His Majesty's Telegraph Ships

[nbroadarrowz]

Hi does anyone have any information about this service?
Was it a branch of the royal navy or a separate government service?
Was it run by the Admiralty Cable Service?
Thanks and any leads appreciated.
Barry

[engr9266]

Hello, If you Google His Majesty's Telegraph Ships, which you may have already done, there is quite a bit of information there regarding these ships.
engr9266

[nbroadarrowz]

Yes, done the Google thing.
I am interested to learn about the operational structure of the organization.

[nbroadarrowz]

Some of these older posts have helped and are interesting

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=79065

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=18287

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by nbroadarrowz

Hi does anyone have any information about this service?
Was it a branch of the royal navy or a separate government service?
Was it run by the Admiralty Cable Service?
Thanks and any leads appreciated.
Barry

Can't reall find too much about the organisational side but a "GPO Engineering Department Roll of Honour WWII, 1940-1947" has a couple of bits that may be of interest.


July 1942 - Deaths

While serving with the Civil Defence Forces or on Post Office Duty

H.M.C.S. ." Borthwick, G. ... Chief Engineer.

This seems to imply that the Cable Ship was under the civil/Post Office control ?

January 1944 - Awards

While serving with the Civil Defence Forces or on Post Office duty

H.M.T.S. .. Baldwin, F. S. B. ...Seaman Cable Hand.... British Empire Medal
H.M.T.S. .. . .. Evans, C. M. G....Chief Officer ,,,Member of the Order of the British Empire
H.M.T.S. .. Prince, E.....Third Engineer.....Member of the Order of the British Empire

Still appear to be under civil/Post Office but now H.M.T.S .

Could their 'official' designation have been changed to avoid wartime confusion with the other HMCS (His Majesty's Canadian Ship)
(I have a vague recollection of reading something about this). See note *

April 1945 - Awards

While seraing with the Arrned, Forces, including Home Guard, or on post office Duty.

H.M.T.S. ....Leech, W. H. ..Commander...On Post Office duty...Distinguished Service Cross.
H.M.T.S .....Nairne, I. U. D. ....Second Officer...On Post Office duty...Distinguished Service Cross.

Although it mentions "On Post Office Duty" they must have been R.N ?

January 1946 - Deaths

List of crew of HMTS Alert (In service until 24 February 1945 when she was torpedoed off the North Goodwin Sands with the loss of all hands) all listed as "On Post Office Duty."

*Note - From Wiki :

At some point, the GPO changed the ship prefix of Alert, along with all its other cable ships, from CS (Cable Ship) to HMTS (His Majesty's Telegraph Ship).

Based on dates above this was between July 1942 and January 1944.



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[nbroadarrowz]

Thanks for the additional information.

Are the badges of this service considered civilian or military?

Barry

[mike_vee]

Postwarden (Jon) may have some info.

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=61140


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