Hi Judith
Thanks for this. I've taken advantage of the bad weather to research your points.
I didn't know there was Albert Edward. Looked on 1921 Census for dad Albert EA Lewis and he's marked as being on RN duties but I haven't got a current Ancestry subs atm so can't open full document. Both mum & dad appear in 1939 register, living in Devon.
I'll research merchant seamen registers but not sure where to look. I've got his early RN record listing which ships he was on from 1923 to 1926?. He was admitted to Dreadnought Seaman's Hospital in London in 1925, but again, I can't open it. Family rumour has it that he was torpedoed 3 times during his time at sea, swallowing oil and had to have part of his internal organs removed. I'd love to know if this is true and the stories behind it.
Regards.
Fiona