# Discharge Book Numbers



## Hugh MacLean

As there are a few threads about Merchant Navy Discharge A. book numbers or more formally the ‘Continuous Certificate of Discharge’, I thought you may be interested to know who were given the first ‘R’ numbers and who had the distinction of being allocated R1.
Remember that before the allocation of prefix ‘R’ Dis. A book numbers they were just numerical and certainly by the mid-1920’s had reached 7 figures. About this time it was decided to reset the numbers back to 1 but this time they would add prefix ‘R’.
Discharge numbers were allocated in blocks to Mercantile Marine Offices (MMO) and the take up of books would relate to the size of the MMO. 

Asst Stwd, Frank Heller b. 1894, London.
Frank was the first Dis.A ‘R’ number (R1). He joined the Merchant Navy in 1925. His first ship was BERRIMA. The last ship I can trace him on is EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA in 1938.

Also on BERRIMA was Fireman Arthur McDonald Hastie b. 1889, London. He joined the Merchant Navy in 1925 and the last ship I can trace him on is EMPRESS OF BRITAIN in 1934.

Again on BERRIMA was Asst Stwd Edward Davis b. 1900, London. He also joined the Merchant Navy in 1925 and the last ship I can trace him on is ARAWA in 1934.

They were all out of the same MMO at Victoria Docks, London and signed on for voyages aboard BERRIMA.

Frank Heller (R1)
Arthur McDonald Hastie (R2)
Edward Davis (R3)

Regards
Hugh


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## Bill Morrison

Nice piece of history Hugh. The way things are going I wonder who will have the last discharge #


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## Somerton

Very interesting . Yes it makes you think of the number of people who went to sea over the years . My discharge book number is R666116 . It was issued in Belfast in October 1958 . I have seen 
some on S N starting with R 8----- . It would be interesting to know what the latest discharge book R number that has been issued . Alex C .


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## trotterdotpom

Bill Morrison said:


> Nice piece of history Hugh. The way things are going I wonder who will have the last discharge #


It's probably already been issued!

Not sure when the R series ended but current discharge books start with "UK". Dunno if that has any EU connections.

John T


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## Ray Mac

Mine R700934 changed to UK mid 70s now DB. my lads at sea now his discharge book starts with DB.


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## trotterdotpom

Ray Mac said:


> Mine R700934 changed to UK mid 70s now DB. my lads at sea now his discharge book starts with DB.


Hope your son likes rice. What does "DB" stand for? "Distressed Britain"?

John T


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## Hugh MacLean

The 'R' series prefixes ended around 1972 probably coinciding with the end of the Fifth Register of Seamen 1941-1972. The next prefix as you know that was added was the UK prefix. I didn't know about the DB prefix - I imagine if it started at #1 then with the size of the current fleet that prefix will never need to be changed again. 

Regards
Hugh


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## Superlecky

Somerton said:


> Very interesting . Yes it makes you think of the number of people who went to sea over the years . My discharge book number is R666116 . It was issued in Belfast in October 1958 . I have seen
> some on S N starting with R 8----- . It would be interesting to know what the latest discharge book R number that has been issued . Alex C .


Mine was R859434 and was issued in July 1968. Up to the age of 16, when I went to work at Silley Cox in Falmouth, I took an interest in railway locomotives. By one of those strange coincidences which happen in life, 9434 was the number of one of the locomotives which worked on the Truro to Falmouth branch line.


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## James_C

The DB series is already into 6 figures. They must be handing them out like confetti to all and sundry on cruise ships, dive boats, yachts and the like regardless of nationality, as according to NUMAST there is only 20,000 odd bona fide UK Merchant Seamen active.


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## Somerton

Hi Superlecky . When you mention railway locomotives . I had an uncle who lived in Bolton . He spent all his working life in LMS and British Rail . From fireman up to the passenger express train . One time on holiday with them in Bolton he got me a ride in the engine from Blackpool to Bolton . No health and safety then .
Alex C .


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## Geoff Gower

*My discharge book number*

Issued in Dock Street, London in October 1954 -- R618275


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## John Rogers

trotterdotpom said:


> Hope your son likes rice. What does "DB" stand for? "Distressed Britain"?
> 
> John T


DB Discharge Book.


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## robin

Mine was R 762558 issued on the 27/03/1962 at M.M. Office, Victoria Dock, London.


