UK, Naval Officer and Rating Service Records, 1802-1919

British officers and ratings (non-commissioned seamen) in the Royal Navy were awarded pensions after 20 years’ service. This collection includes records that documented that service, including musters and pay registers, which were compiled by the Navy Pay Office.

Besides pension applications, you may find applications and supporting service records relating to the admittance of orphaned children into Greenwich Hospital School, applications to remove erroneous mentions of desertion, and applications for discharge by foreigners or apprentices who were impressed into service in the British Navy.

While the records vary in format, details you may find include the name of the sailor, dates and ships he served on, rank or rating, nature of work on the ship, and remarks.

While no service dates are listed on the documents past the year 1912, many of the sailors in this collection may have served during World War I.