Royal Naval Officer. Can we decipher the signature?

[high wood]

I am struggling to identify this Royal Naval officer's surname from his signature, can anyone please decipher it? Thank you.

[RNCVR]

This a tough one for sure, I am unable to locate a match in the Navy Lists I have.

But what I can tell you from his photo ( & it's a very good photo) he is likely an Engineering  officer, Civil branch.   Photo taken prior to 1915,  in which year the Engineering branch moved from Civil to Military branch & adopted the Executive curl above their gold sleeve rings.

Also the gold lace on their coocked hats changed to Miliary branch bullion, a similar change in their eppaulettes also taking place.

 

[Gunner 87]

13 minutes ago, RNCVR said:

This a tough one for sure, I am unable to locate a match in the Navy Lists I have.

But what I can tell you from his photo ( & it's a very good photo) he is likely an Engineering  officer, Civil branch.   Photo taken prior to 1915,  in which year the Engineering branch moved from Civil to Military branch & adopted the Executive curl above their gold sleeve rings.

Also the gold lace on their coocked hats changed to Miliary branch bullion, a similar change in their eppaulettes also taking place.

 

Hi RNCVR. I have just checked the photographic studios, Charles Debenham, 222 West End Lane, NW and they were operating in 1907 so, as you note, this may well be taken before 1915. 

[alf mcm]

How about Allan Pettman, he was an Engineering Sub Lieutenant in 1905, retired originally in 1907, but began war service in 1914. Retired again in 1919 as Engineering Commander. His service records are at TNA. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7617649

Regards,

Alf McM

[RNCVR]

Could well be Alf.  I thought the P was an R, perhaps his 2nd initial

[Lawryleslie]

The "Murphy" would suggest a nickname of Irish origin.

[michaeldr]

See also a previous mention on the GWF - Martin's post of 12 OCT 2008

 

[high wood]

Thank you everyone, I am convinced that Allan Pettman is the officer in the photograph. He is on the 1911 Census as a retired Engineer Lieutenant  R.N. living in Finchley Road, Hampstead.

His service papers show that he was out in the Far East before the Great War and was invalided out of the service due to a serious illness.  He volunteered for service during the Great War and seems to have served at Dartmouth for most of the war,

[Milner]

West end lane (photographer) runs almost parallel to Finchley road (his home). 

 

[travers61]

extract of his Navy service from the UK Mechanical Engineer records on ancestry.

[high wood]

Thank you for the extra information, it is appreciated.