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## uncle Ray

My DB number is R887091 issued in May 1971 Gravesend Sea School


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## John Rogers

Mine is/was R398395 issued oct 1947.


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## Aberdonian

Geoff Gower said:


> Issued in Dock Street, London in October 1954 -- R618275


Issued M M Office, Aberdeen, December 1954....R618883.

Keith


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## ChathamChavs

Mine is R900850 issued Dock Street , London 29th November 1971 . This still had the Ability and General Conduct entries . The last entry for this book was leaving the ACT 4 in St John on 7th March 1973 , with the Conduct and Ability sections crossed through . I was issued a new Discharge Book - with the same number- 26th March 1973 at Dock Street . 
Roger


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## pbrock_2001

Why did they issue new books?


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## seaman38

pbrock_2001 said:


> Why did they issue new books?


It was deemed politically incorrect to comment on a person's conduct or ability which may prevent them from obtaining future employment. Therefore you could take one rotten apple without it being described as a rotten apple and throw it into a barrel of good apples and no one had to take responsibility for such an action (Cloud)

So away went the opportunity for some with a DR in their book to explain to their grandchildren that it stood for Distinguished Report (==D)


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## ex-RNLI

*(Tongue-in-cheeek)

Something done by a bureaucrat is seldom logical - or so I found in my life, lol !!!

what about "DB" is short for "Discharge Book"??

/me giggles uncontrollably.



With mention of railway locomotives, seriously, I would doubt "Deutches Bundesbahn" that close to the end of WW2.

And German's original railway company was Deutches Reichsbahn, rolling stock still seen by me in 1990s on the Baltic train ferries - both Swedish and Danish vessels, replaced in West Germany when they formed their Federal Republic in about '48 as far as I know.*


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## sparky1

R909565 issued june 72 in Manchester


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## paddy mcdonnell

My number is R52o474 Paddy McDonnell. issued in Newry N.Ireland


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## GWB

My Number R766172 Dundee 1963


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## teb

Reading through this thread i'm beginning to feel old !!!! My number R295172 issued Liverpool 1943


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## IAN M

teb said:


> Reading through this thread i'm beginning to feel old !!!! My number R295172 issued Liverpool 1943


We joined the MN at the same time. My number is R289813, issued at Dundee on 5 July 1943. See my gallery for details. 

Ian


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## henry1

I liked my number as it was the same both ways R859958 issued in 1968.


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## jmirvine

R870686 Issued in Dundee 1969.


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## seaman38

henry1 said:


> I liked my number as it was the same both ways R859958 issued in 1968.


my fathers was R 96096 same backwards or is it?


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## George Bis

Mine in R853762, issued in Glasgow in 1967.


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## pbrock_2001

Why did they change the system? R 787169.


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## George Bis

pbrock_2001 said:


> Why did they change the system? R 787169.


Basically to get rid of the "Double DR"


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## seaman38

Just before the 'R' was dropped legislation was passed that employers could not give any employee an adverse report about his/her/etc's ability or conduct. Any references required by a prospective employer from a previous employer had to show by law only the length of service of the employee, so prospective employer had to draw their own conclusions. 

When working in Pakistan for a few years I had a disruptive useless employee, a friend of the previous manager, who I terminated (not physically alas!) who insisted on having a reference, so I gave him one

---Mr XXX Ali has worked for this establishment for the period between xxx and yyy and during the whole of this period has worked entirely to his own satisfaction---

He was delighted with it, suppose I'd get jailed now!


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## George Bis

seaman38 said:


> Just before the 'R' was dropped legislation was passed that employers could not give any employee an adverse report about his/her/etc's ability or conduct. Any references required by a prospective employer from a previous employer had to show by law only the length of service of the employee, so prospective employer had to draw their own conclusions.
> 
> When working in Pakistan for a few years I had a disruptive useless employee, a friend of the previous manager, who I terminated (not physically alas!) who insisted on having a reference, so I gave him one
> 
> ---Mr XXX Ali has worked for this establishment for the period between xxx and yyy and during the whole of this period has worked entirely to his own satisfaction---
> 
> He was delighted with it, suppose I'd get jailed now!


I seem to remember a Cadet getting a report that simply said "he is a good guitar player" and nothing else.


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