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 21^st century genealogists. And, the changes in record keeping do not fit neatly in either with the arithmetic notation of centuries, or even major historical events. As breaks are required, if only to stop this becoming too unwieldy, it will be split into three covering relatively logical historical periods. These will detail the introduction of types of documents and consequently noted when these were discontinued, changed, or where there are material gaps. It should be kept in mind that the following is generally laid out in relation to when records were raised and not the period they necessarily deal with. So, those looking for service during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars should also look at the section on 'Pax Britannica'.

When researching commissioned officers in the R.N. and incidentally, also the Royal Marines, frequently the official Navy List is the first place to look. Unfortunately for this exercise, it appeared only at the very end of this long period in 1814. Of course, there had been Steel's Original and Correct List of the Royal Navy and Honourable East-India Company's Shipping; a private publication since 1782. But, there are severe limitations in this, especially since there are no alphabetical listings. And, there had been monthly disposition 'List Books' kept for ships and naming officers from 1673, but as these are compiled by geographic regions they are not good starting points. Incidentally, apparently largely through the efforts of the great reformer Samuel Pepys, there were also various listings and drafts of service for officers from as early as the 1650s variously through to the 1750s. Mostly these deal with senior figures, but there are some for lieutenants. Compiled in a number of ways and not the handiest of documents, these may be of use and interest after more of their service has been unearthed.

Nevertheless, there has been a great deal of study of the R.N.'s officer corps resulting in numerous publications and giving listings of sea officers' careers for this early era. Both the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich and the Public Records Office, Kew have collections of these. Perhaps the generally useful is The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy, 1660-1815. There are three versions of this. Originally it was published through the N.M.M. in 1954 and essentially showed officers' names alphabetically with ranks and dates of seniority. Subsequently this was materially worked on by Cdr. C.G. Pitcairn Jones, in that he added appointments as found in disposition lists. This latter form is to be found both at the N.M.M. and the P.R.O. In 1994 the Royal Naval Records Society issued another version of this, in the format of the original 1954 N.M.M. publication, but apparently updated to some degree. So, it may be useful to consult all currently available versions. However, it should be pointed that that there are errors and omissons in this and sometimes they are significant. Additionally, there are a number of other manuscript sources, copies of which are to be found in the P.R.O.'s library. It should be realised that this on its own will not create a full record of any officer's career though.

While the above will give some information after gaining commissions, nothing of earlier sea time will be shown. Samuel Pepys' revolutionary requirement of examination for lieutenancy that has already been mentioned within the historical essay in the main guide can therefore be used. The resulting passings certificates show service up to the point of qualifying for this rank. Arranged in chronological order, even using The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy, 1660-1815 there could still be problem locating some particular individuals. However, here too an extensive alphabetical catalogue has been produced to aid researchers. Compiled by Bruno Pappalardo as the Royal Navy Lieutenants' Passing Certificates 1691-1902 and published through the List & Index Society, Kew in 2001, a copy of the two volumes can be found within the Supplementary Finding Aids area in the research enquiry room, at the P.R.O. Kew.

A search of records relating to commissions (from the 1690s) with the aid of the various typescripts and card index system in the P.R.O.'s research enquiries room, may yield dates of commissions and other snippets. It should be pointed out that these documents follow numerous different types, compiled in differing ways and hardly ever contain the actual commissions themselves. Some are indexed internally and simple to use, others are not indexed and difficult to use. Similarly, registers of temporary or acting appointments can give similar information. Some of this can be very interesting, covering all sorts of situations individuals found themselves in. But, these only really begin in the very early 1800s for most, with those for the impress service and sea fencibles for the 1790s.

Applications for employment are another potential way of adding information including home addresses. Surviving entry books for commissioned officers (below flag rank) cover 1673 to 1689; with a long break until 1799 to 1818 for lieutenants; and 1801 to 1803 for commanders and captains.

Although really belonging in the next era, entries of candidates for promotion for naval cadets at the Royal Naval College from 1811; and for lieutenants, mates and midshipmen from 1814 may explain why individuals did not manage to continue in the service.

