Abbreviations in the Merchant Navy records. Reproduced with permission from The National Archives

Ranks

AbbreviationProbable meaningAbbreviationProbable meaning
2 E or 2 Eng2nd engineerKPKitchen porter
2 M2nd mateLmanLaundry man
3 E or 3 Eng3rd engineerL/Boy or L BoyLeading boy
3 M3rd mateLTLamp trimmer
4 E or 4 Eng4th engineerMMate
4 Off4th officer (4th mate)MAAMaster at arms
5 E or 5 Eng5th engineerMed OMedical officer
5 Off5th officer (5th mate)MstrMaster (captain) of a vessel
A or App or ApptceApprenticeN WmanNight watchman
ABAble seamenOffOfficer
AsstAssistantOSOrdinary seaman
BkrBakerP or PsrPurser
Bos or Boatn or BosnBoatswain (2nd mate?). Also bosunPmanPantry man
BrkprBarkeeperP/Boy or P BoyPantry boy
B R StwdBedroom stewardPlmr Plumber
BtchrButcherPsge WkrPassage worker
BtmnBoatmanPtlmanPatrol man
CCaptain (master) of a vessel or cabinQMQuarter master
C Boy or C/ BoyCabin boy or cabin stewardRORadio officer
CadetCompany cadet (possibly an apprentice)RTRadio telegraphist
Cf MChief mate (1st mate)S or SmanSeaman
ChChief S B AttendtSick bay attendant
CkCookScnmanSection man
ClnrCleanerSigSignal man
Cptr or CrCarpenter Sl MrSail maker
CtringCateringSnrSenior
D BoyDeck BoySrgnSurgeon
D HDeck HandStrkprStore keeper
DisprDispenserStwrdSteward
Donkey-man or DkymanDonkey-engine operatorSwprSweeper
E or Eng or EngrEngineerSOSSenior ordinary seaman
EDHEfficient deck handT or TrmrTrimmer
ElectrElectricianTelgtTelegraphist
FtrFitterWmanWinch-man
GSGeneral servantWOWireless operator 
GsrGreaserWtrWaiter
HdHead  
J EngJunior engineer  
JOSJunior ordinary seaman? 

UK & Ireland Ports

Port numberPort namePort numberPort namePort numberPort name
1Aberdeen50Gweek99Wells
2Aberystwyth51Harwich50Westport
3Aldborough52Hull101Weymouth
4Arundel53Ilfracombe102Wexford
5Ayr54Inverness103Whitehaven
6Baltimore55Ipswich104Whitby
7Banff56Irvine105Wick
8Barnstaple57Kirkcaldy106Wisbech
9Beaumaris58Kirkwall107Woodbridge
10Belfast59Lancaster108Yarmouth
11Berwick60Leith109Preston
12Bideford61Lerwick110Gainsborough
13Borrowstounness62Liverpool111New Ross/Ross
14Boston63Llanelly112Maryport
15Bridgwater64London113Alloa
16Bridlington65Londonderry114Perth
17Bridport66Lyme115Arbroath
18Bristol67Limerick116Carmarthen
19Campbeltown68Lynn117Caernarvon (including Pwllheli,Portmadoc, Barmouth)
20Cardiff69Maldon118Hartlepool
21Cardigan70Milford119Tralee
22Carlisle71Montrose120Runcorn
23Chepstow72Newport, Monmouthshire121Wigtown
24Chester73Newry122Ballina
25Chichester74Newhaven123Folkestone
26Cley75Newcastle-upon-Tyne124Shields
27Colchester76Padstow125Strangemouth
28Coleraine77Penzance126Fleetwood
29Cork78Plymouth127Peterhead Fraserburgh)
30Cowes79Poole128Workington
31Dartmouth80Portsmouth129Lowestoft
32Deal81Port Glasgow130Teignmouth
33Dover82Ramsgate131-146probably not used
34Drogheda83Rochester147Douglas
35Dublin84Rye148Derbyhaven (& Castletown)
36Dumfries85Scarborough149Peel
37Dundalk86Scilly150Ramsey (plus other Isle of Man ports)
38Dundee87St. Ives151Guernsey
39Exeter88Shoreham152Jersey
40Falmouth89Sligo153Middlesbrough
41Faversham90Southampton154Ardrossan
42Fowey91Southwold155unknown
43Galway92Sunderland156unknown
44Glasgow93Stockton157Sunderland
45Grangemouth94Stornoway158Granton (Edinburgh)
46Gloucester95Stranraer159Newcastle-upon-Tyne
47Goole96Swansea160Youghal (S. Ireland)
48Greenock97Truro161Barrow
49Grimsby98Waterford 

