John was baptised on 16 Jan 1791 at Saint Stephens By Launceston, Cornwall. In the 1841 census he is living at St Stephens, Launceston, and his occupation is "Navy P" - which I interpreted as pensioner. In the 1861 census, he is living at the same place, and his occupation is "Pensioner Greenwich".
I have tried to find a military record for him, on Ancestry and Find My Past. FindMyPast has a pension record for a John Bath, Royal Marine, pension awarded 5th August 1825. This man is noted as 41 years of age, having served 21 years, 4 months. Did volunteers overstate their ages?
This morning I visited our local Family History Centre, to check the film of attestation papers for marines for 1804. I couldn't find him - in fact there were few surnames starting with "B" in the records.
I have looked at two other John BATHs - one awarded a pension in 1815...he is too old to be the man I'm looking for. Another, awarded a pension in 1842, and with a military record on Ancestry, wouldn't have been on the 1841 census.
Where else can I look for information on John? Is it worth requesting the microfilm of 1825 attestations? A note on Family Search said the attestation paper could be filed by discharge date.