Also, relating to the massive demobilisation on the conclusion of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1817 to 1851 there were a number of surveys of the sea officers that had been serving. There having been no proper system for collating personnel information (other from Navy Pay Office records), these were questionnaires. While not complete by any means and not necessarily entirely accurate in places, these can be of real use: mostly of service until 1815. One particular survey carried out in 1846 though shows service up until this year and entries can be very detailed indeed. Alternatively, some analyses were compiled directly from these surveys and may show information pertinent to officers serving during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Certificates of service are not generally apparent until around 1802 and even then not for commissioned officers. But, there is a series for midshipmen and mates passing for lieutenancy that stretch as far back as 1744 - although with gaps. Overwhelmingly these only show service until the time of issue, so are of limited use - even if they are the original certificates. The early 19^th century entry books of certificates again mostly deal with midshipmen and mates, but there are also those for mates and sub-lieutenants as candidates for lieutenancy.

Succession books, produced primarily to show who were appointed to particular men-o-war at any one time, can be used to build up service histories for individuals. A relatively time consuming exercise although most are indexed both by ships' and officers' names. It must be stressed that coverage is patchy, even if some go back as far as 1673.

Navy Pay Office records, particularly full pay ledgers can also be used for constructing commissioned officers' careers, but with one two year exception not before 1795. Incidentally, it was from these that the certificates of service were produced. In an era long before pensions were common in society, lists of officers (without appointments) on half pay reach all the way back to the 1660s for the most senior, with more junior officers coming on stream in time. But, there are gaps and they are not necessarily easy to use: being highly technical so that only those au fait with the complexities of naval accounting practices will be liable to understand them. Nevertheless, of those delving into these, some are in seniority order, others in are in alphabetical order, and can be indexed and non-indexed. 1873. Half pay for unemployed commissioned officers was introduced from admirals in the 1660s to lieutenants in the 1690s.

Also, leave was granted to officers for a number of reasons. Those on half pay could be allowed foreign travel, or service on merchant vessels, or alternatively those with active commissions could be legally absented from duty. Surviving leave books from 1783 can for this period be either in chronological, or rough alphabetical and chronological order (depending on type).

If for any reason the trail in a commissioned officer's career goes cold, as a last resort one might want to consult the musters and pay books of a known man-o-war or two. This should not normally be needed, but may just be of use.

Having mentioned pensions slightly earlier, it should be noted that as early as the 17^th century the monarch's navy had various schemes: State funded or contributory. For commissioned officers basically there were three types, although they also had to pay contributions to the Chatham Chest. This benefited the widows of warrant officers and the people and is an interesting point of social responsibility. All in naval service were deducted 1s. per month for this; only 6d. going to the charity; with 4d. being paid to the chaplain and 2d. to the surgeon. (I have been unable to work out what happened on smaller vessels without chaplains.)

On the authority of Orders in Council, the Admiralty (through the Navy Pay Office) paid pensions to individuals, or classes of officers, charged to the Navy Estimates and ultimately taken out of taxation. By 1673 these included those to widows of officers killed in action, or consequential of their service; for commissioned officers wounded; and superannuation to some captains. The latter pensions were added for the thirty most senior lieutenants in 1737; and to 'yellow' admirals (that is a limited number of post-captains who while at the top of the seniority list, were retired in order to allow younger and more able officers to reach flag rank) from 1747. (It should be noted that wound pay would be paid in addition to the superannuation for these officers.)

Then there was the Compassionate Fund from 1809 and later known as the Compassionate List. Administered through the Admiralty, this again was again funded through Parliament and was paid to the dependents, but especially orphans, of sea officers where there was no other provision. These registers not only give some details of the service on the dead officers themselves, but also place and dates of marriages and some information on the claimants.

In practice many of the above records merely relate to payments and no differentiation is made between one type and another. Although referred to obliquely by Professor Rodger in relation to one type of records, naval estimates can be of real use in this. There are two varieties of these in manuscript form at the P.R.O. But, the most logical way of dealing with the problem of identifying exactly which pensions individual sea officers (or their dependents) were awarded is to find a copy of the printed final versions of the estimates as put before Parliament. These can be found in various sources.

The third scheme was through the Charity for payment of Pensions to the Widows of Sea Officers and was partially contributory, at a compulsory rate of 3d. in the pound of officers' pay (the other funding coming from parliamentary grant). Pensions were awarded to the widows of all sea officers who were judged poor, no matter how their husbands had died. Two types of record dealing with this survive from the 1730s onwards.

