If it's said I'm going on Watch from 12-4 or 8-8 and I'm either a seaman Or radio electrician (he had many ranks) and it's said - "I'm on watch." What does that mean? They are on the deck watching or they on communications watching?
It means one has "the duty" in whatever shipboard section or division to which one is assigned. In the navy, the day is divided up into "watches." In general, watches are Middle 0000 to 0400; Morning, 0400 to 0800; Forenoon, 0800 to 1200; Afternoon 1200 to 1600; First Dog Watch. 1600 to 1800; Second Dog Watch, 1800 to 2000; and First, 2000 to 2400. The two short watches (1600 to 1800 and 1800 to 2000) are called "dog watches," the purpose of which is to create an odd number of watches so that one does not always stand watch at the same time. This system goes back to Royal Navy practice from as early as the 1600's with the navy work day starting at 1200 with the Afternoon watch, this because one could determine local noon with a sighting when the sun reached its zenith. You might want to get your hands on a period, say a 1940 or 1943 edition, Blue Jacket's Manual.
Thanks - I have a copy of blue jacket manual 1945 maybe I missed it.. Last question what do you think would be the punishment by captain if one were to sleep while on duty or watch and get caught by exe officer - navy 1943
You would most likely get "captain's mast" (non-judicial punishment, meaning no court-martial). Seen that happen plenty of times. The Rules: The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
During the WW2 era such would be covered under Articles for the Government of the Navy, better-known as "Rocks and Shoals."
Yes they did get captain mast - i've seen punishments here for other charges such as B+W for 4 days or lose 2 liberties, etc.
In many cases one could choose a more formal "trial" than captains mast but it was seldom a good idea.
A Court Martial would be an option if the ship was in a position to muster up a board of officers qualified to sit on the Court. I've seen cases where the sailor was held in the brig for a good long while as we made our way to a base where a Court could convene. You know you're in deep kimchi when they do that.
I heard somewhere that you could request it but that it was not a good idea except under a few very rare circumstances.
It would depend entirely on the circumstances from my experience. I don't recall anything built into the UCMJ that would make it a minefield. With the exception that you could get much heavier sentences from a court than from NJP (Non-Judicial Punishment, meaning the CO drops the hammer.)
That was the big thing as I recall. Captain's mast max punishments were fairly light from a court the minimum if convicted were usually close to the max at a Captain's mast although those could be set aside. Unless you thought you could convince a court you were innocent or thought the Captain really had it out for you it was much better to take the Captains mast.
It always seemed to me that the bunkhouse lawyers were the ones who wanted a court. They'd bore us to tears on why they shouldn't have gotten 3 months restriction. Myself, I bust a rank once, failed to stand a proper watch. Reinstated after 90 days. The other 9 guys who could have gone to Mast if I had complained were really glad I didn't. No need for that in my book.