The army of any state is a shield that is designed to protect the peaceful life of citizens and the territorial integrity of the country. This social formation existed long before people invented writing, law and other forms of their activity. In other words, the culture of killing people, and it is for this purpose that armies are created, is one of the most ancient spheres of the direct functioning of society. Over the course of many centuries, the armies of all states without exception have evolved. This is also due to the history of development of a particular country. It should be noted that many cultural traditions of the troops that existed several centuries ago are still preserved in active armies. Of course, this approach indicates an established system of personnel training, as well as cohesion within the troops. But out of all the armed forces different countries There are armies that stand out from the general background. These are the British Armed Forces today. The history of the formation of the army of this country is filled with amazing heroic deeds and valiant battles. The long stay of the state in the status of the British army also had a significant influence on the development of British troops. All this together makes the British Armed Forces a highly professional and mobile military formation that represents significant combat power. The structure of the troops of this state and their functions will be discussed later in the article.
General concept of the British armed forces
The British Army is a collective concept of a number of different ones. That is, the term denotes all military formations of the state that are part of a single defense structure. The activities of the British Army are quite specific, taking into account some political and territorial features. In addition, the country's military formation has a long history. The army is controlled through the Ministry of Defense, the structural element of which is a special defense council. As in many progressive modern countries today, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the head of state. In the case of Great Britain, this is the monarch - Queen Elizabeth II.
The initial stage of development of the British armed forces
There are many historical versions about when the British Army arose. The most common opinion is that the British Armed Forces arose in 1707, as a result of the unification of England and Scotland. But some scientists are of the opinion that the starting point of the history of the army of this state is a much more ancient date. In this case, such a statement is erroneous. Since before the unification of the previously represented states, England was a series of independent countries at war with each other. During its formation, the British Army took part in a large number of wars both on the territory of its colonies and against other states. The most famous military conflicts in which the British armed forces took part are the following:
Napoleonic and Seven Years' War.
Crimean War.
War against the American Colonies.
Opium Wars 1840-1860.
It should also be noted that at this stage of development the British Army has a strong navy and a small number of ground forces. Thanks to this approach to the issue of organizing troops, the empire for a long time had the status of “mistress of the seas.” It should also be noted that throughout the entire period of development, the armies of France and Great Britain constantly competed with each other. This is due not only to the dominant positions of these states in Europe, but also to national enmity.
Development of the army in the 20th century
Subsequent stages of the development of the British army are characterized by the participation of the state in the First and Second World Wars. Some reorganization actions were also carried out at this time. For example, in 1916, the British authorities introduced universal conscription. In addition, in 1922, the state officially abandoned the principle of “two fleets,” according to which the British Navy was supposed to have twice the size of the fleet of other major naval powers. A fairly significant fact for the development of the army of the empire was the country’s entry into NATO in 1949. This led to the participation of Great Britain in almost all major operations carried out by the bloc.
British armed forces in the 21st century
In the 21st century, the British army took part in the war against Afghanistan, as well as Iraq. It should also be noted that a large number of British troops were sent for the military intervention of the state of Libya, which took place in 2013. In addition, British representatives played a significant role in the implementation of Operation Serval. Thus, the British army, which numbers 421 thousand personnel, today is one of the best military formations in the world.
UK Armed Forces Structure
The entire structure of the British army is built in such a way as to facilitate the implementation of the functions of this formation as much as possible. In addition, the state Armed Forces have some specific types of troops that have a rather interesting field of activity. Thus, the British Army, the size of which was presented above, has the following structural elements:
- Air Force.
- Ground troops.
- Special Forces.
- Medical service.
This structure, as mentioned earlier, is best suited for performing individual functional tasks. At the same time, the medical troops of the armed forces are unique in their kind. Because medical units in other world armies are not identified as a separate structural element of the Armed Forces.
Ground troops
Like the British armed forces as a whole, the ground forces also begin their history in 1707. Today, the British Army is a professional unit whose main goal is to defeat enemy personnel on the ground. Basic impact force The army, as we understand it, is the infantry. Today it includes about 36 regular battalions. In addition to this, the strength of the British Army also consists of the Armored Corps, Artillery Regiment, Corps of Engineers, Army Air Corps, Intelligence Corps and Signal Corps. Also, this type of troops includes territorial military formations, which are analogous to the national guard.
