Information on Mentioned in Despatches?

[Stinkhole]

Afternoon All, my parents have been digging through old paperwork & have found my grandfathers service records from the second great unpleasantness when he was in the Royal Naval Patrol Service.

I knew he had been Mentioned in Despatches & I was wondering if there is any way to find out what he did? I’ve tried to search online & apart from finding the entry in the London Gazette I’ve drawn a blank.
Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated!
Regards, Stinky.

 

[FourZeroCharlie]

You could do no worse than speaking to the National Archives and quoting this reference:

Royal Naval Reserve service records 1860-1955 - The National Archives

What are these records? These are a selection of service records of ratings who served in the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) between 1860 and 1955. There

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Some records are digitised though many are not and it looks like your relly is one of those.

Having said that, there are a couple of Belfast 'Axon' who pop up with WWI service.

Failing that, drop a request here:

Get a copy of military service records

Get military service records for the army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines or RAF from 1920 - who can apply, how long it takes, cost, how to apply

www.gov.uk

at a cost of 30 quid.

 

[Stinkhole]

Thanks 40C. Your first link comes up with an error that something went wrong at the archives?

I have his entire service record from mobilisation in ‘39 to release in ‘46. He started in “Harry Tates” navy & then somehow ended up on the Arctic convoys.
Just out of interest, when you were demobbed after he war were you handed all your records? Seems a bit strange having them?
Stinky.

 

[Stinkhole]

Something else out the pile. Any ideas of regiment? Not the best of pictures though!

 

[CutLunchCommando]

Afternoon All, my parents have been digging through old paperwork & have found my grandfathers service records from the second great unpleasantness when he was in the Royal Naval Patrol Service.

I knew he had been Mentioned in Despatches & I was wondering if there is any way to find out what he did? I’ve tried to search online & apart from finding the entry in the London Gazette I’ve drawn a blank.
Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated!
Regards, Stinky.View attachment 554147

Total drift but what is the function of HMS (I assume) Antrim in this respect? I know HMS Caroline served as an HQ for a while. Was the patrol function managed from Caroline for a while and then moved on to Antrim?

 

[devexwarrior]

Apropos of nothing in particular, I served at AFC with a young officer from a Scottish Regiment who was MiD in Iraq. I later saw the relevant action on a documentary. A Warrior had been disabled and a second AFV moved in behind to evac the injured and the rest. Our boy moved his Warrior between the two and a lot of incoming fire. you could see his vehicle rocking as it took fire. He manned the turret gun to put down suppressing fire and the end result was all pers extracted and the abandoned vehicle left ablaze (either as a result of the action or deliberately destroyed - not sure). He was 'presented' with his MiD at the AFC pass out parade where he was leading his platoon. He marched up for a salute and handshake with the Inspecting Officer while the Adjt read out an account (much as above). The entire audience stood and applauded him as he led his platoon in the march past.

 

[CutLunchCommando]

Something else out the pile. Any ideas of regiment? Not the best of pictures though!

Artillery, but you had the option of Field, Garrison or Horse in them days. An SME will be along shortly.

 

[whiffler]

Artillery, but you had the option of Field, Garrison or Horse in them days. An SME will be along shortly.

Flat buttons ? Was that significant in that OOD ?

 

[FourZeroCharlie]

​

As has been said, certainly the man sitting is RA, but the branch is impossible to tell: if he is wearing shoulder titles, they are too indistinct - same for the chap standing, though it is almost a certainty that he is RA also.

The thing about RA cap badges (certainly during the first year or so of the war) was that some TF units had amended the upper and lower motto scrolls from:

to something that reflected their regional/county origins:

 

[Stinkhole]

Total drift but what is the function of HMS (I assume) Antrim in this respect? I know HMS Caroline served as an HQ for a while. Was the patrol function managed from Caroline for a while and then moved on to Antrim?

CLC, Caroline was the HQ unit for the Patrol Service in Belfast. I assume the request was sent to Antrim’s CO as he had been transferred to Antrim on 1 July ‘41 (the request is dated August ‘41). As Antrim was a convoy escort he may not have been classed as part of the patrol service at that point?