Maurice Briar enlisted in RNVR in the WW1 with the rank of "ordinary telegraphist" and was awarded the Victory and British War medals.
His RNVR record shows that he did his initial seamanship training at HMS Victory VI (shore station at Crystal Palace and previously called HMS Crystal Palace). He was then sent to HMS Hecla II (at Buncrana, Co Donegal) and subsequently performed telegraphy training at sea on the Joseph and Sarah Miles [often referred to as JS Miles] - this was a hired London Trawler (LO.175) which was parented by HMS Hecla II. A photograph of this ship shows that this must have been a really uncomfortable experience bobbing around the sea whilst learning 20 words per minute at Morse Code!!
After the war Maurice took up the profession of bookkeeping and accounts. In WW2 he was involved with auditing many of the military and psuedo-military establishments around the UK.
He later worked for Handley Page Airlines and finally Eagle Airways at Blackbushe Airport (eventually to become British Eagle Airways at Heathrow Airport)