Colonial Ports

Port numberPort namePort numberPort name
200Halifax, Nova Scotia255 - 256 
201Liverpool, Nova Scotia257Bombay
202Pictou, Nova Scotia258Calcutta
203Yarmouth, Nova Scotia259Cape Town
204 - 206 260Cochin, India
207Sydney, New South Wales261unknown
208Hobart Town262Madras
209 - 210 263Melbourne
211Launceston, Van Diemen's Land264 - 270unknown
212Sydney, Cape Breton Island271Gasp, New Brunswick
213 - 216 272Windsor, Nova Scotia
217Kingston, Jamaica273St. Stephen, NB
218St. Lucia (see 223, 231)274Digby, Nova Scotia
219Montego Bay, Jamaica275Hong Kong
220 - 221 276New Glasgow (Pictou), NS
223St. Lucia (see 218, 231)277Moulmein, Burma
224Malta (plus Gibraltar ?)278Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
225Louis, Mauritius279Parrsboro, Nova Scotia
226 - 227unknown280unknown
228Miramichi Bay, New Brunswick281Grand Island, Cape Breton Island
229Prince Edward Island282Weymouth, Nova Scotia
230St. John, N. B. (see 243)283 - 286unknown
231St. John's, Nfld (see 244)287Antigua
 St. Lucia (see 218, 223)288Cape of Good Hope
232Kingstown, St. Vincent, WI289Medway, Nova Scotia
233 - 235unknown290Port Wallace, Nova Scotia
236Bathurst, New Brunswick291(Ganpboro??), Nova Scotia
237Sierra Leone292unknown
238 - 241unknown293Richibucto, New Brunswick
242St. Andrews, Newfoundland294Geelong
243St. John, NB (see 230)295St. Mary's, Newfoundland
244St. John's, Nfld (see 231)296Stanley, Falkland Islands
245St. Johns, Antigua297 - 299unknown
246 - 249unknown  
250Bermuda Abbreviations:
251Arichat, Cape Breton Island NB = New Brunswick
252Montreal Nfld = Newfoundland
253Quebec NS = Nova Scotia
254Demerara, Guiana WI = Windward Islands

Destinations

LetterCountry
AWest coast of Africa and adjacent islands
AustAustralia, Tasmania, New Zealand
BBaltic, Norway, White Sea, Gulf of Finland and Kattegat
CChina, Japan and oriental archipelago
CpCape colonies, Ascension, St Helena, Natal, Algoa Bay
CtCoasting trade, including the Netherlands, Belgium, France, from River Elbe to Brest
EIEast Indies, Burma, Mauritius, Red Sea
FPSFrance, (South of Brest), Portugal, Spain (outside Straits of Gibraltar, Azores
MMediterranean, Black Sea, Sea of Azoff, Adriatic
NABritish North America, Greenland, Iceland
NPNorth Pacific and West coast of North America
NSWest coast of Denmark
SABrazils, River Plate
SPSouth Pacific and West coast of South America
USUnited States (East coast and Gulf ports)
WIWest Indies and Gulf of Mexico
ForForeign (not further identified)

Central Records Section (CRS)

