How to look for records of... Abbreviations in Merchant Navy records
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1. Why use this guide?
This guide provides a key to abbreviations used in Merchant Navy records from 1835 to 1972. It will help you to interpret Merchant Navy records of various kinds from this period, including registers of seamen, seamen’s pouches and medal records.
Consult the book Records of Merchant Shipping and Seamen, available from The National Archives library, for similar guidance on abbreviations in the records.
For advice on how to find the records themselves, see our other Merchant Navy guides.
2. Abbreviations for Merchant Navy ranks
| Abbreviation | Probable meaning | Abbreviation | Probable meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 E or 2 Eng | 2nd engineer | KP | Kitchen porter |
| 2 M | 2nd mate | Lman | Laundry man |
| 3 E or 3 Eng | 3rd engineer | L/Boy or L Boy | Leading boy |
| 3 M | 3rd mate | LT | Lamp trimmer |
| 4 E or 4 Eng | 4th engineer | M | Mate |
| 4 Off | 4th officer (4th mate) | MAA | Master at arms |
| 5 E or 5 Eng | 5th engineer | Med O | Medical officer |
| 5 Off | 5th officer (5th mate) | Mstr | Master (captain) of a vessel |
| A or App or Apptce | Apprentice | N Wman | Night watchman |
| AB | Able seamen | Off | Officer |
| Asst | Assistant | OS | Ordinary seaman |
| Bkr | Baker | P or Psr | Purser |
| Bos or Boatn or Bosn | Boatswain (2nd mate?). Also bosun | Pman | Pantry man |
| Brkpr | Barkeeper | P/Boy or P Boy | Pantry boy |
| B R Stwd | Bedroom steward | Plmr | Plumber |
| Btchr | Butcher | Psge Wkr | Passage worker |
| Btmn | Boatman | Ptlman | Patrol man |
| C | Captain (master) of a vessel or cabin | QM | Quarter master |
| C Boy or C/ Boy | Cabin boy or cabin steward | RO | Radio officer |
| Cadet | Company cadet (possibly an apprentice) | RT | Radio telegraphist |
| Cf M | Chief mate (1st mate) | S or Sman | Seaman |
| Ch | Chief | S B Attendt | Sick bay attendant |
| Ck | Cook | Scnman | Section man |
| Clnr | Cleaner | Sig | Signal man |
| Cptr or Cr | Carpenter | Sl Mr | Sail maker |
| Ctring | Catering | Snr | Senior |
| D Boy | Deck Boy | Srgn | Surgeon |
| D H | Deck Hand | Strkpr | Store keeper |
| Dispr | Dispenser | Stwrd | Steward |
| Donkey-man or Dkyman | Donkey-engine operator | Swpr | Sweeper |
| E or Eng or Engr | Engineer | SOS | Senior ordinary seaman |
| EDH | Efficient deck hand | T or Trmr | Trimmer |
| Electr | Electrician | Telgt | Telegraphist |
| Ftr | Fitter | Wman | Winch-man |
| GS | General servant | WO | Wireless operator |
| Gsr | Greaser | Wtr | Waiter |
| Hd | Head | ||
| J Eng | Junior engineer | ||
| JOS | Junior ordinary seaman? |
3. Port numbers for UK ports
For Merchant Navy purposes, every port in the UK has a port number. Port numbers are used on many Merchant Navy records, especially before 1858. Matching the number to the port name could help you to, for example, find a document reference for an agreement and crew list from 1835 to 1857 in series BT 98. For more information on how to find an agreement and crew list read Merchant Navy ships’ records: crew lists, musters and log books.
There is no known key for port rotation numbers (which appear in earlier merchant seamen service records). You may be able to locate which official numbers belong to which ships in series BT 336.
