Hi Yvonne HMS PEMBROKE was the RN Barracks for the Chatham Port Division, having been first occupied in 1902, and commissioned in 1903, and paid off in 1983. The other port divisions in those days were Portsmouth and Plymouth, which together, covered the whole of the UK, Chatham covering Kent and the North Sea or East Coast of Engloand. HMS PEMBROKE was used for a multitude of tasks, from providing training facilities for ratings of different branches and specialisations, over the years, from Stokers to the Supply and Secretariat branches etc., including a cookery school. You can see a few post cards of HMS PEMBROKE in those days at:- http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Uniform/Phot/Index.html#Establishments Following the rundown of the old hulked receiving ships in the Medway River, PEMBROKE provided accommodation for ships in long refit in Chatham Dockyard, and for vessels that had been paid off. The Barracks also looked officers and ratings serving ashore at a number of minor establishments and vessels, based in the Chatham Command catchment area, such as the Signal School, the Boom Defence Depots at Felixstowe and Grimsby, the staff and offenders at the RN Detention Quarters, and much else with respect to pay and stores etc, See pages 823->829 of the Jan 1921 edition of the Navy List for some idea : http://archive.org/stream/navylistjan1921grea#page/n5/mode/2up New Entries in the Chatham command were taken in at Chatham Barracks were they were given their basic new entry training before going on to their various training schools, depending on their specialisation. And following on from the end of the Great War, the Naval Bases at Dover, Grimsby and on the Humber were still operational as PEMBROKE V and VIII, and they in turn also had out-stations e.g. Immingham. >Was it a training establishment or was it an actual boat? There was a small vessel attached to each shore base, because each establishment, in those days, had to have a small nominal vessel attached for disciplinary reasons, which remained on the books until eventually done away with in 1959. But, whilst there was a boat, it was often little more than a paper exercise, and the establishment or its satellite bases was where it all happened. Since Franics Malcolm wasn't born until 1908 his record won't be available in the National Archives database and you will have to follow the links from the following web page if you want to research his naval career : http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/ratingroyalnavy1923.htm#dummy-link But I should point out that only direct Next of Kin are usually allowed to order a service record, for the usual fee, of course....but regret I have no idea what that is these days. Regards Paul On Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:11:18 +0100 (BST), Yvonne <[email protected]> wrote: >Hello Listers, >  >I have a family photograph of a group of sailors all wearing sailor uniforms with the hat band showing HMS Pembroke.  >  >One of the men on the photograph looks strikingly like my grandfather - he was called Franics Malcolm born 1908 in Gateshead.  He was in the Pioneer Corp in WW11 so not sure how HMS Pembroke fits in.  It could be a relative of my grandfather but the likeness is uncanny. >  >Can anyone tell me where or what HMS Pembroke was?  Was it a training establishment or was it an actual boat? >  >Any leads would be great. >  >Thank you >Yvonne > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message 50° 33' N, 2° 26' W http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval.html