hmsk212 Posted 14 November , 2003 Share Posted 14 November , 2003 Hi, Does anyone out there have a definitive list of the locations etc of Shore & Accounting Bases + Depot Ships or at least know of a publication that may contain a list? I am often left wondering where these various bases were when going through Ratings Parchments. I know most of the obvious ones such as IMPREGNABLE - Boys Training Ship Devonport, GANGES - Boys Training Establishment Shotley Gate, near Ipswich, VICTORY - RN Barracks Portsmouth and MERCURY - Signal School, Petersfield, Hants. There are, however, many many more that I am not 100% sure of. Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 14 November , 2003 Share Posted 14 November , 2003 I knew a reference work had been done on RN Shore Establishments and Google tells me it is: Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy, by Ben Warlow . Maritime Books; ISBN:0907771734. Regret I dont have a copy myself so cant do any look-ups for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 14 November , 2003 Share Posted 14 November , 2003 I have a copy of the above book and it is most comprehensive with thousands of such establishments from the 1800s to today. Most recommended. I am happy to do any look-ups required. You have to be very careful with shore base names as many were used several times for different places and often for different locations at the same time but with numbers added (eg 'Victory III' - the book has 16 different entries for 'Victory') Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 14 November , 2003 Author Share Posted 14 November , 2003 Hi, Many thanks to you both, I will try to see if I can get hold of a copy of the book as it sounds that it is the very thing that I need. Also thanks Terry for the offer of lookups, I may well get back to you if I cannot locate a copy for myself. Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 14 November , 2003 Share Posted 14 November , 2003 No problem Steve. I think I got my copy from Naval & Military but the publishers are Maritime Books of Liskeard Tel 01579 343663. The book will certainly answer any questions you have about shore establishments and static training/depot ships. It even explains why shore bases had to be named as ships!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 14 November , 2003 Author Share Posted 14 November , 2003 Hi Terry I have just checked Amazon and they have 10 copies available with a 1 to 2 day turnaround so I will order a copy from them tonight. Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Historian Posted 16 November , 2003 Share Posted 16 November , 2003 HI Signals, Do you know if anyone has ever done something similar for army establishments? Terry, is there a separate section for Scotland, and if so how big/comprehensive is it? Regards, Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 Gordon There is no separate section for Scotland (or Wales & Ireland). The lists are alphabetical for the whole country and overseas. It is extremely comprehensive and I can't imagine any location being omitted. It goes down to the most obscure detail (eg the accounting base for the issuing of left socks to Urdu speaking sailors in Botswana!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Historian Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 Terry, Thanks mate, I DEFINITELY need a copy of it now! It ties in with research I've been doing for 14 years now on the military in Scotland. If I could access books like this, I'd have been finished a LONG time ago! Regards, Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 Gordon I exagerate the level of detail slightly but it does contain every such named base worldwide with details of parent ship, static ships, purposes of the base, paying off dates, fates of depot ships etc. It uses a lot of abbreviations and so frequent reference to the list of abbreviations is required until you become familiar with them. Over 3,000 sites are listed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Historian Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 Terry, Thanks. Will bear it in mind. Regards, Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 Gordon, I very much doubt anything similar has ever been done for the army bearing in mind the vast number of regular, militia, territorial units that would have been based in all major towns of the UK and these probably expanded 10 fold in 1914/5 with the over burden of Kitchener troops to train, billet (under canvas mainly) etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Historian Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 Signals, Thanks anyway. Just wondered if someone had tried to compile a list using the monthly/weekly General Returns on the British Army series of records, or preferably something better! Regards, Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 18 November , 2003 Author Share Posted 18 November , 2003 Terry & Signals Thanks once again for advising me of "Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy". My copy has arrived from Amazon this morning and I must say I am most impressed with it, I am sure it will be of great value to me in future research projects. Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadier Posted 18 November , 2003 Share Posted 18 November , 2003 Some information on Naval Ships and shore bases can also be found by looking in the Navy List at around the time you are interested in. I think they were (are?) published four times a year and contain listings in various categories including officers, with rank, date of seniority and establishment, and establishments with listing of officers. Sometimes each issue is in several volumes and I think there is one volume each year detailing rates of pay etc. It would be interesting to know when one becomes an officer, as my grandfather is listed as a signals boatswain. Nigel Deacon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Historian Posted 22 November , 2003 Share Posted 22 November , 2003 Terry/Signals, My copy of this fantastic tome arrived this morning. Many thanks to you both for making me aware of it's existence. Regards, Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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