Royal Naval Reserve

In 1859 the Royal Naval Reserve was created from volunteer merchant seamen. This was a reserve force of ratings which could be called upon in time of emergency. RNR commissioned ranks were created in 1861 when merchant navy masters and mates were allowed to enrol.

RNR Ratings

Only a selection of ratings records have survived for merchant seamen who enrolled between 1860 and 1913 and these are in BT 164. Records of ratings who served in the First or Second World Wars and others up to 1958 can be found on microfiche in BT 377/7. These records also include men who served in the Royal Naval Reserve Trawler Section RNR(T), formed in 1911 and wound up in 1921. There are also records of men who served in the Shetland Royal Naval Reserve, formed 1914 and disbanded in 1921.

For details of men who served after 1958, records are held by the Ministry of Defence Veterans Agency.

RNR Officers

Service records of officers who served between 1862 and 1909 are in ADM 240/1-36. They are arranged by rank and seniority and, although there is no overall name index, some volumes contain surname indexes.

Service records of officers who served in the First World War are in ADM 240/37-50. Pieces 37-41 have internal indexes. Indexes to the other pieces are on microfiche in ADM 240/84-88. Other service records may be found in ADM 340.

Records for the majority of officers who served after the First World War are still held by the Navy Search, TNT Archive Service, Tetron Point, William Nadin Way, Swadlincote Derbyshire DE11 0TB, Ministry of Defence Veterans Agency.