Click on the
badge images for a larger version with the
original notes
Click for page 5 in "Appendix to
the Navy List"
OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
(Note: ranks are
not in the Pay List order)
 shoulder
boards and sleeves
Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral
Vice-Admiral
Rear-Admiral
Commodore, 1st Class
 shoulders
and sleeves
Commodore, 2nd Class
Captain
Commander
Lieutenant-Commander
Lieutenant or Acting Lieutenant
Sub Lieutenant or Acting Sub
Lieutenant
Warrant Officer (pay rates on page 12)
 collar insignia
Midshipman
Naval Cadet
Officers transferred from the Royal Naval Reserve (Pay rates)
Lieutenant-Commander
Lieutenant
Probationary Lieutenant, Acting
Lieutenant and Lieutenant
Probationary Sub-Lieutenant and
Sub-Lieutenant
thereafter at same rate as
Executive officers
Royal Naval Reserve
 shoulders
and sleeves
Commodore, 2nd Class
Captain
Commander
Lieutenant-Commander
Lieutenant
Sub Lieutenant
Warrant Officer (pay rates on page 12)
 collar insignia
Midshipman
Naval Cadet
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
 shoulders
and sleeves
Commodore, 2nd Class
Captain
Commander
Lieutenant-Commander
Lieutenant
Sub Lieutenant
Warrant Officer (pay rates on page 12)
 collar insignia
Midshipman
Naval Cadet
Women's Royal Naval Service
(not in Pay lists)
 sleeves/shoulders
Director = Rear-Admiral (not
illustrated)
Deputy Director = Commodore 2nd Class (not
illustrated)
Superintendent = Captain
Chief Officer = Commander
First Officer =
Lieutenant-Commander
Second Officer = Lieutenant
Third Officer = Sub-Lieutenant
EXECUTIVE
OFFICER ALLOWANCES
Sub-Lieutenants:
Command Money
First Lieutenant’s Allowance
Allowance to Non-Specialists
Etc.
Lieutenant and Lieutenant Commanders:
Command Money
First Lieutenant’s Allowance
Click for page 6 in "Appendix to
the Navy List"
Lieutenant and Lieutenant Commanders (continued)
Allowance to Non-Specialists
Etc.
Commanders:
Command Money
Entertaining Allowances
Navigating Allowance
Etc.
Captains:
Command Money
Entertaining Allowances
Etc.
Click for page 7 in "Appendix to
the Navy List"
Commodores, 2nd Class:
Table Money
Station or Squadron Allowance
Establishment Allowance
Command Money
Entertaining Allowances
Etc.
Flag Officers and Commodores, 1st Class:
Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King
Table Money
Establishment Allowance
Etc.
FLEET AIR ARM
(Air Officers as for Executive Officers)
FLEET AIR ARM ALLOWANCES
Observers:
Warrant Observers and Officers
promoted from that rank
Air Wireless Telegraphy
Allowance to Non-Specialists
Meteorological Course Allowance
Allowance when appointed to ships
prior to trials
Allowance when appointed to
submarines carrying aircraft
Long (S) Course Allowance
Senior Officers’ Tactical Course
Staff Duties
Serving at the Admiralty
Etc.
Click for page 8 in "Appendix to
the Navy List"
Fleet Air Arm Allowances (continued)
Pilots:
Specialist Allowances
Staff Course Allowances
Tactical Course Allowances
Staff Duties
Etc.
SPECIALIST
OFFICERS
The different coloured cloth worn between officers
stripes
Engineer Officers (Old and New Scheme):
Cadet (E)
Midshipman (E)
Acting Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant (E) – not qualified in
(E), qualified in (E), (University Entry)
Lieutenant (E) (acting)
Lieutenant (E) (confirmed)
Engineer Lieutenant-Commander and
Lieutenant-Commander (E)
Engineer Commander and Commander (E)
Click for page 9 in "Appendix to
the Navy List"
Engineer Officers (Old and New Scheme)(continued)
Engineer Captain and Captain (E)
Engineer Rear-Admiral and
Rear-Admiral (E)
Allowances:
Machinery Allowance
Fleet Engineer Officer
Etc.
