DETAILS OF BOYS' TRAINING
by Richard Taylor
The Manual of Seamanship, published at various dates by the authority
of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, gives a detailed picture of
the skills that ratings had to acquire at various stages during their
careers.
The 1915 revision of the 1908 edition is a case in point and is of
special interest because it was published after the outbreak of the First
World War. There was at least one reprinting - in 1917.
It ran to 448 pages and the extract reproduced below has been chosen
because it may be of special interest to those researching the early
careers of ratings from this period.
The manual from which it has been copied once belonged to Petty Officer
Horace A Marshall, who inscribed his name inside the front board when he
was serving in HMS Hawkins on the China Station in 1923.
Nottingham-born Horace, a lace twist hand, joined the Navy as a Boy 2nd
Class on 17 July 1912 at the age 16. He became an Ordinary Seaman on 16
December 1913 and he would have gone through the training described in the
following extract.
COURSES AND ADVANCEMENT IN RATING
SEAMEN BRANCH
RECRUITING
The Seaman Branch is recruited by the entry of:
Boys: between 15½ and 16¾ years of age.
Youths: between 16¾ and 18 years of age.
In addition a small number of Special Service Ordinary Seaman are
recruited annually, their age being between 18 and 25 at the time of
joining the service.
SYSTEM OF TRAINING
BOYS
On joining the Training Service all boys pass through a preliminary course
lasting 12 weeks, during which they are instructed in seamanship, squad
drill and swimming, and spend one half of their time in school.
At the end of this 12 weeks they are examined, and those who pass the best
school examinations may volunteer for either:-
(a) The Advanced Class
(b) The Wireless Course
(c) The Signal Course
The majority of the boys, however, remain for a further four to five
months in the Harbour Training Establishment as "ordinary boys" and
receive instruction in gunnery, mechanical training and practical
seamanship, before being drafted to the Training Squadron.
The advanced class boys have practically the same gunnery and mechanical
training courses, but as they continue to devote half their time to
school, the number of weeks occupied by these courses is double that of
the ordinary boys.
The object of the advanced class system is to improve the education of the
more intelligent lads, thus fitting them in the future for higher gunnery
and torpedo ratings and for promotion to Warrant Rank, should they prove
themselves to be deserving of advancement.
YOUTHS
As these lads join the service at a later age, and will become ordinary
seamen more quickly, their training is shorter than that of the boys.
After spending from 10 to 12 weeks in the Youths' Training Establishment,
Devonport, they join the Second Fleet for four months' sea-training.
A small number of youths are selected for an Advanced Class Course,
remaining in the Training Establishment for six months, after which their
training is considered complete and they are discharged direct to Second
Fleet ships.
ORDINARY SEAMEN (S.S.)
Their full course consists of 12 weeks' training, 6 weeks in the Royal
Naval Barracks, followed by 6 weeks in the Second Fleet.
COURSES FOR BOYS AND YOUTHS IN THE HARBOUR TRAINING ESTABLISHMENTS
Ordinary boy:-
12 weeks seamanship and school
2 weeks mechanical training
10 weeks gunnery
4 weeks practical seamanship (and kitting up for sea)
Advanced class boy:-
12 weeks seamanship and school
8 weeks mechanical training and school
24 weeks gunnery and school
Ordinary youth:-
8 weeks seamanship and squad drill
2 weeks duty cutter and work of ship
Advanced class youth:-
26 weeks seamanship, gunnery, mechanical training and school
Signal boy:-
12 weeks seamanship and school
7 months signals and school
Boy Telegraphist:-
12 weeks seamanship and school
34 weeks Morse, instruction in signal and wireless books, mechanical
training, wireless telegraphy work and school
Signal boy (new system):-
12 weeks seamanship and school
34 weeks wireless telegraphy, visual signalling, code books, and school
NOTES:- A small number of youths are allowed to volunteer for the Signal
and Wireless Branches, being transferred to the Impregnable and Shotley
Training Establishments where they go through the same courses as the Boys
who are qualifying in signalling or wireless telegraphy.
The present system of training Signal boys will shortly be abolished.
Signal boys will in future be trained in both wireless telegraphy and
visual signalling.
SEA-TRAINING COURSES FOR BOYS AND YOUTHS
Ordinary and advanced class boys are drafted to the Training Squadron for
a four months course, which includes seamanship, gunnery and school,
special attention being paid to boat work.
Ordinary youths are drafted to the ships of the Second Fleet for a four
months sea-training course of seamanship, gunnery and mechanical training.
Signal boys are sent to the General Depots on the completion of their
course and are drafted to sea-going ships as soon as possible.
Boy Telegraphists are drafted direct to sea-going ships at the end of
their course in HMS Impregnable.
ADVANCEMENT OF BOY TO ORDINARY SEAMAN
No examination.
Boys are rated at the age of 18 or, if particularly promising, at the age
of 17½.
A few very specially selected boys are rated ordinary seamen on leaving
the Training Squadron, irrespective of age.
Youths are rated after four months service, if 18 years of age and
specially recommended for the rating; otherwise after six months service
(if 18), or at the age of 18.
A very few specially selected youths are rated ordinary seamen on
completing their training in the Second Fleet.
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