Royal Navy other rank insignia


This is a list of British Royal Navy ratings rank insignia.

Insignia

Trade (branch) badges

Ratings in the Royal Navy include trade badges on the right sleeve to indicate a specific job. The information on the left arm is the individual's rate - e.g. a leading rate. One nickname is "Killick", for the Killick-anchor rate badge. Branch badges include stars and crowns above and below the branch logo, indicating an individual's qualification within their branch.
One star indicates they have passed the required exam in order to be eligible to be selected for the Leading Rates course in their respective branch. Two stars indicates they have completed the Leading Rates course and are now eligible to study for the Petty Officers Qualifying Exam. A crown indicates they have passed the relevant PQE and are eligible to be Petty Officer.
The insignia denotes trade and specialty.

Branches and specialities

Trades in the Royal Navy are listed below. Branch sub-specialities are denoted with an abbreviation on the branch badge. Ratings in the Marine Engineering and Medical branches may obtain "Dolphins". Some personnel have an additional option to pass the All Arms Commando Course and serve attached to the Royal Marines. The branches were reviewed, revised and published in the Royal Navy's June 2013 BR3 edition.

Engineering

Logistics

Medical

Warfare

Current (since 1975)

1951–1975

The Seaman and Naval Airman branches were:
InsigniaDescription
Basic deviceJunior or Basic
Basic device with star above"Star" or third-class part II or specialist qualification
Basic device with star above and star belowSecond-class part II or specialist qualification
Basic device with crown aboveFirst-class part II or specialist qualification
Basic device with crown aboveSecond-class or lower part II or specialist qualification
Basic device with crown above star belowFirst-class part II or specialist qualification
Basic device with crown above two stars belowChief petty officers, petty officers and confirmed

Leading rates qualified as instructors in the following branches:
The instructor rate began to disappear in 1972, when fleet chief petty officers were introduced.
Other branches, including Naval Air Mechanics, were:
.*not applicable to Coder, Supply and Secretariat, Artisan and Sick Birth Branches
Before 1947, each branch developed its own device badges and the crowns and
stars of one branch did not necessarily have the same meaning as another. In 1948 and 1951, reforms were implemented to bring the branches into line with each other. A star above the badge normally indicates a person of superior qualifications, and another star below
denotes that the person has passed for specific duties; e.g. gunnery, captain of turret, torpedo, torpedo-boat coxswain or signals. The crown is the emblem of authority, and is common in most petty officer, CPO, instructor and police badges.
Warrant officers and above do not wear branch badges. Until the late 1990s, artificer apprentices and leading artificers wore the same uniform as petty officers. Apprentices were the last junior ratings not to be dressed as seamen; they did not wear "square rig".

History

Badges for naval ratings were first introduced in 1827:
Petty officer 1st classCrown above anchor
Petty officer 2nd classFoul anchor

Both were white, and worn on the upper-left sleeve.
In 1853, two new ranks were introduced and the badges were altered:
Chief petty officerCrown above anchor surrounded by laurel wreath
Petty officer 1st classCrown above 2 crossed anchors
Petty officer 2nd classCrown above anchor
Leading seamanFoul anchor

These were white, or gold on the dress uniform, or blue on white uniforms. In 1860, the badges changed from white to red on
ordinary uniforms.
In 1879 Chief Petty Officers received a fore-and-aft uniform similar to that of the officers, with a cap badge of an anchor within a cord
surmounted by a crown. In 1890, they ceased to wear an arm badge. In 1913, the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class was abolished but the other
badges remained the same.
In 1920, petty officers with four years' standing also received the fore-and-aft rig with the cap badge formerly worn by CPOs. The CPOs added a wreath to their cap badge, making it similar to the earlier arm badge.
In 1970 a new rank of Fleet chief petty officer was introduced, with insignia of the royal coat of arms on the lower arm. This rank was renamed warrant officer, and then warrant officer class 1.
In 2004 the rank of warrant officer class 2 was formed from those CPOs holding the appointment of charge chief petty officer. The insignia is a crown within a wreath, also worn on the lower arm. The badges are now worn on the shoulders of 3A/B and 4A/B. Chevrons on the left sleeve, below the rank badge, are for long service and good conduct. A chief petty officer in the blue uniform wears three buttons on their sleeves to indicate rank, the same rank insignia used by Chilean Navy midshipmen. The WO2 rank began to be phased out in April 2014, with no new appointments; existing holders of the rank retain it until they are promoted or leave the service.