Accountant Officers:
Naval Cadet (Accountant)
Paymaster Midshipman
Paymaster Sub-Lieutenant (acting or
confirmed)
Paymaster Lieutenant (acting or
confirmed)
Paymaster Lieutenant-Commander
Paymaster Commander
Paymaster Captain
Paymaster Rear-Admiral
Officers Transferred from the Royal Naval Reserve or Royal Naval
Volunteer Reserve:
Probationary Paymaster Lieutenant
Paymaster Lieutenant-Commander
Click for page 10 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Accountant Officers: (continued)
Allowances:
In charge of Accountant’s Officer’s
Stores and Accounts
Depot Allowance
Fleet Accountant Officer
Secretary to Members of Board of
Admiralty, C-in-C’s, Flag Officers etc
Etc.
Medical Officers:
Surgeon Lieutenant
Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander
Surgeon Commander
Surgeon Captain
Surgeon Rear-Admiral
Allowances:
Specialist Allowances
In charge of hospitals, sick quarters
and hospital ships
Etc.
Click for page 11 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Dental Officers:
Surgeon Lieutenant (D)
Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander (D)
Surgeon Commander (D)
Surgeon Captain (D)
Chaplains and Temporary Chaplains (except Roman
Catholic Chaplains):
Chaplain
Chaplain of the Fleet
Temporary Roman Catholic Chaplains:
Chaplain
Click for page 12 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Instructor Officers:
Instructor Lieutenant
Instructor Lieutenant-Commander
Instructor Commander
Instructor Captain
Warrant Officers and
Officers Promoted Therefrom
Gunner, Gunner (T), Boatswain, Signal Boatswain,
Telegraphist, Pilot, Observer, Wardmaster,
Master-at-Arms, Writer, Supply, Cook, Steward, Photographer:
Warrant Officer
Commissioned Officer from Warrant
Rank
Lieutenant (except Steward and
Photographer)
Lieutenant-Commander (except Steward
and Photographer)
Commander (Gunner, Gunner (T),
Boatswain and Signal Boatswain only)
Engineer, Mechanical, Shipwright, Electrical, Ordnance, Aircraft Officer,
Air Mechanic:
Warrant Officer
Commissioned Officer from Warrant
Rank
Lieutenant
Lieutenant-Commander
Click for page 13 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Warrant Officers and Officers Promoted Therefrom
(continued)
Commander
Allowances to Commissioned Officers from Warrant Rank and Warrant
Officers:
Advanced Gunnery Course
Director Warrant Officers
Command Money (seagoing or harbour
ship)
First Lieutenant’s Allowance
Navigating Allowance
Machinery Allowance
Senior Engineer’s Allowance
Specialist Allowances
Deep Diving Allowance
Dual Gunner and Gunner (T) Duty in
Destroyers Allowance
Etc.
Schoolmasters:
Schoolmaster Candidate
Old Scheme
Schoolmaster (Warrant Officer)
Click for page 14 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Schoolmasters (continued)
Schoolmaster (Commissioned Officer
from Warrant Officer)
New Scheme
Schoolmaster (Warrant Officer)
Schoolmaster (Commissioned Officer
from Warrant Officer)
Senior Master (Commissioned Officer
from Warrant Officer)
Headmaster Lieutenant
Headmaster Lieutenant-Commander
Headmaster Commander
Click for page 15 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Royal Naval Shore Wireless
Service:
Chief Officer
Senior Chief Officer
Royal Naval Shore Signal
Service:
Chief Officer
Senior Chief Officer
OFFICER’S
ALLOWANCES - GENERAL
Marriage Allowance
Submarine Allowances
Click for page 16 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
OFFICER’S
ALLOWANCES – GENERAL (continued)
Surveying Pay
Admiralty Allowance (“for service inside the Admiralty”)
Allowance for performance of
Accountant Officer’s duties
Secretary’s Allowance
Photographic Allowance
Difference of Mess Subscription
Flag Allowance
Extra Pay
Hardlying Money
Climate Pay
Field Allowance
Interpreter’s Allowance
Colonial Allowance
Click for page 17 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Officer’s Allowances (continued)
Store Allowance
Lodging Allowance
Provision Allowance
Servant Allowance
Outfit Allowance
Equipment Allowance
Removal Allowance
Etc.
