Interpreting Royal Navy Service Record

[KOMalta]

Off topic, but was hoping some one could shed some light on the Royal Navy service record.

Why is HMS Bulldog in brackets and ditto through out other ships? As is HMS Wishart? Cannot identify the ship next to Wishart.

Thank you.

[Tinto]

Maybe HMS Colossus?
Regards, John

[Jelly Terror]

I agree with John, HMS Colossus looks pretty close. How about HMS Gloucester, as another possibility?

HMS Wishart seems to have rejoined the Mediterranean Fleet, in June of 1938, after being Guardship at Greenwich, in 1937, for the opening of the National Maritime Museum by King George VI.

I probably have this completely wrong, but are those listed in the left column naval bases or shore establishments of one sort or another? If so, it should be possible to find out which of those in the Mediterranean, HMS Wishart was (attached?) to.

JT

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Jelly Terror

I probably have this completely wrong, but are those listed in the left column naval bases or shore establishments of one sort or another? If so, it should be possible to find out which of those in the Mediterranean, HMS Wishart was (attached?) to.

JT

She spent most of her wartime career based at Gibraltar, engaged in convoy defence, but also served in various naval and military operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

But ......

From 1900 to 1946 the whole of the Navy's property at Gibraltar (buildings, dockyards etc) was treated as one 'shore establishment' known as HMS Cormorant.

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[Buttonman]

The ships listed on the left with no ships listed in brackets were ships/bases the rating served in.
The ships in brackets are tenders to the ships/bases on the left. The tenders were the ships which the rating served in. The ships listed on the left before the tenders are his accounting bases on which he was borne for pay etc.

David

[mike_vee]

Based on the dates :

July 1938 - St.Angelo - HMS St.Angelo (Fort St.Angelo) Malta.

The fort was garrisoned by the British from 1800 to 1979, at times being classified as a stone frigate known as HMS Egmont or later HMS St Angelo.

September 1938 - HMS Wishart - Gibraltar - Escort for HMS Glorious

When the United Kingdom entered World War II in September 1939, Wishart was stationed at Gibraltar,

Photo titled : HMS Glorious is accompanied by HMS Wishart, one of its escort destroyers, in 1939.

March 1939 - HMS Bulldog - Gibraltar - 'Plane Guard' for HMS Glorious.

Bulldog was briefly assigned to the Gibraltar Local Flotilla in January 1939, until she became plane guard for the aircraft carrier Glorious in the Mediterranean in March.

February 1940 - Ark Royal - Plane Guard duty

She sailed to Malta with Glorious in January 1940 to refit, returning to plane guard duty for Ark Royal during March.

August 1941 - Back at St.Angelo Malta - ? Discharge ?


Just a guess , I could be wrong.

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[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by KOMalta

Off topic, but was hoping some one could shed some light on the Royal Navy service record.

Does this service record relate to Anthony Buhagiar ?

The dates and details appear to match a 2016 newspaper article from the "Times of Malta".

In January 1936 he boarded the destroyer HMS Searcher in the company of the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious patrolling near the Middle East, until he transferred to the destroyer HMS Wishart in June 1938. On March 14, 1939, Buhagiar joined the destroyer HMS Bulldog. The ship sailed from Portsmouth to Gibraltar and then to Malta to load fresh provisions and more ammunition, as usual in the company HMS Glorious.

Anthony Buhagiar – a lifetime’s service with the Royal Navy



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[mike_vee]

Mentioned in Navy News magazine 2003.

It looks like his 'first' service record takes him up to the time he trained/joined the subs.

In September 1941, Buhagiar was in Britain, stationed at HMS Dolphin to follow a course in submarines. He joined HM submarine Tribute, and in January 1942, HM submarine Porpoise, captained by Lieutenant L.W.A. Bennington.

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[mike_vee]

Early days

He managed to embark on the fleet repair ship HMS Sandhurst as a NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) boy in 1934 and finally joined the Royal Navy as an assistant steward on September 2, 1935.

1934 found HMS Sandhurst in some kind of exercise in Malta .


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[KOMalta]

Originally Posted by mike_vee

Mentioned in Navy News magazine 2003.

It looks like his 'first' service record takes him up to the time he trained/joined the subs.


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Hi Mike.

Thanks for all the information. Buhagiar is not my man but must have served at the same time when the Enigma machine was retrieved from U-110. My man is Guiseppe Grioli. His father was also in the Navy during WWI and perished when HMS Louvain was torpedoed and sunk on the 20th January 1918.

Besides his World War Two campaign medals he received the NGSM with clasp "Palestine 1936-39", i'm presuming while serving on HMS Malaya. He also served on HMS Volage thus earning a second clasp "Palestine 1945-48" to his NGSM as stated on his service record (attached). However this is missing on the medal. Also missing his Navy LS & GC Medal.

Again thank you for all the data provided.

Regards,
Vincent

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by KOMalta

Hi Mike.

Thanks for all the information. Buhagiar is not my man but must have served at the same time when the Enigma machine was retrieved from U-110. My man is Guiseppe Grioli. His father was also in the Navy during WWI and perished when HMS Louvain was torpedoed and sunk on the 20th January 1918.

Besides his World War Two campaign medals he received the NGSM with clasp "Palestine 1936-39", i'm presuming while serving on HMS Malaya. He also served on HMS Volage thus earning a second clasp "Palestine 1945-48" to his NGSM as stated on his service record (attached). However this is missing on the medal. Also missing his Navy LS & GC Medal.

Again thank you for all the data provided.

Regards,
Vincent

I really thought I'd cracked it !

Their paths definitely crossed , same ships at the same time but I'm guessing that a few young men from Malta would have enlisted over that time period.

Will see if I can dig up anything on your guy .

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[KOMalta]

Many Maltese men have served the Royal Navy dating back to the Napoleonic Wars. Even read that Maltese were fighting Maltese in Trafalgar, since some had joined the French Navy while they were occupiers here (1798-1800).

So yes, you might find it a bit daunting hitting the nail on it's head!!

Thank again Mike