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Commissioned Officers The first issue of Steele's Navy List was published in 1782 which gave a list of serving officers but there is a list of 'Sea Officers' from about 1660 to 1815. Two surveys of serving officers were conducted - in 1817, (amended to 1822), and in 1846. If the officer responded and if the results have been preserved, these surveys can show quite a lot of personal details of the officer. Apart from the personal records in ADM 196, one of the most useful records for information about a Naval Officer is his Passing Certificate in ADM 6, ADM 13 or ADM 107, (1691 to 1902). It would then be possible to look for any campaign medals he may have been awarded and see if there are any references to him or his ships in one of the Naval Biographies held in the National Archives Library. Ask us for more details of the service we provide. Ratings Until Continuous Service was introduced in 1852, information is very varied for ratings. However, personal service records are available from 1852 to 1923. In searches for ratings, the service record would probably show most of the following but some details may change depending on date:- Name, age and place of birth, trade or calling, and date of enlistment. Also, promotions/demotions, his ships, where he served and date of discharge. Details of any campaigns, wounds, medals and an assessment of his conduct on discharge. If the discharge was for medical reasons, then this would probably be mentioned, but if the discharge was following long service there might be pension details although most pension details merely confirm information already found in the service record. If he joined as a Boy between 1853 and 1872, sometimes his father's permission would be given which might result in some details of the father. Ask us for more details of the service we provide. By visiting the National Archives online it is possible to download images of the records of Royal Naval Seamen from about 1873 to 1923. However, these records are often difficult to read because of the terminology and extensive use of abbreviations. Also, you may see from the downloaded image that your ancestor served aboard a number of ships and at different locations around the world. You might want us to expand on some of these appointments by obtaining extracts from the ships' logs and / or Admiralty correspondence if the events are of some significance and for which he may have been awarded campaign medals. Ask us for more details of the service we provide. In addition, ADM 176 often holds professionally taken photographs of some ships, though this practice had to be discontinued when the Admiralty suddenly realised they were potentially presenting useful information to the enemy. To do the transcription of the whole record plus a closer look at operational activity for selected ships and any photographs we can find, we need 3 hours inclusive of digital images on a CD and postage. Tell us the names of any ships in which you have a special interest, (perhaps he wrote letters whilst aboard). Otherwise we shall select two or three based on their historical profile. Ask us for more details of the service we provide. In WW1, there are operational records in ADM 137 for all engagements, including the Battle of the Falkland Isles in December 1914 and the Battle of Jutland in June 1916, (sometimes described as the most important naval engagement since Trafalgar). Early Royal Navy records can be very rewarding. Admiralty In and Out letters, Secret Instructions, Captain's letters, Ships Musters and many other records are available for research. Two typical examples, from 1762, are shown here. (note: image quality has been reduced for easy web loading. Actual images we provide are a higher resolution). At left, an Admiralty letter to Captain Rowley requests volunteers to serve in the Portuguese navy. At right, Captain Pallisser replies to a similar request with his nominated candidate.  Click image to enlarge
In WW2, there are operational records in ADM 199 covering convoy reports and Operation DYNAMO, (the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk in 1940), to the D-Day Landings in Operation OVERLORD including Operations NEPTUNE and the artificial Harbours. 
For more information Contact us or read the appropriate leaflets at the National Archives web site. Kindest regards Bob Contact us by email R W O'HARA 15 Ruskin Avenue Kew, Richmond TW9 4DR England Return to Home Page
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