This page covers his 20 years as a NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) from enlistment as a Private on 5 Feb 1923 to promotion as T/Lieut. (Temporary Lieutenant) on 31 March 1943. A short summary of known events is mentioned beneath some entries, this will be expanded with more detail in a following post.
From his Service Records it is clear that all deployments aboard ships would be followed by a period of land based service; training, further qualification, shore leave etc. Herewith a list of ships he served on and bases he served at including the date period. Short deployments to his home base at Portsmouth are not listed.
Portsmouth Division
5 Feb 1923 - 11 May 1924
HMS BARHAM (04)
12 May 1924 - 11 Nov 1925
HMS DAUNTLESS (D45)
2 Feb 1926 - 14 May 1928
Extended stay in Shanghai, China, after the *Wanhsien Incident* of Aug 1926. His direct involvement (if any) is not known.
Portsmouth Division
15 May 1928 - 2 Sept 1931. A lengthy deployment onshore. He married Amelia Cox during this period in August 1930 whilst posted to the Royal Marines Depot in Deal, Kent.
HMS WARSPITE (03)
3 Sept 1931 - 7 Nov 1933
Promoted to Corporal 11 Oct 1933
HMS DOLPHIN
20 Nov 1933 - 3 Oct 1934
Shore base; submarine / torpedo related training in Portsmouth.
Gunnery Instructor, Sea Service Battery.
Portsmouth Division
4 Oct 1934 - 20 Nov 1935
HMS PEMBROKE / ENTERPRISE
21 Nov 1935 - 26 Jan 1936
Large shore base and naval barracks at Chatham; gunnery school. Preparing to join Enterprise. Chatham is described in the following way:-
"Where you are just coming off a ship, preparing to join a ship; joining for a short time for courses or being accommodated whilst your ship is in the dockyard refitting".
(WNS) *World Naval Ships*
HMS ENTERPRISE (D52)
27 Jan 1936 - 4 April 1938
Evacuated the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie from Djibouti in East Africa for passage to England.
Promoted to Sergeant 3 May 1937
Portsmouth Division
5 April 1938 - 28 July 1939
HMS DURBAN (D99)
29 July 1939 - 13 Feb 1942
War declared on 4 Sept 1939.
Ship bombed by Japanese aircraft during the attack on and evacuation from Singapore in Feb 1942.
HMS LANKA
Shore base at Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Rest and Recuperation from injuries after bombing of his ship
Portsmouth Division
29 Aug 1942 - 31 March 1943
Promoted to Colour Sergeant 13 March 1943
Promoted to T/Lieut. (Temporary Lieutenant) 31 March 1943
What is of interest regarding his last promotion in the Marines, is that he completely skipped the ranks of Warrant Officer (WO2 and WO1). I have as yet no explanation for that.
Addendum
As is the case with projects of this nature, new information and enhanced analysis is always a possibility, any such information will be added as and when available.
No comments:
Post a Comment