HMS Hector dardanelles

[Tony Walker]

I have a small group of covers from HMS Hector, a Kite Balloon Ship, whilst serving in the Dardanelles.

Three of the covers have a ms endorsement on the reverse by the sender :

I certify on my honour that the contents of this envelope refer to nothing but private and family matters. Then signed F Selley C.P.O. addressed to Mrs Frank Selley in Maida Vale.

The three covers with this endorsement have not been censored.  One has the embossed crest of the Blue Funnel Line, from whom the ship was requisitioned in May 1915, and the other two have the R.N.A.S flying wings embossing.

A fourth cover, no endorsement (not from Selley) addressed to Brigadier General Laker has been censored

Queries :

What were the regulations regarding this endorsement - presumably done to avoid censorship?  Only officers I imagine could do this?

Hector is noted as being decommissioned in May 1916 and then served under the Red Ensign as a collier, troop transport and stores carrier.  Why would she have been decommissioned if she apparently continued in a naval capacity?

Any idea as to what happened to Frank Selley when the ship was decommissioned?  Assume as a navy man he would have been transferred elsewhere?

Here's a scan to lighten the text

Cheers
Tony

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hello Tony

The Endorsement on the reverse is very much like what appears on the "Green Honour" envelopes which were issued to the Army, possibly he'd seen or received one of these from someone else

Any one could use these envelopes and when correctly signed there were not normally censored at unit level. However they could be censored at Base level or if incorrectly sent.

Not sure if there were any regulations regarding such an endorsement though but going by your examples they were certainly accepted.

Chris

[Graham Mark]

Hello Tony
The Oct 1917 Navy List shows Frank Alfred Selley was promoted to Acting Boatswain with seniority 25 June 1917.  I expect another Frank can fill in a bit more detail.
The Navy Lists do not list CPOs.  Bo'sun was a warrant rank and is included in the Navy Lists.

[Frank Schofield]

Tony & Graham

A/ Boatswain Frank A Selley
Appt to HMS Cornwall (Cruiser) 22nd July 1917 for QD duties
Promoted A/Mate 22nd June 1918
Appt to HMS Lord Nelson (Battleship) 15th October 1918
Appt to HMS Phaeton (Light Cruiser) 16th June 1919
As Lieut Appt to HMS Fermoy (Minesweeper) 9th August 1920
Retired with the rank Lieut on 22nd February 1921
Frank Schofield

[akennedy]

My cover from HMS Hector is from the same correspondence, posted London Recd Nov 11 15, with the same manuscript honour certificate.
Alistair