this scenario. It is of course pure supposition but here goes,

Looking at the guy in army type uniform who is on the left of the photo, his beret badge seems to have a bulging centre as in the Globe of a Royal Marines badge. The guy standing on the right seems to be wearing a tam o shanter bonnet indicating as Andy says a Scots regiment. I dont think it is a corbeen as worn by some Irish regiments. A trip to your local library would possibly help to indentify the badge on the tammy.

One possibility for the mixed naval caps could, and I emphasise could, be that the photos were taken in Gibraltar or some West African port. My reasoning being that some of the Matelots with dark caps may have been escort crews from UK bases and the white cap ratings may have been based in the Med or Africa already.

Do you have any details of the ships your Granddad served on as this would be a great help to us in tracing his naval career?

Good hunting

Pol

 

ooh ooh, good news!!!

You ahev all been so helpful, and I have managed to contact my aunt who says my uncle has grandad records and medals and wil send me copies!!! Although don't hold your breaths as he is a first class arse!!! So watch this space!!!

All may be revealed, keep posting with any new ideas, it's fascintating!

Kirstie

 

Nice one Mrs P

You send us the details of your Grandads records and his ships and we will see what we can research for you.

I feel I must warn you that I have become almost an addict in researching some of my relatives service historys and speaking to others on the same quest they have become gripped by the fever too. Never the less it is a fasinating journey.

Pol

 

This is a new picture taken at the red house photo studio in gibraltar....more clues, he also has a three coloured badge on his top...what does this mean???

Thank you

Kirstie

 

Sorry Mrs P no piccie.

Pol

 

Pol, Just wondered if you could poss help, but I am not wanting to pinch this young ladies thread.

My Grandather served in the Army - world war two, I have some info, pay book, dog tags, but I was trying to find out where he got injured and what hospital he stayed in and not forgetting what reg he was with when this happened. Any way sorry Mrs P., didnt mean to storm your thread.

 

As an extra, as these battledress uniformed guys are wearing different headgear, might they be members of the Commandos ?

I believe that soldiers from different regiments also enlisted in the Commando, and that they still wore their own regimental badges for a while at least.

:smile:

 

His paybook should show his Regt Bob, get me that and I'll have a dig in my records and see what I can find. If I can get to his Regt War Diary I may find a mention of him.

Pol

 

Whoa, great point Whitemouse, the Royal Marine and Army Commando were seperate units but of course could have been on the same operation. I'll have a dig down that route and try to find were the commandos were at that time. This could lead me back to the outward convoys and escorts.

Pol

 

i would say that is a great idea, but I dont really understand it!!! As usual, dont worry about explaining, I'm beyond help!!! And I am on hold to british gas...11 mins 45 seconds and counting!!! Never move house, none of the companies can deal with it!!!

Look forward to some interesting info coming my way!

Kirstie

 

Cheers Pol, I will do, my Dad has all the info, apart from his Regt, As I have been through his paybook and no mention of any regt at all !, I will PM you all the info over the weekend.

Kind Regards