ROYAL MARINE
OFFICERS
Probationary Second Lieutenant
Probationary Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Lieutenant-Colonel
Colonel 2nd Commandant
Colonel Commandant
Major-General
Lieutenant-General
General
Click for page 18 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Warrant Officers and Officer promoted therefrom:
Royal Marine Gunner
Commissioned Royal Marine Gunner
Lieutenant
Captain
Sergeant-Major and Superintending Clerks:
Staff Sergeant-Major and
Superintending Clerk
Commissioned Sergeant-Major and
Commissioned Superintending Clerk
Quartermasters (except of R.N. School of Music)
Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Lieutenant-Colonel
Bandmaster
Commissioned Bandmaster
R.N. School of Music:
Musical Director
Assistant Musical Director
Quartermaster
Director of Music
Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Schoolmasters:
Probationary Schoolmaster
Schoolmaster (Warrant Officer)
Click for page 19 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Schoolmasters (continued)
Schoolmaster (Commissioned Officer
from Warrant Rank)
Head Master (Commissioned Officer
from Warrant Rank)
Chief Schoolmaster:
Lieutenant
Captain
ALLOWANCES
PAYABLE TO ROYAL MARINE OFFICERS
Command Money (Battalions or similar units)
Entertaining Allowance
Special Allowance
Flag Allowance (ships flying Admiral’s Flag or Commodore’s Broad Pendants)
Specialist Allowance
Physical Training Allowance
Allowance to Non-Specialist doing
Specialist Duties
Adjutants Allowance
Cash Responsibilities
Director Allowance (Gunnery)
Click for page 20 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
NAVAL RATINGS
including Fleet Air Arm, Native Ratings, and Royal
Marines
Main Types of Rating Uniforms
(left to right) - Chief Petty Officer, Petty Officer, other Ratings,
Miscellaneous Junior Rating (click image for more information)
Also from "Uniforms & Insignia
of the Navies of World War II" - "In British naval practice, specialty and
rating are generally unrelated. A man may have a high status in a specialty
without advancing beyond a seaman's rating; or he may be a CPO but still not
be highly qualified in his particular specialty. In such cases, advancement
in rating would depend on leadership, education etc. The newer branches such
as Aviation, tend to associate rating and specialty more closely, similar to
U.S. naval practice.
"Legend (relates to notes
that may accompany the enlarged badge images) 1 = CPO; 2 = PO; 3 =
Leading Seaman or equivalent; 4 = Able Seaman or equivalent; 5 = Ordinary
Seaman or equivalent; 6 = Boy"
EDITORS NOTE (and WARNING):
Warning to try and avoid the
editor's confusion! The badges of rank - CPO, PO, LS etc. and good conduct
stripes are worn on the left upper sleeve, and indicate just that -
rank. The actual standard of training reached in that specialty is marked by
the badge (with and without crowns and stars) worn on the right upper
sleeve.
Some of the specialist badges
are included in the following list of rank and specialty under SEAMAN AND
SPECIALIST, others are in the later section on ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS.