British Navy
So, in the article we looked at the features of the British armed forces. It should be noted that today the armed forces of this state are among the strongest on Earth. But let's hope that it will not be possible to clearly see the full power of the British army.
We continue the series of unscientific and pseudo-entertaining notes about “the way it was.” After the navy, it is most logical to turn to the army
British battalion 1793-1815
1. Private, aka private. The battalion consisted of 10 companies, of which 8 were called central, differing in the shape of the shoulder straps and the white and red plume on the shako. Two companies were considered flanking(because when the battalion was built in a line, they were located on the flanks). Of these, one company (right flank) was called grenadier, its soldiers wore white plumes on their shakos, and special wide “porch” epaulettes on their shoulders. Another kind (left flank) was called easy, her soldiers also wore porches, but the plumes on their shakos were green. The company was supposed to nominally have 100 privates, but this happened very rarely in the guard, usually in combat conditions the shortage reached 40-50%, and the company had a little more than 50 people. A distinguished soldier, as in all armies of the world, was produced in corporals(corporate- analogue of corporal in Russian and German armies). On his right sleeve there was a “corner” patch of two chevrons of regimental braid (the pattern and color were different in each regiment). In some regiments, for example Highlanders, there was an unofficial title lance corporal (lance-corporal) - “lance corporal”, who wore only one “corner” on his right sleeve. In flank companies, corporals and lance corporals wore "corners" on both sleeves.
2. Sergeant, aka sergeant. There were two of them per company; they were assistants to platoon commanders ( plutongs) officers and were called unofficially platoon sergeants (platoon sergeant). Their uniform was already more radically different from the soldiers' - they wore three “corners” of regimental braid on their right sleeve, tied a scarf of regimental colors (red with some other colors) to their belts, and were armed with a pike (however, in some regiments, or in some situations sergeants preferred a musket in battle). The most important difference is that the uniform for sergeants was made from higher quality cloth than for soldiers, and therefore it was often “more red” because it faded less. In some regiments there was a rank Lance Sergeant (lance-sergeant), by analogy with the lance corporal. Their “corners” were made of simple white braid.
3. Sergeant Major, aka sergeant major. There was one “most important” sergeant per battalion - a sergeant major. This was the first assistant to the officers, he wore four corners on his sleeve, a silver half-epaulette (a shoulder strap with thin fringe) on his shoulders, an officer-cut uniform, a regimental scarf on his belt, a cleaver, a half-saber or half-sword on his left side. The main attributes are a book for recording those who were guilty and a cane with which he beat careless soldiers. For the "privates" he was the most terrible person in the battalion - much more terrible than the commander or any officer. However, besides him, the battalion also had “special sergeants,” albeit of a lower rank than sergeant major. For example, staff sergeant (staff sergeant), as is clear from the title of the position, was assigned to the battalion headquarters and was involved in all sorts of administrative work. There were two more color sergeant (color sergeant), which carried and guarded battalion banners in battle (two pieces); Exemplary old-timers were usually appointed to this position. On their sleeves there was one “corner” of a regimental braid and above it a stylized image of a “union jack”. There was also armorer sergeant.
4. Ensigns and lieutenants, aka ensigns and lieutenants. An ensign (a clear analogue is an ensign) is the one who previously wore the “insignia,” that is, company badges. But during the period described, only two banners remained in the battalion, and there were none in the companies, and the ensigns were simple assistants to the lieutenants, or they were replaced. This was the first officer rank, and in the British army it was sold - you had to buy a patent from a person who left the service, or moved on, receiving a captain's patent. There is a lot of angry writing about the “nasty sale”, forgetting simple things - this is how they gained access to the English army." progressive bourgeoisie", which in many other countries had difficulty getting there. In the ensign's uniform there were no differences from lieutenants (and in some regiments ensigns were called "second lieutenants"), so most illustrators write simply "British officer". The only visible difference is almost all the ensigns were snotty youths, because they were just starting their careers.The lieutenants commanded half the company - platoons, and there were two of them per company.
5. Captain, aka captain. The first “real” officer rank, since it gave the opportunity to command a company - the primary military unit (platoons were considered “half-companies” and were not used separately). There was also a point in the administrative and economic burden - the captain managed the entire “economy” of his company. Therefore, this rank was bought (unlike lieutenant, to which distinguished ensigns were promoted for merit) - an officer who had served for 6 years (at least) could buy a patent from someone leaving the service or promoted to lieutenant colonel or colonel (who received a battalion in command - but for merits, battalion patents were not sold). Again, the purchase implied either the availability of funds (the expenses for the company were substantial, and not everything was covered by the treasury on time), or certain “commercial abilities.” Captains, unlike lieutenants and ensigns, wore two full epaulettes on their shoulders.
