rchstv Posted 17 August , 2016 Share Posted 17 August , 2016 Hi I have just discovered whilst clearing my loft a huge painting of my late grandfather who served in the Navy during the great war. On his hat band it clearly states HMS Victory. Is there a way I can find out about his war service etc. As unusually I also have many pictures / picture post cards from his belongings which are army , which seem to be behind enemy lines and burnt out villages. Thank you. Kind regards Steve Rich. My Grandfather was Frederick Grove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 17 August , 2016 Share Posted 17 August , 2016 He may have been in the Royal Naval DIvision, which fought on the Western Front. I can't identify him for certain on the National Archives website, but if you have any idea of the year he was born I may be able to track him down - also, whether he might have had a middle name. Welcome to the Forum, by the way! seaJane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyH Posted 17 August , 2016 Share Posted 17 August , 2016 (edited) I believe the HMS Victory hatband is referring to the training Barracks situated at Portsmouth Dockyard. You see loads of WW1 sailors photos with it on. BillyH. Edited 17 August , 2016 by BillyH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchstv Posted 17 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 17 August , 2016 hi seajane he was born in 1896 I believe , he was from Wolverhampton. Thank you for your warm welcome to the forum , most kind of you. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchstv Posted 17 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 17 August , 2016 Thankyou for the info Billy I am beginning to get a clearer picture. My whole family going back generations has been military. One of my sons is carrying on the tradition. Today. Regards Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 17 August , 2016 Share Posted 17 August , 2016 (edited) Hi and welcome Steve There were 4 Victory divisions based in Portsmouth during the GW, and there are several grandfathers of Pals on here who have it recorded on their service records. I have listed where they were based, hope they can be of use. HMS Victory - Flagship Portsmouth & barracks 1840 - 1974 HMS Victory II - Crystal Palace - Training depot RN Divs 1914-19 HMS Victory III - Portsmouth Accounting Sec 1914-17 HMS Victory IV - London/Portsmouth/Petersfield RNR 1914-17 HMS Victory VI - Crystal Palace depot for RNR & RN Divs 1914-19 HMS Victory VII - Portland auxiliary patrol depot 1915 HMS Victory IX - Reserves Portsmouth 1915-16 HMS Victory X - Portsmouth accounting section 1917-19 John These divisions were kept during WW2 but at different locations Edited 17 August , 2016 by Knotty Added information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchstv Posted 17 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 17 August , 2016 Thank you John HMS Victory lll looks interesting only because after the war at some point he worked at Telford Labour exchange , so maybe learnt his book keeping in the Navy. What is odd tho is his service as i recall him saying at the front. Regards Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 17 August , 2016 Share Posted 17 August , 2016 Your grandfather would have been 18 at the outbreak of war and an (maybe) early volunteer, if he was only based at a shore establishment and not on a ship he may well have joined one of the 8 battalions that Churchill formed on 16 Aug 1914 from the surplus naval personnel,which then formed the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 17 August , 2016 Share Posted 17 August , 2016 (edited) Adding 1896 isn't producing any result, I'm afraid - and there's no Grove or Groves (the catalogue search isn't filtering Groves out) with an ADM record born in Wolverhampton at all - although I notice that you say from, which may not mean born in. I'll see if I can go back to this another time when my brain's a bit fresher! PS: Meanwhile, here are all the men called Grove in the Royal Naval DIvision: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q="royal+naval+division"+Grove sJ Edited 17 August , 2016 by seaJane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 17 August , 2016 Share Posted 17 August , 2016 On the other hand, there are three men called Frederick Grove in the Army http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_p=1900&_q="Frederick+Grove"+WO - two in the Royal Army Medical Corps and one in the Royal Horse Artillery Transport. Which doesn't account for the HMS VICTORY tally! Those records would cost £3.45 each to download, and then only on spec., which seems a bit much. Your best bet is probably to find your local library reference or Family History section (I believe the Hive in Worcester is pretty good at that) where they will be able to search FindMyPast and Ancestry etc without charging you more than the cost of the paper you may print anything on. All the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchstv Posted 18 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 18 August , 2016 Hi Seajane you are so kind , will do as you suggest. He was definately in the Navy as I remember how he used to say how he used to iron the folds into his bell bottom trousers. The painting I have is of him in his naval uniform and somewhere I have a service medal. I only ever new him as Fred Grove so after looking at the link you attached it is possible he could have been Alfred. I am at present clearing out and packing to move house to wales. So when that is completed I will have more time to really delve into my family's history. As I say I have lots photos of my other relatives who were all in the forces. Great grandad etc. Under the name of Grove. My late mother was born in Wolverhampton and always talked of her dad grandad and great grandad. So I assume they were all local to the area. He had a brother called Earnest Grove and a sister called Winifred Grove (spinster) they lived in Tettenhall (Wolverhampton) which was probably the family home. As I say thank you again. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchstv Posted 18 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 18 August , 2016 Thank you John for your help and interest. This possibly opens up more avenues to investigate. Regards steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 18 August , 2016 Share Posted 18 August , 2016 I believe this is your grandfather: Frederick Thomas GROVE, Bristol Z/9622 (BZ/9622), RNVR. Born Wolverhampton 15 March 1898. He gave his address as Newhampton Road, Wolverhampton. He was enrolled for "Wireless" duties on sea service. The Fleet Air Arm Museum has his original RNVR enrolment papers. A single-page record is at Kew for download here:- http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7671509 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchstv Posted 18 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 18 August , 2016 That's great thank you so much Horatio2 , another brilliant lead to follow up. You guys are so good. What an amazing forum. Thank you all. Regards Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchstv Posted 18 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 18 August , 2016 Horatio2 You have cracked it , i have just located his medals on the box is a label saying B.Z.9622 F.T.Grove, A.B.,R.N.V.R Thank you so much my friend. Brilliant . Kind regards Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 18 August , 2016 Share Posted 18 August , 2016 Phew! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchstv Posted 18 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 18 August , 2016 most definately seajane lol thank you.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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