| Port name | Port number | Port name | Port number | Port name | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aberdeen | 50 | Gweek | 99 | Wells |
| 2 | Aberystwyth | 51 | Harwich | 100 | Westport |
| 3 | Aldborough | 52 | Hull | 101 | Weymouth |
| 4 | Arundel | 53 | Ilfracombe | 102 | Wexford |
| 5 | Ayr | 54 | Inverness | 103 | Whitehaven |
| 6 | Baltimore | 55 | Ipswich | 104 | Whitby |
| 7 | Banff | 56 | Irvine | 105 | Wick |
| 8 | Barnstaple | 57 | Kirkcaldy | 106 | Wisbech |
| 9 | Beaumaris | 58 | Kirkwall | 107 | Woodbridge |
| 10 | Belfast | 59 | Lancaster | 108 | Yarmouth |
| 11 | Berwick | 60 | Leith | 109 | Preston |
| 12 | Bideford | 61 | Lerwick | 110 | Gainsborough |
| 13 | Borrowstounness | 62 | Liverpool | 111 | New Ross/Ross |
| 14 | Boston | 63 | Llanelly | 112 | Maryport |
| 15 | Bridgwater | 64 | London | 113 | Alloa |
| 16 | Bridlington | 65 | Londonderry | 114 | Perth |
| 17 | Bridport | 66 | Lyme | 115 | Arbroath |
| 18 | Bristol | 67 | Limerick | 116 | Carmarthen |
| 19 | Campbeltown | 68 | Lynn | 117 | Caernarvon (including Pwllheli,Portmadoc, Barmouth) |
| 20 | Cardiff | 69 | Maldon | 118 | Hartlepool |
| 21 | Cardigan | 70 | Milford | 119 | Tralee |
| 22 | Carlisle | 71 | Montrose | 120 | Runcorn |
| 23 | Chepstow | 72 | Newport, Monmouthshire | 121 | Wigtown |
| 24 | Chester | 73 | Newry | 122 | Ballina |
| 25 | Chichester | 74 | Newhaven | 123 | Folkestone |
| 26 | Cley | 75 | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 124 | Shields |
| 27 | Colchester | 76 | Padstow | 125 | Strangemouth |
| 28 | Coleraine | 77 | Penzance | 126 | Fleetwood |
| 29 | Cork | 78 | Plymouth | 127 | Peterhead, Fraserburgh |
| 30 | Cowes | 79 | Poole | 128 | Workington |
| 31 | Dartmouth | 80 | Portsmouth | 129 | Lowestoft |
| 32 | Deal | 81 | Port Glasgow | 130 | Teignmouth |
| 33 | Dover | 82 | Ramsgate | 131-146 | probably not used |
| 34 | Drogheda | 83 | Rochester | 147 | Douglas |
| 35 | Dublin | 84 | Rye | 148 | Derbyhaven (and Castletown) |
| 36 | Dumfries | 85 | Scarborough | 149 | Peel |
| 37 | Dundalk | 86 | Scilly | 150 | Ramsey (plus other Isle of Man ports) |
| 38 | Dundee | 87 | St Ives | 151 | Guernsey |
| 39 | Exeter | 88 | Shoreham | 152 | Jersey |
| 40 | Falmouth | 89 | Sligo | 153 | Middlesbrough |
| 41 | Faversham | 90 | Southampton | 154 | Ardrossan |
| 42 | Fowey | 91 | Southwold | 155 | unknown |
| 43 | Galway | 92 | Sunderland | 156 | unknown |
| 44 | Glasgow | 93 | Stockton | 157 | Sunderland |
| 45 | Grangemouth | 94 | Stornoway | 158 | Granton (Edinburgh) |
| 46 | Gloucester | 95 | Stranraer | 159 | Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
| 47 | Goole | 96 | Swansea | 160 | Youghal (S Ireland) |
| 48 | Greenock | 97 | Truro | 161 | Barrow |
| 49 | Grimsby | 98 | Waterford |
4. Port numbers for colonial ports
The following table provides the port numbers for colonial ports.
