Thanks for the replies - I must say that it sounded dubious to me.

Perhaps he though that RN service sounded a bit more i.pressive.

Hi I understand that one of my relations joined the Royal Navy at age 15 (this would be in 1940) but was rejected for operational service because of his age. He therefore 'tansferred' (?) to the Merchant Service where I know that he served from 1942-45 (aged 17 to 20). Does this sound feasible ? Wha...