Military Chat

Where can I find my grandfather's WW1 Royal Navy Records?
I understand he was on the Repulse and in Stromness in Orkney. I am not aware that he served abroad.
I know his name - David Geler Davies and his date of birth -10th July 1898. I have a feeling that his service started in 1916 but I don't know if he was conscripted or joined up before he was 18. I don't know what he was doing before joining up but I have details of where he was born. He survived the war.
I don't know where to access his record so would be grateful for any help please.
With thanks
Frances

British Royal Navy Seamen 1899-1924
Llandyssul, Carmarthenshire, Wales

First name(s) David
Birth country Wales
Last name Davies
Archive The National Archives
Service number J77848
Archive reference ADM 188/802/77848
Birth year 1898
Record set British Royal Navy Seamen 1899-1924
Birth date 10 Jul 1898
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Birth place Llandyssul
Subcategory Regimental & Service Records
Birth county Carmarthenshire
Collections from Great Britain, UK None
National Archives

apologies for way information shown - it's Find My Past's new way of showing records.

You should be able to use the National Archives site and download the records. the Archive reference is shown.

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

He doesn't have the middle name Geler at birth, nor at marriage to Ethel May Rees in 1928, nor on RN record as posted above.

However this seems to be him in 1939.
The son's middle name is Geler :

Davies Davies
in the 1939 England and Wales Register
Name: Davies Davies [David Davies]
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 10 Jul 1898
Residence Date: 1939
Residence Place: Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Occupation: Police Constable
Line Number: 24
Schedule Number: 57
Sub Schedule Number: 1
Enumeration District: XELR
Borough: Llanelly
Registration district: 596 - 1
Inferred Spouse:
Ethel May Davies
Inferred Children:
Ralph G Davies
Household Members Age
Davies Davies 41
Ethel May Davies 37
This record is officially closed.
Ralph G Davies 8


Ralph Geler Davies
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Name: Ralph Geler Davies
Death Age: 74
Birth Date: 23 Jun 1931
Registration Date: Jun 2005
Registration District: Llanelli
Inferred County: Dyfed
Register Number: A55E
District and Subdistrict: 820/1A
Entry Number: 105

Original record shows born LLandyssul, Carmarthenshire, occupation on enlistment - a Spinner.
Joined up 14 Sept 1917 for period of Hostilities
Served Vivid 1 for 6 months (Possibly a training establishment). The Repulse from March 1917 to June 1918. Back to Vivid to Nov. 1918 and then to Woolwich (MRENAD?) 4 nov, when he was promoted next day from Ordinary Seaman to Able Seaman. He served until 4 March 1919 when he was Discharged Shore demobbed

5'7 ½ ", Chest 37" Hair Dark Brown, Eyes Blue, complexion Fresh

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Repulse_(1916)

https://naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-02-HMS_Repulse.htm

and others by googling

Am sending the record to you by PM - watch your email in box. would appreciate you letting me know you've received it (only 1 page),

Thank you all- I responded to greyghosts PM last night.
My grandfather was born in Llangeler which would have been in the Registration district/area of Llandyssul. Hence the name "Geler". I remember when he died and my grandmother was going through his papers she said that she had never known even after being married to him for more than 40 years that he had the name "Geler". I had presumed that it was on his birth certificate but obviously not. I knew that my uncle had it and also my cousin- his son.
I'm interested to see that my mother who would have been 10 years of age ( Louise Maureen Davies dob 28/01/1929 Carmarthen) was not on the 1939 return. I can only think that she may have been staying with her grandparents in Marsh St Llanelly/i overnight.
I also didn't know that my grandfather (known as "Dadcu" in South Wales) had been a spinner before joining up. However it's hardly surprising as this border area of Carmarthenshire/ Cardiganshire called Drefach/ Felindre had 10 different mills at one time and I knew that my ggp's and at least one aunt worked there.I wonder whether this was a reserved occupation- probably providing cloth for forces uniforms. Otherwise I wonder why he wasn't called up sooner.
I understand that my grandfather's application to the RN would have had his photograph on it . . This is obviously a different document from his enlistment record above. Does anyone know where I could find that ?
Many many thanks
Frances

Via google - (your chap wouldn't have been 18 until July 1916)

The British Government introduced conscription in March 1916 because voluntary enlistment could no longer meet the army’s need for recruits. Under the terms of the Military Service Act, all medically fit single men between the ages of 19 and 41 were deemed to have enlisted in the armed forces on 2 March.
In May 1916 a second Government act extended conscription to married men and the age limit was lowered to 18. Conscripted men had no choice about which service, regiment or unit they joined.

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Try googling for lists of reserved occupations

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You can see WW1 service documents with peoples enlistment dates, but put on reserve, before being called up at later dates

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Naval records online are notoriously briefer than eg Army. I think we were trusted to have our own documents given to us on discharge, with only barest details kept in a central place ;-)

You could try he National Archives to see if they hold anything more?

Your mother may be the closed record on the 1939 Register - unless there was another sibling older than Ralph?
.
Perhaps her death hasn't been picked up by the Register people.

Or maybe the closed record is open on FMP?
I posted what shows on Ancestry , but sometimes FMP is more up to date.

If the closed record is indeed your mother, you can apply to have it opened.

"To have a record checked you will be required to provide proof of death, most commonly a death certificate. If you have proof of death but cannot identify a specific record, you can request a search of the 1939 Register for a fee using The National Archives Freedom of Information (FOI) request form."
https://tinyurl.com/cc776bts

1939 from FMP - nothing further showing

1939 Register
Police Station Afon Road, Llangennech, Llanelly R.D., Carmarthenshire, Wales

First name(s) Last name(s) DOB Sex Occupation Marital status Schedule Schedule Sub Number
Davies (David) Davies 10 Aug 1898 Male Police Constable Married 57 1
Ethel May Davies 02 Aug 1902 Female Domestic Duties Married 57 2
The record for this person is officially closed.
Ralph G Davies 23 Jun 1931 Male At School Single 57 4
Male

I've now registered with the national Archives and trying to navigate the site!
Thank you for your help.
Frances