| Port number | Port name | Port number | Port name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | 255-256 | |
| 201 | Liverpool, Nova Scotia | 257 | Bombay |
| 202 | Pictou, Nova Scotia | 258 | Calcutta |
| 203 | Yarmouth, Nova Scotia | 259 | Cape Town |
| 204 – 206 | 260 | Cochin, India | |
| 207 | Sydney, New South Wales | 261 | unknown |
| 208 | Hobart Town | 262 | Madras |
| 209 – 210 | 263 | Melbourne | |
| 211 | Launceston, Van Diemen’s Land | 264-270 | unknown |
| 212 | Sydney, Cape Breton Island | 271 | Gasp, New Brunswick |
| 213 – 216 | 272 | Windsor, Nova Scotia | |
| 217 | Kingston, Jamaica | 273 | St Stephen, NB |
| 218 | St Lucia (see 223, 231) | 274 | Digby, Nova Scotia |
| 219 | Montego Bay, Jamaica | 275 | Hong Kong |
| 220 – 221 | 276 | New Glasgow (Pictou), NS | |
| 223 | St Lucia (see 218, 231) | 277 | Moulmein, Burma |
| 224 | Malta (plus Gibraltar ?) | 278 | Lunenburg, Nova Scotia |
| 225 | Louis, Mauritius | 279 | Parrsboro, Nova Scotia |
| 226 – 227 | unknown | 280 | unknown |
| 228 | Miramichi Bay, New Brunswick | 281 | Grand Island, Cape Breton Island |
| 229 | Prince Edward Island | 282 | Weymouth, Nova Scotia |
| 230 | St John, NB (see 243) | 283 – 286 | unknown |
| 231 | St John’s, Nfld (see 244) | 287 | Antigua |
| St Lucia (see 218, 223) | 288 | Cape of Good Hope | |
| 232 | Kingstown, St Vincent, WI | 289 | Medway, Nova Scotia |
| 233 – 235 | unknown | 290 | Port Wallace, Nova Scotia |
| 236 | Bathurst, New Brunswick | 291 | (Ganpboro??), Nova Scotia |
| 237 | Sierra Leone | 292 | unknown |
| 238 – 241 | unknown | 293 | Richibucto, New Brunswick |
| 242 | St Andrews, Newfoundland | 294 | Geelong |
| 243 | St John, NB (see 230) | 295 | St Mary’s, Newfoundland |
| 244 | St John’s, Nfld (see 231) | 296 | Stanley, Falkland Islands |
| 245 | St Johns, Antigua | 297 – 299 | unknown |
| 246 – 249 | unknown | ||
| 250 | Bermuda | Abbreviations: | |
| 251 | Arichat, Cape Breton Island | NB = New Brunswick | |
| 252 | Montreal | Nfld = Newfoundland | |
| 253 | Quebec | NS = Nova Scotia | |
| 254 | Demerara, Guiana | WI = Windward Islands |
5. Abbreviations for destinations
Use the below list to find out which abbreviations refer to which destination(s) of merchant ships.
| Letter | Country |
|---|---|
| A | West coast of Africa and adjacent islands |
| Aust | Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand |
| B | Baltic, Norway, White Sea, Gulf of Finland and Kattegat |
| C | China, Japan and oriental archipelago |
| Cp | Cape colonies, Ascension, St Helena, Natal, Algoa Bay |
| Ct | Coasting trade, including the Netherlands, Belgium, France, from River Elbe to Brest |
| EI | East Indies, Burma, Mauritius, Red Sea |
| FPS | France, (South of Brest), Portugal, Spain (outside Straits of Gibraltar, Azores |
| M | Mediterranean, Black Sea, Sea of Azoff, Adriatic |
| NA | British North America, Greenland, Iceland |
| NP | North Pacific and West coast of North America |
| NS | West coast of Denmark |
| SA | Brazils, River Plate |
| SP | South Pacific and West coast of South America |
| US | United States (East coast and Gulf ports) |
| WI | West Indies and Gulf of Mexico |
| For | Foreign (not further identified) |
6. Central Records Section (CRS) forms and their codes
The table below contains the form codes for many of the forms used by the Merchant Navy to record information. Some of these forms were issued to merchant seamen and references to form codes are found in many Merchant Navy records.
| CRS | Description |
|---|---|
| CRS 1 | Merchant Navy personnel, seamen discharged and immediately re-engaged on articles for further service in the same ship |
| CRS 2 | Transfer from ship to leave and reserve pool |
| CRS 3 | Seaman remaining in the employ of the same management |
| CRS 4 | Entry form to merchant navy reserve pool when not direct from sea-going employment |
| CRS 5 | Advice to manager of employment exchange that a seaman has been instructed to report to his office |
| CRS 6 | Absentee report |
| CRS 7 | Cancelling absentee report |
| CRS 8 | Certificate of discharge from merchant navy service |
| CRS 8A | Right of seamen to appeal against discharge from reserve pool |
| CRS 9 | Instructing a seaman to report for employment in a certain ship |
| CRS 10 | Seaman’s history sheet |
| CRS 11 | Registrar General Shipping forwarding cards, ED350 to merchant navy reserve pool |
| CRS 12 | Merchant navy reserve pool forwarding cards ED350 to Superintendent MMO |
| CRS 13 | Superintendent, MMO forwarding cards ED350 to Ministry of Labour, and subsequent action |
| CRS 13a TE | For action under MIL Circular No 121/ |