SEAMEN and
SPECIALIST
Badges of
Rank:
 cuff
buttons and cap badge
Chief Petty Officer
 sleeve
and cap badge
Petty Officer
 sleeve
badge
Leading Seaman
 cap
badge
Miscellaneous Junior Rating
Seaman:
Chief Petty Officer
Petty Officer
Leading Seaman
Able Seaman
Ordinary Seaman
Boy, 1st Class
Boy, 2nd class
Sailmaker: [crossed fid and marline spike]
Chief Sailmaker
[star above]
Sailmaker [star above]
Sailmaker’s Mate [crossed fid and marline spike
alone]
Signals (Visual)
[crossed flag]:
Chief Yeoman of Signals
Yeoman of Signals
Leading Signalman
Signalman
Ordinary Signalman
Signal Boy
Wireless Telegraphist
[wings]:
Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist
Click for page 21 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Telegraphist (continued)
Petty Officer
Telegraphist
Leading
Telegraphist
Telegraphist
Ordinary
Telegraphist
Boy Telegraphist
Coder
[all with crossed flags, C below]:
Leading Coder
Coder
Ordinary Coder
Artificers (Engine Room,
Electrical and Ordnance):
(Note: Artificers, 4th class ranked as Petty Officers, 3rd and above as Chief
Petty Officers, but without trade badges - thanks to Lt Cdr G Mason)
Chief Engine Room, Electrical and
Ordnance Artificer
Artificer, 1st Class
Artificer, 2nd Class
Artificer, 3rd Class
Artificer, 4th Class
Acting Artificer, 4th Class
Artificer, 5th Class
Artificer Apprentice
Shipwrights
[crossed Axe and Hammer]:
Chief Shipwright [crown above]
Shipwright, 1st Class [star above]
Shipwright, 2nd Class [star above]
Shipwright, 3rd Class [star above]
Shipwright, 4th Class [star above]
Acting Shipwright, 4th Class [crossed
Axe and Hammer alone]
Shipwright, 5th Class [crossed Axe
and Hammer alone]
Naval Shipwright Apprentice
Wireman
[crossed or single torpedoes]:
Petty Officer Wireman [star
above and below]
Leading Wireman [star above]
Wireman [single torpedo, with star
above]
Wireman, Jointer (not in pay lists)
Wireman Minesweeper
[with MS below] (not in pay lists)
Petty Officer Wireman
Leading Wireman
Wireman
Wireman Landing Craft
[with LC below]
(not in pay lists)
Petty Officer Wireman
Leading Wireman
Wireman
Wireless Mechanic:
Chief Petty Officer Wireless Mechanic
Petty Officer Wireless Mechanic
Leading Wireless Mechanic
Wireless Mechanic
(Note: Wireless Mechanics
ceased May 1943 and became Radio Mechanics. Thanks to Lt Cdr G Mason)
Mechanician
[all with propeller with crown above,
star below]:
Chief Mechanician
Mechanician, 1st Class
Mechanician, 2nd Class
Mechanician (O.S.)
Click for page 22 in "Appendix
to the Navy List"
Motor Mechanics
[two
bladed propeller]:
Chief Motor
Mechanic, 1st Class [crown and star above, star below]
Chief Motor
Mechanic, 2nd Class
[crown and star above, star below]
Chief Motor
Mechanic, 3rd Class
[crown and star above, star below]
Chief Motor
Mechanic, 4th Class
[crown and star above, star below]
Motor
Mechanic
[star above, star below]
Mechanics (Engine Room, Electrical, Ordnance):
Engine Room,
Electrical or Ordnance Mechanic, 4th Class
Engine Room,
Electrical or Ordnance Mechanic, 5th Class
Probationary
Engine Room, Electrical or Ordnance Mechanic
Junior
Probationary Engine Room, Electrical or Ordnance Mechanic
Stoker: [three bladed propeller]
Chief Stoker
[crown above]
Stoker Petty
Officer [crown above]
Leading
Stoker [star above]
Stoker, 1st
Class [star
above]
Stoker, 2nd
Class [Propeller only]
Stoker, Fire
Fighter (not in Pay lists)
Armourers:
[gun, crossed axe and hammer]
Chief
Armourer [star above]
Armourer
[star above]
Armourer’ | 