Technically commissioned officers' children (especially those orphaned) could gain entry to the Greenwich Hospital School, which opened in its first guise c.1716 as part of this charity's activities. Nevertheless, this practice for officers' offspring is said to have become increasingly rare as the 18^th century wore on. Apparently there are no surviving records for the 17^th century. On a slight tangent, Greenwich Hospital that later in took in mariners seemingly almost entirely from the people, also awarded pensions to and there are also records relating to the very limited number of out pensions for commissioned officers from 1814 onwards. Certainly by the Napoleonic Wars at any one time there were also places for a literally a handful of commissioned officers as 'in' pensioners, but up to now I have not been able to find any reference to these in surviving records.

For all those who were killed in action, or died of wounds, there were bounties paid to their next of kin (not just widows), if claimed, from 1675. Known as the 'Royal Bounty' this equated to one off payments of one year's wages with additional sums if married with children. Unfortunately, there are gaps in the surviving records though - 1694-1703, 1712-19, 1723-46 and 1753 to 1804. And, unless I am missing some salient information these can be far from easy documents to navigate through.

In relation to widows' claims for pensions there is a series of marriage and death certificates along with confirmatory documents running between 1801 and 1818. These records can be of real use genealogically, but it would seem that one already needs to know that pensions were awarded and roughly when to make these usable. It should be mentioned that there are marriage and death certificates also surviving elsewhere in naval paperwork.

Officers, especially of flag rank, could be given honours by the State, but information on these is not to be found in naval records and should be pursued through biographies and the like. There were also commemorative medals and medallions struck for specific actions, but as these were private affairs again are not recorded in State records. Excepting a general service medal introduced into the Honourable East India Company, the first naval campaign medals introduced were those for the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815). 

Occasionally officers who had been found guilty of serious misconduct were listed as not to be employed further in 'black books'. Being compiled by both Admiralty and Navy Board variously, they give the nature of offence and date. Arranged by rank and chronologically, they are indexed and for commissioned officers begin in 1759 stretching all the way through to 1815.

With the production of the official Navy List in 1814, directly tracing officers' careers becomes, generally, a routine but often time consuming matter. As more commissioned branches and ranks were introduced through the 19^th century and beyond, this led to lists additional to that of the executive branch. (Nevertheless, until post First World War there are omissions in entries that make this a not entirely accurate way of logging commissioned officers' careers. Courses, for instance, are very often not shown.) In 1861 a list of officers for the recently formed Royal Naval Reserve was approved and recorded. Later in the century there would be further complications, such as supplementary lists (the first in 1895) that were officers overwhelmingly transferred from the R.N.R. as lieutenants, as a result of shortfalls due to shipbuilding through the Naval Defence Act of 1889. Another, for the Royal Indian Marine appeared in 1892. And, with the formation of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1903 another list was added.

There are also two further publications that can be very helpful. One is The New Navy List containing the names of all the Commissioned Officers, in Her Majesty's Fleet; also the Masters, Medical Officers, Pursers, Chaplains, Schoolmasters and the Officers on Full Pay of the Royal Marines &c. &c...' otherwise thankfully known as the New Navy List. As well as the listings there is interesting biographical detail on some individuals, arranged by year, but with no apparent linking to the usual entries. The P.R.O holds copies, on microfilm, between February 1841 and the same month in 1856. The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich has some original copies between 1840 and 1857, but these are very fragile. Similarly, later in the 19^th and into the 20^th century there was the Royal Navy List. Some editions of this, from 1879, are at the N.M.M. and the relevance of these publications is that there are useful abstracts of officers' careers.

The  Navy List, while a very useful tool in tracing officers' careers from 1814 onwards, cannot answer some questions, such as what specifically officers were engaged in when appointed to dockyards and in all likelihood other records will yield some types of information more quickly. Nevertheless, it may prove a good idea to get the basics, such as dates of entry and exit, as well seniority in rank(s). But, before showing how the paper trail changed, the situation immediately post war in 1815 should be examined slightly further.

It is perfectly clear from the records that the R.N. had already begun running down as a consequence of the defeat of France and the First Peace of Paris in 1814. Bonaparte's reappearance and frantic final one hundred days only delayed this slightly. In 1815 the R.N. comprised something in the region of 145,000 officers and men. A few short years later this had shrunk to a mere 19,000 all told. Excepting the small number of individuals able to be retired through earlier schemes, officers could remain on the list for as long as they wanted and as the navy could only employ a small percentage of these, selection became a highly important issue. Without salient information even on the service of officers, as mentioned earlier various surveys, with the aim of gaining data relevant to employing only suitable individuals were carried out. While many of these show only wartime service, one survey conducted in 1846 for captains, commanders and lieutenants may should post war service.

