[ronnie r]

Could any of you RN chaps explain what a commissioned gunner and a wireman was ,i saw these rates on the HMS Hood roll of honour site.

Cheers.. . ...Ronnie R

[Hugh MacLean]

Hello Ronnie,

Well both of those ranks are a bit before my time but I think a wireman was an electrician.

Commissioned gunner, commissioned boatswain, commissioned telegraphist etc. I think they may have been senior warrant officers (I am not quite sure about that). Maybe someone can confirm please.

Update:

This posting on the Mariners List may explain "Commissioned" better than I ever could:

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read...-09/1126738542

Rgds

[ronnie r]

hi Hugh
thanks for the info! that mariner list was very informative
cheers Ronnie

[helen]

WW11 - If my dad was an MN Radio Officer (at sea when war started) and was a member of the Royal Navy Special Reserve (and it is definitely 'Special Reserve') and did work under that umbrella, would he have had a 'commision' status and, if so, what rank do you think? - or, did you only get a 'commission' status if you actually sailed on RN ships? Any help appreciated. Helen

[Hugh MacLean]

Helen,

Not sure about that one. It looks like a good question for the mariners list.
Would you like me to ask on yr behalf.

Rgds

[Hugh MacLean]

The following from Paul at the Mariners List:


Some branches appear to have their own Special Reserve eg the
Engineers : the officers Pay Review of 1925, published in the London
Gazette 8 Jan 1926, includes the following paragraph :

The 'current rates' of full pay shown in Sections II and III of this
Schedule are to apply also in accordance with their several ranks, and
subject to the Regulations governing their service, to Officers of the
Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Special Reserve of
Engineer Officers, R.N., and Special Reserve of Officers, R.M., whilst
serving or training in H.M. Ships or Establishments, or whilst called
out for actual service in war or emergency : for the rest see :

http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/LondonGazette/Pay_&_Allsces_1925.html

The words "Special Reserve" throws up quite a few hits when one
attempts to search the London Gazette archive at :

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/index.asp?webType=0

as the Army and the RAF also had Special Reserves, but if you or Helen
would like to go to the London Gazette website you might well find
something on the introduction of the Special Reserve in the Radio
Branch - on the other hand I have discovered that you might not !

Taking into account the fact that most of the occasions on which one
sees the term Special Reserve it appears to involve officers, I would
suggest that in most cases this applies to Commissioned Officers.

If he was an officer then his appointment to and promotion(s) in the
Reserve should also appear in the London Gazette, although you may
need to be a little inventive when searching for the name - I've had
problems with the name Raines, and have had to search under Kaines,
Haines and Baines to find some of what I was looking for.

Hope that is of some help to you.

Rgds