Commissioned Officers
It should not necessarily be particularly startling to find that
overwhelmingly there are more records devoted to commissioned officers than any
others in naval service. It might be more surprising though to learn that
records recognised as service sheets (in the modern sense) were not generally
available, even for officers, until the mid nineteenth century. And, even when
they were produced, they remained rather haphazard and often missing much.
Nevertheless, there are numerous other records that can be studied, but it must
be pointed out that these were working documents for administrative uses and
are therefore, not necessarily laid out in a manner at all helpful to 21st
century researchers. And, the changes in record keeping do not fit neatly in
either with the arithmetic notation of centuries, or even major historical
events.
From around the Restoration of
the 1660s to the end of the Napoleonic Wars 1815
Without even going to original records, there have been various
listings of commissioned naval officers. Apart from those that are only held by
a few archives, as of 1782 there was Steel’s Original and Correct List of
the Royal Navy and Honourable East-India Company’s Shipping that ran to the end of this period.
The main classes of original records for commissioned officers’
service in this period are passing certificates for lieutenancy, surveys (taken
post Napoleonic Wars), commission and warrant books and appointment books.
Additionally, there are other sources for constructing service, such as
succession books, pay ledgers (for full and half pay), applications for
employment, candidates for promotion (variously from the Napoleonic Wars) and
leave books.
Other details can be added from numerous sources. For instance
there were various records relating to pensions, for time done, wounds and
death (for widows and orphans). Records of misconduct can also be found, in the
shape of black books.
The century of ‘Pax Britannica’ 1815 to 1914
In 1814 the official Navy List was first published and
gives good indications as to changes within the Royal Navy’s officer corps.
With the introduction of additional branches of service, came new lists, such
as for engineers. Even for the executive branch supplementary lists appeared
near the end of the period. Also, as naval reserves came into existence,
primarily the Royal Naval Reserve in 1861 and Royal
Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1903, their officers were shown. It
should also be mentioned that other privately published listings appeared from
time to time.
As before, commissioned officers’ service can be ascertained
from passing certificates for lieutenancy, surveys (taken post Napoleonic Wars)
and increasingly from mid 19th onwards service registers, including
confidential reports for senior officers. Other types of records were phased
out, with new ones coming into existence. An example of the latter related to
the issuing of campaign medals.
1914 onwards
Overwhelmingly, the records that had developed in the past
continued in use in the twentieth century. It should be mentioned that many
more lists appeared though, especially for those holding temporary commissions
during wartime and reservists. Consequently, for those without a good grasp of
the complexities, use of the Navy List
can be bewildering.
Presently, the only 20th century service records that
have been released for public scrutiny are for those in the R.N. in the First World
War. Nevertheless, this includes some officers that also served in the Second
World War.
Others can now be applied for, either through the Freedom of
Information Act, or as related family members. Requests should be made through
the Ministry of Defence.
Go to tracing
warrant officers page