The analyses, as already stated, were often compiled directly from the surveys are a mixed bag of documents, some giving information on individuals, others being merely abstracts of ranks and numbers. For commissioned officers there were two periods when these were carried out - the 1840s and then again in the 1890s. It should be noted that some of the information of the former may deal with service of officers as far back as the 1790s..

For numerous and changing reasons, promotion continued to exercise the minds of the naval establishment. Notebooks indicating candidates for promotion were often kept either by the private offices of the First Lord, or First Sea Lord and can be seen to reflect these changes in the service in general. As well as information taken from records of service sometimes there are personal assessments and comments. Many of these relate to cadets, including those at the R.N.C. from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to 1835 and later generations for nominations in short bursts through the 1840s to 1850s, 1860s to 1870s and then from 1882 through to the First World War. Similarly mates and midshipmen at sea near the end of the Napoleonic Wars; mates and sub-lieutenants (before they were commissioned officers) in 1830; the latter two ranks (then as commissioned officers) in the 1840s to 1850s were noted on. Lieutenants feature only fleetingly, between 1814 to 1816 and for the year 1861. Commanders were reported on from the 1840s to 1890s; and captains from the 1840s to 1860s. Pursers, by then commissioned are shown for 1856 and surgeons from 183I onwards (with two series running for long periods).

By the latter Victorian era more senior officers were also subject to confidential reports. Kept by the First Lord's Private Office as of 1893, these were used in relation to the suitability of promotion for captains and flag officers. In order of seniority, these give earlier service histories and continue through their service. These can be highly illuminating, both positively and negatively. Additionally there was a separate series for those attending the War Course between 1904 and 1914 although there is little information in these entries.

Although service registers for commissioned officers did not really come into use generally (again) until the 1840s there had been some precursors. Interestingly, c.1814 there had been a compilation of captains, commanders and lieutenants. Executive branch officers' service was apparently first properly compiled c.1840-43 and subsequently entered. Inherited from registers already begun while of warrant rank, engineers' service was shown on attaining commissioned status in 1847. There was a similar exercise for surgeons (being commissioned in 1843). Pursers too were reported on in this way on their rise to commissioned rank in 1843. Chaplains received commissions for the first time in 1843 as well. Reporting on their service had already begun in 1812, when they were made 'pensionable officers' and this continued.

The simplest way of locating officers' service records is by using the card index in the microfilm reading room at the P.R.O. It should be stressed that these documents do not necessarily show individuals' entire careers. As departmental records, often they are very narrowly focussed and I have found this particularly the case with medical officers later in the 19^th century, where sometimes there is nothing more than one single appointment to a hospital shown. And, some registers are missing, even if they are shown in the index. An example of this is the first supplementary list. Additionally, there is a collection of 283 service sheets in card form, released quite recently, for careers beginning approximately 1880, containing some R.N. officers' details.

Certificates of service continued, issued by the Navy Pay section of the Account-General's Department from 1832 onwards. Of relatively limited use, post 1815 mates and sub-lieutenants as candidates until 1854 form one group; some masters and pursers 1847 to 1854 as candidates for commissions another; and engineers 1870 to 1873 for pensions a third

Again passing certificates remained in use. For those attaining the rank of lieutenant, with some changes (and including mates, acting sub-lieutenants and sub-lieutenants for relevant periods) they continued on until 1902. Midshipmen's records cover 1857 to 1899. Surviving masters' passings (as commissioned officers from 1843) can be found for 1851 until 1863. As specialisation came to the Executive Branch qualification for navigating lieutenant is covered for 1869 to 1885 and gunnery lieutenant from 1869 to 1882. Other branches also required such certificates. Engineers' passings are from 1863 until 1902; pursers from 1851 until 1867 and naval instructors (first commissioned in 1861) from 1853 until 1872.

Distinct from passing certificates, were other records relating to examinations for warrants and commissions. Although stretching back to the 17^th century the first surviving are from the 19^th. These include cadets at the Royal Naval College Portsmouth passing in navigation and mathematics 1816 to 1818; mates and sub-lieutenants passing for lieutenant 1829 to 1880; and the later R.N.C. Britannia's final exams for cadets 1877 until 1902. There is a compilation of gunnery qualifications for captains, commanders, lieutenants, mates and sub-lieutenants for 1841-42. Then there are records of the R.N.C. Greenwich, dealing with captains, commanders, lieutenants and engineers from 1876 onwards; and further courses there for sub-lieutenants from 1907 onwards. Surgeons at the R.N. Medical School are figured and relate to 1884 to 1914; and engineer cadets at the Royal Naval Engineering College Keyham for 1897 to 1907.

