h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Ian

A quick question for you - I hope you don't mind me leaving you a message in your pigeon hole.

As you know I'm after my dad's service record. Well, according to the MOD sites and the Veterans' Agency, the next of kin has to apply for the records. Which is technically my mum. Do you reckon I'd get away with asking for it?

Also, I thought the place to go to for service records was a place in Hayes, or a place in Gosport, but the Veterans Agency says they should go to Portsmouth... Any idea???

Thanks, many thanks... Mark

Mark - I think all access to RN records is controlled through Nelson in Pompey - they now do all the drafting etc.
I reckon you'll get away with it on the n-o-k front. I've heard that they will do it for any close relative.

Good luck!

Thanks Ian... It's really confusing!

The MOD says widow-only, or letter of consent from the widow, and that goes to Centurion House in Gosport, which is the Pay and Pensions Dept.

The Veterans' Association says to write to HM Naval Base in Portsmouth. BUT - they also say "Centurion will deal with copies of records to the next of kin and deal with all other service record enquires from Servicemen/Women (such as references, confirmation dates of service, pay enquires and of ex-personnel). See below for the address;"

How confusing is that??? Think I will try both

If I ever get through this there must surely be a book in it!

Thanks again, Mark

Mark -
Whilst I was hunting down the stuff on the Sirius, I came across www.wartimememories.co.uk - looks like there's a degree of overlap with "People's War" - might be worth seeing if you could get some agreement to share people's stories - something like "wheels" and "reinventing" springs to mind...

Hi Ian

This website did come up in our 'investigation' phase, and it's certainly a site we have a lot in common with - I hope that they would see us as complimentary rather than competitive. We going to create a 'directory' or 'webguide' of interesting and useful sites, so it can certainly go in there...

BTW - I've had letters back from both Centurion and Portsmouth. It's been suggested I try Hayes. What fun!

Thanks, Mark

Ho hum. Is it going to be Captain from Koepenick, do you reckon? I've seen the RN compared to the Catholic Church and the Roman Legion as one of the most perfect instruments created by man - and one of the most impenetrable to the outsider - so "nil carborundum illegitimi" has to be your motto on this.
BTW - went to Leicester Uni yesterday, it looks like they are going to offer me a place on the MA Local History course - sadly, no-one offers anything remotely suitable on Naval History - you can get 1/2 a BA in War Studies at Wolves Uni - my alma mater - but there's not much on offer part-time.

Impenetrable is right. I thought we had a lot of jargon here at the BBC but I've never seen so many acronyms in one address in all my life!

Congrats on the MA acceptance. I'm surprised there's nothing really on Naval history - not even Plymouth? KCL has a big War Studies Dept, do they not do anything???

I know KCL did some interesting work under Ranfft, but it's finding something I can do whilst still persuading this lot to chuck me my monthly share of the bag of peanuts (I'm trying to organise a strike to get them upgraded to Planters - or at least KP) that's the problem

Yeah, fair enough...