I am having a hard time understanding how the British Royal Navy enlisted ranks and ratings worked. I know for ranks there was ordinary seaman, leading seaman then petty officer but how does this correspond to the ratings. For example would a shipwright, third class be a petty officer or a leading seaman. Basically did it work like in the US Navy in World War 2? I saw a photo of Leading Seaman George Griffiths of the old destroyer HMS Volunteer who had 17 years of service with 3 good conduct stripes below his rate badge on his left arm (an anchor with a braid wrapped around it) and a badge of a gunnery rating on his right arm on his no.1 dress. How is he only a Leading Seaman after 17 years and not a Petty Officer? Any help with correlation between Royal Navy ranks and their ratings would be appreciated.
Sean
British Royal Navy ratings and ranks?
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verdenpark
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Re: British Royal Navy ratings and ranks?
Is it possible for you to put the photo up here please?
Those who live by the sword...... get shot.
Re: British Royal Navy ratings and ranks?
Here it is. The file was too big at first so I had to scale it down.
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verdenpark
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Re: British Royal Navy ratings and ranks?
Cannot say that I have ever seen a photo of a uniform with good conduct stripes like this. The ones I have seen of G.C. stripes show them as small just above the sleeve cuff. Strange that he is not wearing the Leading Seamans stripes. Generally the ranks are Ordinary Seaman, Able Seaman (one stripe), Leading Seaman (two stripes), Petty Officer (three stripes), Chief Petty Officer (three stripes with crown above), Warrant Officer 2 (crown), and Warrant Officer 1 (crown in a laurel wreath). As a L.S. he should have two stripes visible on the upper right arm with his gunners rating above.
As for ratings, these generally only apply to Ordinary Seaman or the equivalent trade rank. Eg. Stoker, Stoker II, Stoker III, Able Stoker, Leading Stoker, and Stoker Petty Officer.
As for ratings, these generally only apply to Ordinary Seaman or the equivalent trade rank. Eg. Stoker, Stoker II, Stoker III, Able Stoker, Leading Stoker, and Stoker Petty Officer.
Those who live by the sword...... get shot.
Re: British Royal Navy ratings and ranks?
In the Royal Navy the Good Conduct stripes were always worn on the left arm just below the rank badge, as seen on the photo. Each stripe is for 4 years GC and the maximum would be 3 stripes for 12 years, irrespective of rank. The Royal Navy didn't (and still doesn't) have stripes just above the cuff.
As for why was he still a Leading Seaman after 17 years, maybe he was passed over for promotion or maybe he was quite content to stay as a Leading Seaman for the remainder of his career.
In the Royal Navy there is a distinction between Rates & Ranks. Ranks are those held by Commissioned Officers while Rates are those held by the rest, so that an Able Seaman or Leading Seaman would be a Junior Rating while a Petty Officer or Chief Petty Officer would be a Senior Rating.
As for why was he still a Leading Seaman after 17 years, maybe he was passed over for promotion or maybe he was quite content to stay as a Leading Seaman for the remainder of his career.
In the Royal Navy there is a distinction between Rates & Ranks. Ranks are those held by Commissioned Officers while Rates are those held by the rest, so that an Able Seaman or Leading Seaman would be a Junior Rating while a Petty Officer or Chief Petty Officer would be a Senior Rating.
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verdenpark
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Re: British Royal Navy ratings and ranks?
Thankyou for the info on G.C. stripes.
Those who live by the sword...... get shot.
Re: British Royal Navy ratings and ranks?
I am an ex soldier not a sailor, but there are some similarities. There are entrance standards to the officers mess/Wardroom and wardroom Sgts/Petty officer mess As a naive young officer I put forwards an NCO (Corporal) as a potential promotional candidate top Sgt. My Battery Sgt major said that the man in question would never be a member of the Sgts mess as long as he had a hole in his backside. (or words to that effect). It used to be quite possible for a serviceman to be a 20 year private or AB.
The German army used to have an even more rigid system. A solider might be selected for NCO or Officer Training, which enabled promotion ot Unterofficier or Officer ranks. if not there were grades of solider up to stabs grefreiter - "staff lance corporal/staff PFC"
The reasons why someone may be a long ternm NCO are:-
they do not pass NCO selection procedure. Being a Petty officer or Sergeant means demonstrating leadership ability. It is measurable and can be tested. Some people are not capable of leadign soldiers or sailoprs - under pressure. They might have experience or brains but they are not leaders.
They might have lapses of personal qualities which preclude their appointment in this rank. They may be incorrigible rogues, punchy when drunk, untrustworthy, idle unless cornered like a rat in a trap.
They might not want the burden of responsibility. Frank Richards DCM MM served throughout WW1 in 2nd bn The Royal Welsh Fusiliers. An articulate and intelligent man he turned down opportunities for promotion or a commission. The youngest pilot to fly operations in the RAF in WW2 was 15 years old and could not cope with the responsibility to captain the aircraft.
The German army used to have an even more rigid system. A solider might be selected for NCO or Officer Training, which enabled promotion ot Unterofficier or Officer ranks. if not there were grades of solider up to stabs grefreiter - "staff lance corporal/staff PFC"
The reasons why someone may be a long ternm NCO are:-
they do not pass NCO selection procedure. Being a Petty officer or Sergeant means demonstrating leadership ability. It is measurable and can be tested. Some people are not capable of leadign soldiers or sailoprs - under pressure. They might have experience or brains but they are not leaders.
They might have lapses of personal qualities which preclude their appointment in this rank. They may be incorrigible rogues, punchy when drunk, untrustworthy, idle unless cornered like a rat in a trap.
They might not want the burden of responsibility. Frank Richards DCM MM served throughout WW1 in 2nd bn The Royal Welsh Fusiliers. An articulate and intelligent man he turned down opportunities for promotion or a commission. The youngest pilot to fly operations in the RAF in WW2 was 15 years old and could not cope with the responsibility to captain the aircraft.