| CRS 13a E | For action under M/L Circular No 23/53 |
| CRS 13aEA(2) | For action under M/L Circular No 23/60 |
| CRS 13a SC | Training of youths for merchant navy, M/L Circ 6/94 |
| CRS 14 | Release from merchant navy obligations. Asking applicant for personal particulars |
| CRS 15 | Release from merchant navy obligations. Advising applicant of his liability to register under the Registration for Employment Order, 1941 |
| CRS 16 | Forwarding to the merchant navy reserve pool application for release from merchant navy obligations |
| CRS 17 | Informing applicant of the result of his request for release from merchant navy obligations |
| CRS 18 | Certifying that a former seaman is not now required for service in the merchant navy |
| CRS 19 | Forwarding to merchant navy reserve pool central office an application from a man who desires to be released from the armed forces in order to return to the merchant navy |
| CRS 20 | Acknowledging a request for release from the armed forces and informing application what action he should take if the request is granted |
| CRS 21 | Refusing an application for permission to transfer from the armed forces to the merchant navy |
| CRS 22 | Letter to Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry asking for a man to be transferred from the forces to an unpaid reserve for service in the merchant navy |
| CRS 23 | Telling local pool that a man has been released from the forces and will report to them shortly |
| CRS 24 | Application to return to seagoing employment. No indication that writer is subject to the Registration for Employment Order. Referring applicant to local pool |
| CRS 25 | Telling applicant who has had no sea service that his application for employment in the merchant navy has been referred to pool |
| CRS 26 | Telling applicant that we are unable to assist him to obtain shore. Directing him to Ministry of Labour employment |
| CRS 27 | Applicant has not been to sea since 31st December 1935. Referring him to Ministry of Labour (ED 10 procedure) |
| CRS 28 | Asking for particulars of a seaman’s age, occupation and last discharge |
| CRS 29 | Telling an ED350 registered man that the Pool have been told of his willingness to return to Merchant Navy at once |
| CRS 30 | Medical Certificate |
| CRS 31 | Asking applicant to produce evidence of acceptability as pilot or observer |
| CRS 32 | Tells Air Ministry (or Admiralty) of a seaman’s release for duty as pilot or observer |
| CRS 33 | Special certificate of release as pilot or observer only |
| CRS 34 | Telling applicant that release has been granted for entry into RAF (or FAA) as pilot or observer |
| CRS 35 | Telling local pool that a release to train a s pilot or observer has not been granted |
| CRS 36 | Telling central pool that a seaman desires release to train as pilot or and asking for their observations observer |
| CRS 37 | Release from armed forces to serve in the merchant navy |
| CRS 38 | Questioning released armed forces man, returning, or still required for the merchant navy |
| CRS 39 | British seaman authorised to serve in a non-British ship |
| CRS 40 | British Seaman discharged from a non-British ship |
| CRS 41 | Application for entry into reserve pool |
| CRS 42 | Failure to notify Registrar General Shipping & Seamen of a seaman serving in a ship or previous evidence of service in merchant navy |
| CRS 43 | Information received of seaman serving in a ship. No CRS form of engagement received |
| CRS 44 | Instructions to report after discharge |
| CRS 45 | Application to return to employment in merchant navy |
| CRS 46 | Return to unit of a released man |
| CRS 47 | Confirming telephone message regarding discharge of seaman, giving reasons |
| CRS 48 | Granting discharge from merchant navy. Advising seaman that CRS 8 will be issued by Registrar General Shipping under certain conditions (and enclosure) |
| CRS 49 | Forwarding to seaman CRS 8 issued by Registrar General Shipping |
| CRS 50 | A certificate of temporary release from pool due to medical unfitness |
| CRS 51 | Loan of seaman from pool for service in a ship to which the Essential Work Order (Merchant Navy) 1942 does not apply |
| CRS 52 | (Tally card; to be attached to NR 110). Slip for attachment to alien seamen’s documents |
| CRS 52A | Revised “Notice” for NR l 10 |
| CRS 53 | British seaman’s identity card |
| CRS 54 | Application for British seaman’s identity card |
| CRS 55 | Report of loss of a British Seamen’s identity card |
| CRS 56 | Transfer of a seaman to national registration and civil rationing |
| CRS 57 | Record of issue of ration cards to a seaman ashore |
| CRS 59 | Forms of receipt and order on photographer |
