Royal Naval Reserve Service Numbers around ww1

[CalumD]

I have been trying to get RNR Service Record for a cousin who served during WW1. Through Ancrestry web site I find him three times with different Service Numbers. All entries have the same date of birth and place of birth. Being a very small village in the Outer Hebrides he is the only possible person to have been born there at that time.
Ancestry web site re-directs me to the National Archives to view the Records. They have exactly the same details as Ancestry - three records for the same person and three different Service Numbers. To view the records (3) each must be paid for.
Can anyone tell me if it was usual for RNR sailors to have different Service Numbers during their time with the Navy.
Any help would be greatly appreciated..

Calum

[Currie]

Hello Calum,

There's some info on the NA site about this.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/reco ... ecords.htm

“Each record covers a five-year term of service in the RNR, so there may be more than one record for a person. A reservist will have a different service number for each term.” etc.

All the best,
Alan

[eilthireach]

It won't help you find the service records of the person you are interested in but the website Lives of the First World War https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/ has records of Royal Naval Seamen 1899-1919 (which does not include reservists, I believe) but they are supposed to be adding RNVR Other Ranks - Medal Rolls 1914-1920 sometime this year. People are encouraged to join the site and to contribute memories and facts to build up life stories for each of the people for whom there are entries on the site ...

[CalumD]

Many thanks for your help. I will now order the records

Regards

Calum