Gallery Title
Gallery Title
Certificate of Initiation
Accession Number NWHRM : 7010.2
Description
Small certificate recognising the crossing of the equator issued by the U.S.S. Mount Vernon to Pte Self 5776790 of the 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment during the voyage to Singapore. Dated Sunday 23rd November 1941. Pte Self became a Far East Prisoner of War.
Read MoreCertificate of Initiation
There is a tradition that can be traced back to the 16th century, of line-crossing ceremonies to commemorate the first time a seafarer crosses the equator. On crossing the equator for the first time, they must be 'baptized' and thus made an able-bodied seaman. After the ceremony, they are awarded a Crossing the Line Certificate stating their name and the date of the "baptismal ceremony". The Master makes his confirmation by signing the certificate.
The ornate certificates that would have been given to passengers whilst the USS Vernon was a luxuary liner was replaced by a small simple card whilst she became a troopship, but the tradition of providing them continued.
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