Summary

Small blue book, with pink paper label on front: 'Record of Service Book'. Book issued to Robert Patrick Watson, for service in the Naval Cadets at Williamstown and in the Citizen Naval Service (aka Forces). It was issued in accordance with the Naval Defence Act, 1910, and the Defence Act 1903 - 1910, and contains instructions for the book's owner, personal information, exemption from training, medical examinations, change of address of occupation, promotions appointments certificates, punishments fines charges for loss and injury, senior naval cadet service, naval service, spare table and a report on completion of term of universal training.

Patrick Watson was born in 1904. His service records in the National Archives of Australia indicate that by 1918, when he became a Senior Cadet with the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, he was a 'boy labourer', 13 years old, less than five feet tall and six stone in weight. He succumbed to the (influenza) epidemic of early 1919, but recovered. By the early 1920s he was spending about 3 x 1/4 days each quarter year in service. He qualified as an Able Seaman in 1923. A World War II service file in Patrick's name has not been found.

Physical Description

38-page book with blue cover and white label with black printed inscription.

More Information

  • Collecting Areas

    Public Life & Institutions

  • Acquisition Information

    Donation

  • Person Named

    Robert P. Watson, Australia, circa 1915-1925
    Date range to be confirmed on inspection of the book.

  • Inscriptions

    Printed on front label: 'Record of Service Book issued to Watson, Robert Patrick year of birth 1904. It is a punishable offence, under the Naval Defence Act 1910 and the Defence Act 1903-1910 for any person not authorised by the Regulations to make any entry in this book or to be in wrongful possession of it. Any person finding this book is required to forward it to the nearest Naval Office. The Officer in change will arrange for its return to the person to whom it belongs. Contents: Instructions for owner of book, Personal Information, Exemption from Training, Medical Examinations, Change of Address of Occupation, Promotions Appointments Certificates, Punishments Fines Charges for Loss and Injury, Senior Naval Cadet Service, Naval Service, Spare Table, Report on completion of term Universal Training.'

  • Classification

    Military history, Civilian life, Cadets

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Technology

  • Type of item

    Document

  • Overall Dimensions

    11.7 cm (Length), 17.5 cm (Width), 0.6 cm (Height)

  • References

    Robert Patrick Watson, NAA barcode 60204451, 1916 Robert Patrick Watson, NAA barcode 9572326, 1918 Robert Patrick Watson, NAA barcode 30921330, 1920

  • Keywords

    Cadets, Education, Naval Forces, Influenza Epidemic, 1919