Find your ancestors in British Royal Navy, Submarine Movement Cards

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Submarine movement cards often use compressed naval shorthand due to space limitations. Entries may refer to shore establishments, depot ships, or theatres of operation, rather than the submarine itself. A sailor might move frequently between submarines, depots, training schools, and bases, a normal feature of submarine service rather than a sign of disciplinary action.

Abbreviation	Meaning	Explanation / Context
SM	Submarine	Often used before a boat's name (e.g. SM Torbay), especially in WW1 and early WW2 records
HMS	His/Her Majesty's Ship	Standard prefix for Royal Navy vessels
S/M	Submarine	Alternate shorthand for submarine, commonly seen in service and movement records
Depôt / Depot	Submarine Depot Ship	Shore-based or ship-based administrative and support unit
Dolphin	HMS Dolphin	Royal Navy Submarine School at Gosport; often appears in training or posting entries
Vernon	HMS Vernon	Torpedo and mining school; submariners frequently passed through
Medway	HMS Medway	Submarine depot ship (Mediterranean / Far East); also used as a base reference
Forth	HMS Forth	Submarine depot ship and base (Holy Loch, Scotland)
Maidstone	HMS Maidstone	Major submarine depot ship (WW1-WW2)
Cyclops	HMS Cyclops	Submarine depot ship, Home Fleet
Ambrose	HMS Ambrose	Submarine depot ship, Mediterranean
Lucia	HMS Lucia	Submarine depot ship, Mediterranean
Blyth	Blyth Submarine Base	Northumberland base used extensively in both wars
Harwich	Harwich Submarine Base	Key WW1 and interwar submarine base
Portsmouth	Portsmouth	Major submarine base and refit port
Rosyth	Rosyth Dockyard	Submarine refits and depot functions
Scapa	Scapa Flow	Fleet anchorage; submarines frequently attached
Med	Mediterranean	Theatre of operations
Home	Home Waters	British coastal and North Sea operations
F/E	Far East	China Station / Far East Fleet
Patrol	Patrol	Operational deployment at sea
Refit	Refit	Period of repair or upgrade, often dockyard-based
Trials	Trials	Sea trials following refit or commissioning
Commissioned	Commissioned	Submarine formally entered active service
Paid Off	Paid off	Submarine withdrawn from active service
Drafted	Drafted	Sailor posted to a submarine or establishment
Struck	Struck off strength	Removed from a vessel or establishment
Sunk	Sunk	Loss of the submarine, often followed by date/location
Missing	Missing	Submarine failed to return from patrol
P.O.	Petty Officer	Rank abbreviation
AB	Able Seaman	Common enlisted rank aboard submarines
ERA	Engine Room Artificer	Senior engineering rating, common on submarines
T/A	Temporary Assignment	Short-term posting
Act.	Acting	Temporary rank or role
Rel.	Relieved	Replaced or moved from post
Joined	Joined	Individual joined a submarine or establishment