Abbreviations in Royal Marine Pension ledger 1841

[goldie61]

Abbreviations in Royal Marine Pension ledger

Taken from the 1841 pensions ledger, does anyone know what the abbreviations under the heading “In what ship Wounded, and last served’ mean?

Some have names (presumably of the said ship), but several of them seem to say ‘1 D.M.’ or ‘4 D.M.’
I do know that at some point prior to this the man I’m interested in (James Bertolle), had been on ‘The Zebra’, a sloop, in Syria.
Any ideas?
Thanks

[ShaunJ]

I would guess that D.M. stands for Division of Marines.

[AllanUK]

I have asked a fellow researcher who has an interest in the Royal Navy and he hasn't come across this before but he believes that as the Royal Marines Grand Divisions of the mid 19th Century were split as follows:

1. Chatham
2. Portsmouth
3. Plymouth
4. Woolwich

and that 'DM' could possibly stand for 'Divisional Muster'

[goldie61]

Thanks very much to you both.

The 1-4 listings is very interesting Allan.
I do know that his first 2 children were born at Chatham in 1837 and 1838, so that would fit nicely.

Do you (or one of your friends!), know if there would be any records from when he joined the Royal Marines? He gives his length of service as 21 years, so he would have joined up about 1820. Perhpas there is stuff that is not on-line yet.
I have found several documents on-line in the 1840s which all relate to these pensions, plus one in 1831 where he is promoted from corporal to sergeant, but I don't know if anything would survive prior to that. Did they have such things as 'service records' back then, and have they survived? My first foray into these sort of records!

[Bookbox]

D. M. is definitely Division of Marines (not musters).

There are copious other records, and they are not all online by any means. Have a look at the standard Research Guide for more details?
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-marines-other-ranks/

[goldie61]

Thanks Bookbox.
I've looked at this.
Unfortunately , lots of the records are after the time he was in the Marines.
There are muster rolls in the 1830s for The Zebra which might be worth looking at, but I don't know how long he had been on it before he left in about 1841. And I don't know what ship he was on before that. They are not digitised, so that will have to go on the back burner.
Maybe joining up papers for back in 1820 just don't exist.

[Bookbox]

As he was in the Chatham Division, he may be in the description books in ADM 158, which include men born as early as the 1770s. Just because he doesn't show up indexed by name on Discovery doesn't mean he isn't there. As you say, this is for when the archives reopen.

[goldie61]

Thanks Bookbox. 
Yes, On hold for another day.