CRSDescription
CRS 1Merchant navy personnel, seamen discharged and immediately re-engaged on articles for further service in the same ship.
CRS 2Transfer from ship to leave and reserve pool.
CRS 3Seaman remaining in the employ of the same management.
CRS 4Entry form to merchant navy reserve pool when not direct from sea-going employment.
CRS 5Advice to manager of employment exchange that a seaman has been instructed to report to his office.
CRS 6Absentee report
CRS 7Cancelling absentee report
CRS 8Certificate of discharge from merchant navy service.
CRS 8ARight of seamen to appeal against discharge from reserve pool.
CRS 9Instructing a seaman to report for employment in a certain ship.
CRS 10Seaman's history sheet
CRS 11Registrar General Shipping forwarding cards, ED350 to merchant navy reserve pool.
CRS 12Merchant navy reserve pool forwarding cards ED350 to Superintendent MMO.
CRS 13Superintendent, MMO forwarding cards ED350 to Ministry of Labour, and subsequent action.
CRS 13a TEFor action under MIL Circular No. 121/
CRS 13a EFor action under M/L Circular No. 23/53
CRS 13aEA(2)For action under M/L Circular No. 23/60
CRS 13a SCTraining of youths for merchant navy, M/L Circ. 6/94
CRS 14Release from merchant navy obligations. Asking applicant for personal particulars.
CRS 15Release from merchant navy obligations. Advising applicant of his liability to register under the Registration for Employment Order, 1941.
CRS 16Forwarding to the merchant navy reserve pool application for release from merchant navy obligations.
CRS 17Informing applicant of the result of his request for release from merchant navy obligations.
CRS 18Certifying that a former seaman is not now required for service in the merchant navy.
CRS 19Forwarding to merchant navy reserve pool central office an application from a man who desires to be released from the armed forces in order to return to the merchant navy.
CRS 20Acknowledging a request for release from the armed forces and informing application what action he should take if the request is granted.
CRS 21Refusing an application for permission to transfer from the armed forces to the merchant navy.
CRS 22Letter to Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry asking for a man to be transferred from the forces to an unpaid reserve for service in the merchant navy.
CRS 23Telling local pool that a man has been released from the forces and will report to them shortly.
CRS 24Application to return to seagoing employment. No indication that writer is subject to the Registration for Employment Order. Referring applicant to local pool.
CRS 25Telling applicant who has had no sea service that his application for employment in the merchant navy has been referred to pool.
CRS 26Telling applicant that we are unable to assist him to obtain shore. Directing him to Ministry of Labour employment.
CRS 27Applicant has not been to sea since 31st December 1935. Referring him to Ministry of Labour (ED 10 procedure).
CRS 28Asking for particulars of a seaman's age, occupation and last discharge.
CRS 29Telling an ED350 registered man that the Pool have been told of his willingness to return to Merchant Navy at once.
CRS 30Medical Certificate
CRS 31Asking applicant to produce evidence of acceptability as pilot or observer.
CRS 32Tells Air Ministry (or Admiralty) of a seaman's release for duty as pilot or observer.
CRS 33Special certificate of release as pilot or observer only.
CRS 34Telling applicant that release has been granted for entry into RAF (or FAA) as pilot or observer.
CRS 35Telling local pool that a release to train a s pilot or observer has not been granted.
CRS 36Telling central pool that a seaman desires release to train as pilot or and asking for their observations observer.
CRS 37Release from armed forces to serve in the merchant navy.
CRS 38Questioning released armed forces man, returning, or still required for the merchant navy.
CRS 39British seaman authorised to serve in a non-British ship.
CRS 40British Seaman discharged from a non-British ship.
CRS 41Application for entry into reserve pool.
CRS 42Failure to notify Registrar General Shipping & Seamen of a seaman serving in a ship or previous evidence of service in merchant navy.
CRS 43Information received of seaman serving in a ship. No CRS form of engagement received.
CRS 44Instructions to report after discharge.
CRS 45Application to return to employment in merchant navy.
CRS 46Return to unit of a released man.
CRS 47Confirming telephone message regarding discharge of seaman, giving reasons.
CRS 48Granting discharge from merchant navy. Advising seaman that CRS 8 will be issued by Registrar General Shipping under certain conditions (and enclosure).
CRS 49Forwarding to seaman CRS 8 issued by Registrar General Shipping.
