Tauranga Memories :Remembering War

Topic: Military Record of AD Blair

Topic type:
Topic
» Object

The Military Record of Andrew Dougall Blair is at the United Kingdom National Archives. Reference ADM 240/38/782, it is subject to Crown Copyright, which allows for a transcription to be made available here.

Transcript by Stephanie Smith of Tauranga City Libraries' Research Collections.

Note that record had not been recorded chronologically, a chronologically arranged version appears below the transcript.

/ = end of line
C. in C. = Commander in Chief
RNB:Po = Royal Naval Base, Portsmouth
Holyhead is a port in Anglesey, Wales
PNTO = Principal Naval Transport Officer
Oreston is a suburb of Plymouth
Commn = commission
Ty = Temporary
___ = Indecipherable
Cork Hill is a street in Youghal, a town in Co. Cork, Ireland.

Lieutenant /

Temp. /

10.12.14 /

Demobilised 11.6.1920 /

(26.11.20) /

[arrow]

“Defiance” addl. for Modified Sweep Course, 14.12.14 31.12.14 /

Trawler “Urania” in Comd. & to act as leader of Unit 65 at Pembroke Dock 31.12.14. /

March 1915. Grounding of trawler “Urania”. Warned by C.inC.to be more careful. WL /

3981/15

Trawler Grand Duke was Leader Unit 114 .11.15 (by VA Old Milford) /

Carried out charge of naval operations for protection of Arklow during /

Irish Rebellion with marked ability & promptitude: “I have a very high /

opinion of this Officer” Vice-Admiral Old Milford 30/4/16 MO4130 /

“Sabrina II” addl. for cd. of Special Service Vessel (Helgoland) /

from date of joining 6.16 = 24/7/16 ___[?] Vivid for (G) Course prior to taking up appointment /

in Spl Service Brigantine ready about 10/8/16 = Action between “Helgoland” & 3 Submarines on 7 Sept /

16: “Appreciation of endeavours made to sink these submarines expressed MO8193 of 24/9/16. /

1076 _____ to await appointment 18/10/16 Colleen for Command of Armed Trawler /

in Area XXI = 20.11.16 tried by Ct Martial for hazarding Trawler “Freesia” - Proved - Sentenced /

to be reprimanded N42/4448/16 = 12.12.16 “Halcyon” addl. for duty ashore at Naval Base Lowestoft = /

℅ Imperial Merchant Service Guild, Dock House, Billiter Avenue, E.C. /

(1.8.17.) /

DR [DN?] relief Victory for RNB:Po for disposal. 13/8/17. Vanessa II addl for Holyhd Naval Base (tempy) /

8/17 Sat. Av. No. very slow, wants initiation [?] ____ 19.11.17 Victory for disposal = 12.1.18 /

Vanessa II for Naval Base Holyhead = 22.4.18 President [?] for staff of P.N.T.O. France for duty at Calais /

as Spl Grade [?] Transport Officer = G 8 (Wife) Mrs Blair “Woburn House” Oreston /

Maurice Scully Plymouth. /

Sub-Lieut. /

Temp. /

10.12.14 /

Ty SubLieut /

27.4.17 /

“Defiance” addl. for Modified Sweep Course, 14.12.14 - 12.14 /

Trawler “Pearl” in Cd. as Sub-divisional leader. 12.14 - /

Received expression of T.L. satisfaction at bravery displayed in recovery /

& dismantling German mine. M.O2291/15. /

28.6.15 reported to be suffering from acute alcoholism; discharged /

from the R.N.R. for misconduct N t 8286 of 10/7/15. Commn to be /

returned. Commn returned Sept 15 /

Sunhill. = 21.5.17 Commn cancelled. Recd & destroyed. /

Cork Hill, Youghal /

Chronological Version of Record

1914

December 10 Lieutenant (temp). Elsewhere recorded as Sub-Lieut (temp)
December 14 - 31 “Defiance” addl. for Modified Sweep Course
December 31 Trawler “Urania” in Comd. & to act as leader of Unit 65 (or G5?) at Pembroke Dock
December 2014 - Trawler “Pearl” in Cd. as Sub-divisional leader.

1915

March. Grounding of trawler “Urania”. Warned by C.inC.to be more careful.
June 28. Reported to be suffering from acute alcoholism; discharged from the R.N.R. for misconduct N t 8286 of 10/7/15. Commn to be returned.
Commn returned Sept 15
November. Trawler Grand Duke was Leader Unit 114 (by VA Old Milford)

1916

April 30 Carried out charge of naval operations for protection of Arklow during Irish Rebellion with marked ability & promptitude: “I have a very high opinion of this Officer” Vice-Admiral Old Milford 30/4/16
June ? to July 24 “Sabrina II” addl. for cd. of Special Service Vessel (Helgoland) Vivid for (G) Course prior to taking up appointment in Spl Service Brigantine ready about 10/8/16
September 7. Action between “Helgoland” & 3 Submarines
September 24 “Appreciation of endeavours made to sink these submarines expressed”
Lily ... (?) addl to await appointment
October 18 Colleen for Command of Armed Trawler in Area XXI (Received expression of T.L. satisfaction at bravery displayed in recovery & dismantling German mine - undated but in same handwriting. M.02292/15)
November 20. Tried by Ct Martial for hazarding Trawler “Freesia” - Proved - Sentenced. To be reprimanded.
December 12. “Halcyon” addl. for duty ashore at Naval Base Lowestoft = ℅ Imperial Merchant Service Guild, Dock House, Billiter Avenue, E.C.

1917

April 27 - Ty Sub Lieut. Sunhill.
May 21. Commn cancelled. Recd & destroyed.
August 1. DR [DN?] relief Victory for RNB:Po for disposal.
August 13. Vanessa II addl for Holyhd Naval Base (tempy).
August. Av. No. very slow, wants initiation [?] ____
November 19. Victory for disposal

1918

January 12. Vanessa II for Naval Base Holyhead.
April 22. President [?] for staff of P.N.T.O. France for duty at Calais as Spl Grade [?] Transport Officer.
G 8 (Wife) Mrs Blair “Woburn House” Oreston Maurice Scully Plymouth.