6. Major, aka major. The major is a kind of “first assistant” to the battalion commander, and often, in his absence (either temporary or permanent - many colonels in the army were only listed as engaged in politics), and the commander. In any case, this is the oldest and most experienced officer of the regiment - careerists preferred to move up to lieutenant colonel, without spending much time in the ranks of major. In addition to him, the battalion usually had one more officer of the same rank of major - regimental adjutant. This is not what you thought, but an administrative, clerical and paperwork position, the holder of which carried out all the routine work of battalion management. Usually he had one or two assistants, also listed as regimental adjutants, with the rank of captain (and in some battalions they did without majors at all). The third "full-time major" (and sometimes again captain) of the battalion - quartermaster, responsible for the supply and consumption of provisions and ammunition. Usually these were officers who had risen from the ranks (contrary to stereotypes, there were quite a lot of them in the British army - up to 5%), who did not have the means to buy a company patent.
7. Surgeon, aka surgeon. A battalion (or regimental - these are synonyms; in the British army, most regiments existed only in the form of the 1st battalion and a depot on the islands, and if there were other battalions, they were sent to other parts of the world as completely independent units) surgeon - a very respected person. Surgeon Major He was equal in rank to a major, and usually had two assistants subordinate to him. Well, if we finish talking about specialists equated to officers, then in each battalion there was solicitor- regimental lawyer (not to be confused with the military police - a solicitor is a “loyer”!).
8. Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel, aka Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel. The colonel in the battalion appeared rarely and on major holidays - these were mainly regiment chiefs who exercised only nominal leadership. So almost all battalions were commanded by either majors or lieutenant colonels. It was “possible, but very difficult” to achieve this position “for military merit”; as a rule, the matter was decided by furry paws and high patrons. However, many British lieutenant colonels coped with their duties at the very least - experienced majors and staff officers were always at hand, so sitting on a horse and waiting for the order to go forward special labor did not amount to. However, there has always been an “extraordinary” way to become a colonel - to recruit a battalion at your own expense and lead it. This is how, for example, Thomas Graham began his career in the army.
9. Well, the story would not be complete at all if we did not mention the most beautifully dressed person in the battalion - o drum major (drum major). Each company had drummers, and in some also flutists- beat out the rhythm for tactical evolutions and tap out elementary orders. IN special occasions they were all brought together, a certain number of musicians were added separately paid by the colonel (oboists, timpani players, etc.) and they received a regimental orchestra. Main actor of which, naturally, there was a leader and conductor - a drum major. The drummers themselves were dressed more ostentatiously than the rank and file (in “reverse” uniforms of instrument colors, trimmed with all sorts of galloon), but their “father,” of course, shone with the overwhelming splendor of his “service suit.”
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Historical information
Formation of a rank system
In the Royal Navy of Great Britain for a long time there was a mixed scale of ranks and positions. It included official ranks, positional and unofficial titles, as well as specializations. The crew of the ships was divided into officers, warrant officers (eng. warrant officers) and sailors.
Epaulets, headdress and belt of an 18th century Royal Navy officer.
The officers who received a license to hold a position from the Admiralty included the captain (eng. captain), lieutenant (eng. lieutenant) and master (eng. master). Senior officers included commodores. commodore) - commanders of a formation of ships, and flag officers (eng. Flag officer), who had the right to their own flag: rear admirals, vice admirals, admirals and admirals of the Fleet (eng. fleet admiral) . The rank of admiral first appeared in the Royal Navy in 1297, and from the end of the 16th century the ranks of vice admiral and rear admiral were introduced. In addition to the usual admiral ranks, there are honorary titles of rear admiral of the United Kingdom (eng. Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom ), Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom (eng. Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom ), Lord High Admiral Lord High Admiral), as well as the First Lord of the Admiralty (eng. First Lord of the Admiralty), performing the functions of command of all naval forces.
Warrant officers had patents. warrant) naval board (English) Navy Board) or other government agencies, and, as a rule, led individual services on the ship. Warrant officers were divided into:
- mediocre officers wardroom warrant officers): navigator, ship's surgeon, chaplain, purser. The mediocre officers were treated as gentlemen and ate in the officers' mess. wardroom). Later they were classified as officers.
