(1) The character of every sailor borne on the books of a ship shall be recorded on his service certificate by the Commanding Officer, who shall insert the entry in his own handwriting and write his signature on the same line as the character awarded, as follows: -
(a) On 31st December in each year, except where sailors are waiting trial for desertion.
(b) On being marked ‘RUN”, but not to be recorded, until final discharge from ship’s books unless the sailor is in desertion on 31st December of the year in which he is marked “RUN”.
(c) On discharge from the Service, except where a sailor sentenced to imprisonment is to be discharged direct from the prison to civil life. In such circumstances, his character shall be assessed on the date he is discharged from ship’s books.
(2) If a sailor dealt with under clause (b) or clause (c) of sub-regulation (1)rejoins the Service within the year, the assessed character awarded on 31st December shall cover the whole year, the intermediate character awarded on desertion or discharge being ruled through. This does not apply to recovered deserters awaiting trial at the end of the year; their characters shall not be assessed on 31st December.
(3) A sailor’s character since the previous 31st December shall also be recorded on his Recommendation for Advancement and Conduct Record Sheet on discharge or on transfer to another ship, or on being marked “RUN”.
(4) Any person who may be on passage, in prison, under detention, imprisoned by the civil authority, or in hospital, on 31st December in any year, shall have his character to that date assessed from his Recommendation for Advancement and Conduct Record Sheet on his arrival on board the ship to which he is sent or to which he may return, the assessment being made by the Commanding Officer of such ship.
(5) A sailor invalided out of the Service shall have his character assessed to date from the entries on his conduct sheet by the Commanding Officer of the ship upon whose books the sailor is borne.