Commissions for this era are rather patchy. Most of those surviving deal with officers abroad until the 1840s; those of flag officers for 1860 until 1870; and strangely for sub-lieutenants 1860 to 1880. (Like a lot of other British records, some naval paperwork was incinerated through German bombing in the Second World War. Whether these documents were among the lost, I do not know.) Similarly, documents recording temporary and acting appointments are not particularly of use, apart from those interested in officers in elements of the Coastguard, or foreign officers in R.N. service between 1830 and 1858.

Applications for employment for lieutenants continue on to 1818. There is then a break of over twenty years. Thereafter there are notations for all commissioned officers (excluding engineers who are not mentioned) from 1842 to 1858 and including the warrant officers raised to commissioned rank (although there are slight differences in the years the latter are recorded).

Succession books continue in their imperfect way through this period. Even with service registers and the like, full pay ledgers may still be of use. Flag officers' ledgers end post war at 1817 and for captains and commanders three years later. Theoretically, these begin once again at 1830 and continue until 1872 for all sea officers. Unfortunately, there are a number of shortcomings, including the indexes not actually matching the surviving ledgers that are obviously far from complete. I have not found any entries (other than for surgeons) earlier than 1852. For engineers these pay ledgers span between 1847 and 1873. Half pay books for commissioned officers were maintained all through this period and are either indexed, or in alphabetical order. On the other hand, leave books apparently disappear as of the later 1840s, but at least include the warrant officers newly commissioned in 1843.

Substantial reorganisation and some simplification of pension provision began in 1836 and general superannuation for commissioned officers was developed through the 19^th century. As can probably be expected, some of these pensions were only awarded through application, while others were gained merely on reaching age and seniority required.

The work of the Charity for the payment of Pensions to Widows of Sea Officers also became the Admiralty's responsibility in 1836. With this the 'means' testing ceased and from 1849 widows of officers of the new engineering branch also became eligible. Also, a later regulation in 1862 meant that married commissioned officers were required to lodge copies of marriage certificates for eligibility of their wives for widows' pensions. Only a small percentage of these remain up to 1902 and can be found with a card index in the research enquiries room, but marriage details are shown in service records (or, at least, some).

In relation to the above, there are three sets of records relating to widows' pensions that include officers' wills. Collectively these span from pre 1815 through to 1914. One of these is in alphabetical order, identifying individuals in the other two can be done via card indexes in the research enquiries room.

In time Greenwich Hospital lost its importance as an institution, although the schooling for the orphans and children of naval personnel continued: with various changes, both in name and criteria for help. That said, from 1861 onwards no offspring of commissioned officers were admitted to the hospital schools. (Engineers' boys were an exception, apparently continuing until 1865.) Also, as of 1883 and operating until at least 1922 Greenwich Hospital awarded grants for the education of commissioned officers' children.

In the main the responsibility for the administration of naval pensions was assumed by the Admiralty (although not exclusively). Under the new regime change, with yet another time lag, from 1866 engineers were eligible for wound pensions, as were midshipmen and naval cadets from 1902.

Also, the 'Royal Bounty' system for those killed in action, or dying of wounds (although few and far between in the latter period) continued on to 1832. At the point of writing, my understanding is that this disappeared subsequently.

Even with this long period of peace in the home islands, there were still a number of wars and lesser actions abroad within the era of 'Pax Britannica' and campaign medals were subsequently issued. These, along with other honours and awards for commissioned officers, are often mentioned in the Royal Navy List, as well as in the relevant medal rolls.

Again, the Navy List can be used profitably to build up a skeleton of officers' careers. Nevertheless there are potential pitfalls for the unwary. As well as more space devoted to new arms, such as the Royal Naval Air Service in 1914, all sorts of temporary lists appeared during both the World Wars. Those, especially for the Second World War (1939-45) can be rather unwieldy to handle. It should also be pointed out that there were two types of the wartime Navy List - published and confidential. The latter, containing substantially more information can be found in a few locations, including the P.R.O. Also, not generally known, these were produced monthly, rather than quarterly that is often stated in the guidebooks. Sometimes monthly editions need to be sought out when vessels were only in commission for weeks. Also, there are copies of the Royal Navy List until 1916 in the library at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

By this time service registers were very much the norm and those currently released generally relate to service up to the 1920s. For this period where these are available to general public again the simplest way of approaching finding these are by using the relevant card index system in the P.R.O.'s microfilm reading room. It should be noted, once again, that some officers' service records are missing. An example is for engineering officers who served until the end of the First World War, who were then brought out of retirement during the Second World War.