- conductors (English) standing warrant officers): boatswain, ship's carpenter, gunner, navigator, surgeon's assistant.
- non-commissioned officers lower grade warrant officers): cook, sailing, gunsmith and rope master, provos, carpenter's assistants, mentors.
The formation of a unified system of ranks and insignia was facilitated by the emergence of Fleet Lists (Eng. Navy List)). They contained information about the names, ranks, seniority, activity and rank of all naval officers, including those in the reserve.
Titles, ranks and insignia in the 18th - early 19th centuries
| Table of ranks and positions of the Royal Navy | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job title | Patent | Accommodation | Uniform and insignia | Years of validity | Note |
| Rank and file | |||||
| Boy | By order of the captain | Ship's crew uniform | cabin boy, the lowest position on a ship, was usually occupied by teenagers from 12 years old. | ||
| Landsman | before 1853 | first year recruit | |||
| Ordinary seaman | sailor who has served for more than a year | ||||
| Able seaman | sailor who has served more than three years | ||||
| Carpenter's crew | specialist, carpenter | ||||
| Quarter gunner | specialist, artilleryman | ||||
| Gunsmith | specialist, gunsmith | ||||
| Petty Officers | |||||
| Quartermaster's mate | Hired at the discretion of the ship's captain | By order of the captain | Ship's crew uniform | assistant quartermaster | |
| Sailmaker's mate | sailmaker's assistant | ||||
| Carpenter's mate | carpenter's assistant | ||||
| Caulker's mate | caulker's assistant | ||||
| Boatswain's mate | boatswain's mate | ||||
| Gunner's mate | gunner's assistant | ||||
| Armourer's mate | gunsmith's assistant | ||||
| Watch captains | watch chief | ||||
| Ship's corporate | ship's corporal, master's assistant | ||||
| Cooper | ship's cooper, subordinate of the ship's supply engineer | ||||
| Quartermaster | ship's quartermaster, helmsman | ||||
| Coxswain | coxswain | ||||
| Yeoman | ship's clerk, accountant | ||||
| Sailmaker | sailmaker | ||||
| Master-at-arms | masterarmus | ||||
| Caulker | caulker | ||||
| Ropemaker | ropemaker | ||||
| Armourer | gunsmith | ||||
| Chief Petty Officers | |||||
| Carpenter | Hired at the discretion of the ship's captain | By order of the captain | blue camisole with navy buttons, fisherman's hat | ship carpenter | |
| Boatswain | boatswain | ||||
| Gunner | bombardier | ||||
| Civilian specialists | |||||
| Cook | Typically hired by the ship's captain | By order of the captain | civilian clothing | cook | |
| Steward | Stuart | ||||
| School teacher | teacher | ||||
| Captain's Clerk | clerk | ||||
| Assistant specialists | |||||
| Surgeon's mate | Royal Medical Commission | cockpit | blue frock coat with white trim | ship's surgeon's assistant | |
| Master's mate | No uniform requirements have been established | coxswain | |||
| Midshipman's mate | blue frock coat with white trim and naval buttons on the cuffs and collar, fisherman's hat | junior midshipman | |||
| Warrant officers | |||||
| Chaplain | Church of England | officer's mess | blue frock coat with gold naval buttons, fisherman's hat | chaplain, only on large ships | |
| Surgeon | Medical commission | ship surgeon | |||
| Purser | Supply Commission | ship's accountant, supplier | |||
| Master | Naval College | senior helmsman | |||
| Acting lieutenant | captain of the ship | Not regulated | acting lieutenant | ||
| Cadets | |||||
| Naval Cadet | Maritime educational institution, ship captain | officer's mess | uniform was not installed | cadet, naval school student | |
| Midshipman | blue frock coat with white lapels and navy buttons on the cuffs and collar, fisherman's hat | midshipman | |||
| Midshipman ordinary | before 1816 | midshipman trainee | |||
| Midshipman extraordinary | 1816 - 1842 | midshipman, officer candidate | |||
| Officers | |||||
| Lieutenant | Admiralty | officer's cabin | blue frock coat with white lapels and naval buttons, white embroidery, later - epaulettes, cocked hat | lieutenant, unit commander | |
| Commander | blue frock coat with white embroidery, gold buttons, later - epaulettes, cocked hat | commander, captain of an unranked ship | |||
| Post-captain | captain without a ship under his command | ||||
| Captain | captain of the ship | ||||
| Flag captain | captain of the flagship | ||||
