Many thanks to Chris and all the others who answered my query. Most interesting to see the difference between an OS and an AB spelt out so clearly. Nick member 4108 Chesson and variants On 20/04/2016 12:50, Christopher Gray via wrote: > One joined as an "ordinary seaman" before being promoted to "able seaman". > Wikipedia has some good articles: > > "An ordinary seaman (OS) is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a > merchant ship. The position is an apprenticeship to become an able seaman, > and has been for centuries. In modern times, an OS is required to work on a > ship for a specific amount of time, gaining what is referred to as "sea > time." Once a sufficient amount of sea time is acquired, the OS can apply to > take a series of courses, and then a series of examinations to become > certified as an able seaman." > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Nicholas Spence via > Sent: 20 April 2016 12:04 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [G] Ancestry BMD at Sea > > A bit of help please? Looking at recently released files on Ancestry, I > found John Thomas CHESSON listed amongst the crew who drowned at sea on the > Glencoe on 21 Oct 1882. He was described as "O.S" as were several others of > his shipmates, other crew members included "Master", "Mate" > and "AB". Was an "O.S" an Ordinary Seaman" and if so how did he differ from > an "A.B"? The entry said he was 18 but as his birth was registered in Q2 of > 1866 and he was 4 in the 1871 census, I suspect he was in fact only 16. > > Nick Member 4108 > Chesson and Variants > >