CRS 50A certificate of temporary release from pool due to medical unfitness.
CRS 51Loan of seaman from pool for service in a ship to which the Essential Work Order (Merchant Navy) 1942 does not apply.
CRS 52(Tally card; to be attached to NR 110). Slip for attachment to alien seamen's documents.
CRS 52ARevised "Notice" for NR l 10.
CRS 53British seaman's identity card
CRS 54Application for British seaman's identity card.
CRS 55Report of loss of a British Seamen's identity card.
CRS 56Transfer of a seaman to national registration and civil rationing.
CRS 57Record of issue of ration cards to a seaman ashore.
CRS 59Forms of receipt and order on photographer.
CRS 59AAcknowledgement of application for British seaman's identity card.
CRS 59BOrder for photograph
CRS 60Advising MMO how to set upon seamen's identity card invalid by National Registration Officer.
CRS 61Seaman's identity card improperly held, asking National Registration Officer to act.
CRS 62Asking MMO to issue CRS 8 to seaman whose discharge has been recommended by us and central pool.
CRS 63Wanted for desertion abroad
CRS 64Referring to period of loan in connection with CRS 51.
CRS 65Action sheet for surrendered or impounded identity cards.
CRS 66Process sheet for national service action.
CRS 67Requesting seaman to call at MMO for conversion of national registration card.
CRS 68Information from national registration that member is holder of unconverted NR 110 number.
CRS 69Instructions to MMO to issue seaman's unemployment insurance book.
CRS 70Relating to alleged deserters from the army to be used in the merchant navy reserve.
CRS 71Amendment of BSIC.
CRS 74Daily operational pool report of personnel movements.
CRS 75Instructions to seamen whose BSIC is incorrect.
CRS 76MNRP notice of termination of employment.
CRS 77Request for RS3 pouch (internal).
CRS 78Relating to withdrawal of RS3 pouch from file.
CRS 79For completing record as to latest movement contained in RS3 pouch.
CRS 80Reporting admission of seaman to HM prison.
CRS 81Medical xxamination of certificates engineers and apprentices.
CRS 81(2)Medical examination of volunteer apprentices.
CRS 82Report of loss abroad of a BSIC.
CRS 83Temporary identity card for issue abroad.
CRS 84BSIC enquiry form
CRS 85Medical report on a merchant seaman.
CRS 86Requesting sea cadet to obtain parents consent to enter training school.
CRS 87Wallasey sea school; parents consent to cadet to enter.
CRS 88Wallasey sea school rejection of application.
CRS 89Wallasey sea school preliminary acceptance of cadet's application to enter.
CRS 90Wallasey sea school final acceptance of sea cadet.
CRS 91Letter to manager, labour exchange relating to application to become a sea cadet.
CRS 92Notification to Inland Revenue of seaman's departure from pool.
CRS 93Notification to Inland Revenue of opening or closing of articles.
CRS 94Inland Revenue voyage slip.
CRS 99Letter to applicant for training in Wallasey Sea school enclosing forms.
CRS 100Training youths for the merchant navy. Application form..
CRS 101Application form for ribbon 1939/45 Star.
CRS 102Application forwarding a supply of ribbon 1939/45 Star.
CRS 103Letter informing applicant he is not eligible for the 1939/456 Star.
CRS 104Letter to application re 1939/45 Star stating claim is being considered.
CRS 105Letter informing relatives of a deceased seaman that ribbon cannot be issued to them.
CRS 106 - CRS 108Letter explaining procedure for applying for 1939/45 Star.
CRS 1091939/45 Star
CRS 109AAmendment slip
CRS 110Application for War medal.
CRS 111-CRS 117Application for 1939/45 Star.
CRS 1181939/45 Star
CRS 1191939/45 Star Chevrons for war service.
CRS 1201939/45 Star Wound Stripes
CRS 121Application for clothing coupons by a seaman who has lost his clothing book.
CRS 122Merchant Navy Selection Board. Report of interview.
CRS 123Letters to volunteers with instructions to report to Fireman's Training school.
CRS 124Instruction to report to Cooks Training school.
CRS 125Volunteer questionnaire
CRS 126Letter to deck or steward trainee.
CRS 127-CRS 128Entry of men registered under National Service Act.
CRS 129Electoral declaration record card proxy voting.
CRS 130Parliament (Elections and Meeting) Act 1943
CRS 131-CRS 134Proxy meeting
CRS 135Temporary identity card, ex POW
CRS 136-CRS 139Alteration of income tax coding.
CRS 140-CRS 141Kings badge
CRS 142Ships Records to CRS section.
CRS 146Release from merchant navy to the building trades.
CRS 150Report of engagements.
CRS 151Report of discharge.
CRS 152Report of engagement advice note.
CRS 153Report of discharge advice note.
CRS 154Seaman to whom a British seaman's identity card has been issued (or re issued).
CRS 155Statement of a seaman seeking to transfer to the national register, the loss of his British seaman's identity card and for his merchant navy clothing book.