Themes

EJF Records

Page 8 of 8

Article highlights

Thoughts of home

As with most sailors Records' thoughts are only fleetingly brought away from home.

Records as a young rating with his family. (RNM)
Records as a young rating with his family. (RNM)

In his diary on Sunday 28 April he writes about the harsh consequences of men and women separated for months on end -

'Fellows talking of matrimonial affairs. If a naval rating suspects his wife, or want information regarding his wife, he can obtain it by requesting the Admiralty to look into the matter for him. The whole affair is confidentially carried out and if it should happen that there are grounds for a divorce, and a request for that has been tendered, the Admiralty carries the whole affair through with little or no cost to the rating concerned.

A stoker's wife gave birth to a child since the fellow has been out here. It definitely wasn't his. Divorce proceedings are in progress. He is cut up about it and says never again will I marry. On the other hand he's pleased with the Lsd part of the proceedings. He goes ashore and leads a fast life.'

Nevertheless, the bad luck of the stoker did not stop Records looking for love himself. On Friday 5 July he writes about the object of his affections, referred to as 'A', or 'AW' -

'I have thought a lot of A since we exchanged letters. Its up all bags if she and I hit it off when we meet home. That is if she'll wait. One of the things I notice is that AW parts her hair on the left and I on the right.'

To discover more about the lives of sailors aboard ship, follow the link to our In Focus: Recreation and Time Off section.