| CRS 59A | Acknowledgement of application for British seaman’s identity card |
| CRS 59B | Order for photograph |
| CRS 60 | Advising MMO how to set upon seamen’s identity card invalid by National Registration Officer |
| CRS 61 | Seaman’s identity card improperly held, asking National Registration Officer to act |
| CRS 62 | Asking MMO to issue CRS 8 to seaman whose discharge has been recommended by us and central pool |
| CRS 63 | Wanted for desertion abroad |
| CRS 64 | Referring to period of loan in connection with CRS 51 |
| CRS 65 | Action sheet for surrendered or impounded identity cards |
| CRS 66 | Process sheet for national service action |
| CRS 67 | Requesting seaman to call at MMO for conversion of national registration card |
| CRS 68 | Information from national registration that member is holder of unconverted NR 110 number |
| CRS 69 | Instructions to MMO to issue seaman’s unemployment insurance book |
| CRS 70 | Relating to alleged deserters from the army to be used in the merchant navy reserve |
| CRS 71 | Amendment of BSIC |
| CRS 74 | Daily operational pool report of personnel movements |
| CRS 75 | Instructions to seamen whose BSIC is incorrect |
| CRS 76 | MNRP notice of termination of employment |
| CRS 77 | Request for RS3 pouch (internal) |
| CRS 78 | Relating to withdrawal of RS3 pouch from file |
| CRS 79 | For completing record as to latest movement contained in RS3 pouch |
| CRS 80 | Reporting admission of seaman to HM prison |
| CRS 81 | Medical xxamination of certificates engineers and apprentices |
| CRS 81(2) | Medical examination of volunteer apprentices |
| CRS 82 | Report of loss abroad of a BSIC |
| CRS 83 | Temporary identity card for issue abroad |
| CRS 84 | BSIC enquiry form |
| CRS 85 | Medical report on a merchant seaman |
| CRS 86 | Requesting sea cadet to obtain parents consent to enter training school |
| CRS 87 | Wallasey sea school; parents consent to cadet to enter |
| CRS 88 | Wallasey sea school rejection of application |
| CRS 89 | Wallasey sea school preliminary acceptance of cadet’s application to enter |
| CRS 90 | Wallasey sea school final acceptance of sea cadet |
| CRS 91 | Letter to manager, labour exchange relating to application to become a sea cadet |
| CRS 92 | Notification to Inland Revenue of seaman’s departure from pool |
| CRS 93 | Notification to Inland Revenue of opening or closing of articles |
| CRS 94 | Inland Revenue voyage slip |
| CRS 99 | Letter to applicant for training in Wallasey Sea school enclosing forms |
| CRS 100 | Training youths for the merchant navy. Application form |
| CRS 101 | Application form for ribbon 1939/45 Star |
| CRS 102 | Application forwarding a supply of ribbon 1939/45 Star |
| CRS 103 | Letter informing applicant he is not eligible for the 1939/456 Star |
| CRS 104 | Letter to application re 1939/45 Star stating claim is being considered |
| CRS 105 | Letter informing relatives of a deceased seaman that ribbon cannot be issued to them |
| CRS 10 -CRS 108 | Letter explaining procedure for applying for 1939/45 Star |
| CRS 109 | 1939/45 Star |
| CRS 109A | Amendment slip |
| CRS 110 | Application for War medal |
| CRS 111-CRS 117 | Application for 1939/45 Star |
| CRS 118 | 1939/45 Star |
| CRS 119 | 1939/45 Star Chevrons for war service |
| CRS 120 | 1939/45 Star Wound Stripes |
| CRS 121 | Application for clothing coupons by a seaman who has lost his clothing book |
| CRS 122 | Merchant Navy Selection Board. Report of interview |
| CRS 123 | Letters to volunteers with instructions to report to Fireman’s Training school |
| CRS 124 | Instruction to report to Cooks Training school |
| CRS 125 | Volunteer questionnaire |
| CRS 126 | Letter to deck or steward trainee |
| CRS 127-CRS 128 | Entry of men registered under National Service Act |
| CRS 129 | Electoral declaration record card proxy voting |
| CRS 130 | Parliament (Elections and Meeting) Act 1943 |
| CRS 131-CRS 134 | Proxy meeting |
| CRS 135 | Temporary identity card, ex POW |
| CRS 136-CRS 139 | Alteration of income tax coding |
| CRS 140-CRS 141 | Kings badge |
| CRS 142 | Ships Records to CRS section |
| CRS 146 | Release from merchant navy to the building trades |
| CRS 150 | Report of engagements |
| CRS 151 | Report of discharge |
| CRS 152 | Report of engagement advice note |
| CRS 153 | Report of discharge advice note |
| CRS 154 | Seaman to whom a British seaman’s identity card has been issued (or re-issued) |
| CRS 155 | Statement of a seaman seeking to transfer to the national register, the loss of his British seaman’s identity card and for his merchant navy clothing book |