For those seeking service records for commissioned officers from the 1930s onwards there can be real problems. There are two separate holdings - one for those who were discharged, demobilised, killed, or retired prior to the age of sixty and another, elsewhere, for those over sixty. Since, in my experience at least, these officials are loath to impart any information to enquirers, this creates a complication. In essence one has to already know much of the required officers' service histories before applying to the correct address, if one does not want to suffer inordinate delays. Even then, there are fees to be paid and enquirers simply have to wait until searches are made.

E-mail: navysearchpgrc@tnt.co.uk

There is one exception to the above, relating to commissioned officers that were loaned to the Royal Indian Navy during the Second World War. These are to be found within the Indian Office Collection at the British Library, Camden, London.

The passing of the Freedom of Information Act should have made applications to see service records a routine matter, whether for 'next of kin', or not. Unfortunately, this has not proven to be the case and until recently requests have been treated as something of a haphazard lottery. For any other than simple genealogical requests by proven next of kin it should also be noted that an additional layer of arguably pointless bureaucracy has been inserted, in the form of a 'Data Protection Section'. There is some irony in this.

As I understand the situation, recently there have been moves within the Ministry of Defence to frustrate F.O.I. requests as policy. It should therefore be noted that this is in breach of the law as passed by Parliament! I have been told (by a fellow freelance friend of mine) that there are to be relevant questions to be tabled in the House of Commons later in 2006.

Of course, there is a complete contradiction to the above. There is a collection of all sorts of bits and pieces of officers' personnel documents (from investigations I have made to MoD apparently from establishments shutting in recent decades) with details for some running on until 1960.

The notebooks indicating candidates for promotion by this time were very limited in scope, or have not been released. Only those for surgeons until 1926 and naval cadets needing nominations until 1917 are available.

The results of examinations continue well into the 20^th century. There are more for R.N.C. Greenwich relating to captains, commanders, lieutenants and engineers theoretically until 1957; further courses again at Greenwich for sub-lieutenants to 1957 and naval instructors 1920 to 1957. The reality of these is that there is a 75 year rule applied and the ones I have looked at presently end in 1938. Surgeons at the R.N. Medical School relate to 1884 to 1914.

There are few succession books for this period. There is one for flag officers begun in 1913 basically running through to the completion of the First World War (1919) and interestingly, includes their staffs. There is another for surgeons until 1924, including those appointed to hospitals and finally one for wardmasters in hospitals from 1921 to 1939.

Although full pay documents are not available, some half pay records, for all commissioned ranks, can be seen until the 1920s. These are either in alphabetical order, or indexed. Similarly, information on the various retirement pensions and superannuation for all commissioned ranks has been released until around 1920. There is also detail of retired pensions and the like for a small numbers officers of commander's rank and above until at least 1932, as well as wardmasters until 1924.

Pensions for wounds continued to be awarded for all officers and details released (among a number of other types of pensions) run to 1928. Casualty records for all commissioned officers (including dismissals and resignations) are available until 1933, with deaths other than from enemy action until 1956. Second World War records of this last mentioned group are available even though a 75 year rule is said to be applicable to these as well. And, it should also be noted that there could well be errors and omissions in released casualty lists, as the R.N. (excluding the Submarine Service) still did not have a standardised system for recording casualties even in 1982 (the latter being within the author's own experience).

Rolls for campaign medals can be viewed for conflicts up to and including 1972, although these are of overwhelmingly limited use except to those conducting academic research. There are also honour sheets for naval officers for the First World War and these can yield far more information in relation to all sorts of honours and awards. The actual entries are on microfilm and are indexed via a card index in the P.R.O.'s microfilm reading room. Sometimes entries can be distinctly difficult to find, although these can be well worth effort. Finding citations for honours and awards for the Second World War can be far more difficult to pin down and apparently not all have survived (along with others' such as those in New Year's honours that never did contain these).

The Coastguard remained an Admiralty responsibility until 1923, but officers' personnel records continuing on to 1947 have been released. Being called out in August 1914 they were actively used throughout the Great War 1914-19. Officers of this service were very often had been retired from the R.N. or on half-pay.

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