Royal Naval Division 1914 – 1919
This dataset is the Jack Clegg Memorial Database of Royal Naval Division Casualties of The Great War and is a register of the deaths of Royal Naval Division servicemen who served in WW1. The sources for the database are the original service records housed at The National Archives and all sources that list RND casualties. The database is available online at www.findmypast.co.uk
The Jack Clegg Memorial Database of Royal Naval Division Casualties of The Great War is regarded as the definitive Roll of Honour for the RND. Prior to the compilation of the database there were many errors and omissions, many cases have been forwarded to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission which has resulted in 70 RND servicemen being added to their database. Deaths of ex RND servicemen up to 1926 have been included in the database.
The Royal Naval Division was formed in WW1 and the men served as Infantrymen fighting alongside their colleagues in the Army if required. The division consisted of 2 Naval Infantry Brigades and 1 Royal Marine Brigade. By the end of the war much of the RND had been disbanded.
There is an excellent introduction to the Database and history of the Royal Naval Division by Jack Marshall on the www.findmypast.co.uk’s Knowledge Base pages.
Using the database
What can you expect to find on the database records?
I ran a search using the name Robert Smith and found this entry.
| Name | Robert Smith |
| Number | Tyneside z/245 |
| Rank | Able Seaman |
| Awards | — |
| Service Branch | Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| Unit | Hawke Battalion |
| Date of Birth | 18 April 1895 |
| Date of Death | abt. December 1921 |
| Cause of Death | Died after discharge (invalided) |
| Service History | |
| Enlisted | 7 October 1914 |
| Hawke Battalion B | 20 Feb 1915 – 13 Nov 1916 |
| Multiple gun shot wounds invalided to UK |
12 Dec 1916 – 21 Aug 1917 |
| Demob to civil employment at Palmers Shipbuilding co. Jarrow on Tyne | 9 Feb 1918 |
| Remob. on admission to 1st Northern General Hospital, Newcastle on Tyne | 26 Feb 1918 |
| Discharged invalided at Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar for "Fracture & Malunion left clavicle", issued Silver War Badge | |
| Burial | unknown |
| Notes | |
| 1923 | ADM/171 = St.V.B. issued to Widow, IC/2029/1923 |
| A driller | |
| Born | 18 April 1895 |
| Mother | Sarah Jane Fitzpatrick, 10 Drury Lane, Jarrow-on-Tyne |
So it can be seen that much can be found from a search of these records. A search of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website drew a blank even though it 
would seem likely that Robert died from complications of his injuries whilst serving in the RND.
I can recommend searching this database if you have even the slightly suspicion that an ancestor may have been in the Royal Naval Division. The database can be searched on the www.findmypast.co.uk by yearly subscription or Pay As You Go credits.
Below is a table setting the Naval ranks and their equivalent Army rank.
| Naval Rank | Army Rank |
| Able Seaman | Private |
| Able Seaman Higher Grade | Lance Corporal |
| Leading Seaman | Corporal |
| Leading Seaman Higher Grade | Lance Sergeant |
| Petty Officer | Sergeant |
| Chief Petty Officer | Company Sergeant Major |
| Sub Lieutenant | 1st Lieutenant |
| Lieutenant | Captain |
| Lieutenant Commander | Major |
| Commander | Lieutenant Colonel |
LINKS
Image – Infantry from the British Royal Naval Division in training on the Greek island of Lemnos during the Battle of Gallipoli, 1915.