| Commodore | blue frock coat and cocked hat with gold embroidery, later - epaulettes | commander of a formation of ships | |||
| Admirals | |||||
| Rear admiral | royal decree | admiralty cabin | blue frock coat and cocked hat with gold embroidery, gold buttons, and later epaulettes | squadron rearguard commander | |
| Vice admiral | squadron vanguard commander | ||||
| Admiral | squadron corps commander | ||||
| Admiral of the fleet | fleet commander | ||||
In the British Navy, since the 16th century, the division of the entire fleet into three squadrons was introduced: Blue (junior), White (middle) and Red (senior), with corresponding admiral's flags. Thus, a total of 9 admiral positions were provided for in the fleet:
- Admiral of the Red Squadron Fleet
- Admiral of the White Squadron
- Admiral of the Blue Squadron
- Vice Admiral of the Red Squadron
- Vice Admiral of the White Squadron
- Vice Admiral of the Blue Squadron
- Rear Admiral of the Red Squadron
- Rear Admiral of the White Squadron
- Rear Admiral of the Blue Squadron
The supreme command was exercised by the Admiral of the Red Squadron Fleet. For fleet admirals who did not have main squadrons under their command, the rank of fleet admiral of the Yellow Squadron was introduced, and for port commanders - the rank of port admiral. port admiral). Both additional admiral ranks did not give the right to their own flag. Squadron gradations were formally abolished in 1815. While commanding a formation of ships, commodores were given the right to hoist a braid pennant.
Titles in the second half of the 19th century
The reform of the rank system was carried out on April 11, 1856. Epaulets and sleeve patches were officially approved as distinctive signs. The rank system of 1856 did not introduce fundamental changes to the tables of ranks, but they were systematized and the fleet received a unified system that greatly simplified management. Differences were made regarding service life, and specializations were moved beyond ranks and titles.
| English navy ranks of the 19th century | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranks | Insignia | Years of validity | Notes | |||
| original name | Russian variant | Epaulet | Patches | Buttonhole | ||
| Boy | cabin boy | |||||
| Ordinary Seaman | Sailor | blue | In 1854-1892 it was divided into 2 classes. | |||
| Able Seaman | Senior sailor | blue | ||||
| Leading Seaman | Leading Sailor | anchor | blue | 1853 - present | May have several sailors under his command. | |
| Second Class Petty Officers | Petty Officers II Class | anchor | blue with sewing | 1807 - 1907 | ||
| First Class Petty Officers | Petty Officers 1st Class | anchor with crown | blue with sewing | 1807 - 1913 | ||
| Petty Officers | Petty Officers | anchor with crown | blue with sewing | since 1913 | ||
| Chief Petty Officer | Chief Petty Officer | anchor with crown and oak branches | blue with sewing | since 1913 | ||
| Naval Cadet | Cadet | gold buttonhole | since 1854 | |||
| Midshipmen | Midshipman | three lapel buttons | gold buttonhole on a white background | |||
| Mate | Assistant | black | before 1861 | |||
| Sub Lieutenant | Lieutenant | one lumen with loop | black with button | since 1861 | ||
| Lieutenant | Lieutenant | gold | two clearances | black with button | ||
| Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant Commander | gold with anchor | three clearances, medium narrow | blue with gold edging | ||
| Commander | Commander | gold with anchor | three lumens | blue with gold edging | ||
| Captain | Captain less than 3 years of service | golden with crown | 4 clearances | blue with gold edging | ||
| Captain | Captain more than 3 years of service | gold with anchor and crown | 4 clearances | blue with gold edging | ||
| Captain of the Fleet | Fleet Captain | gold with anchor and crown | blue with gold edging | |||
| Commodore 2nd class | Commodore 2nd class | gold with star | wide clearance with loop | blue with gold embroidery | ||
| Commodore 1st class | Commodore 1st Class | gold with star | wide and narrow openings | blue with gold embroidery | ||
| Rear admiral | Rear Admiral | gold with star | wide and narrow openings | blue with gold embroidery | ||
| Vice admiral | Vice Admiral | gold with two stars | wide and two narrow openings | blue with gold embroidery | ||
| Admiral | Admiral | gold with three stars | wide and three narrow openings | blue with gold embroidery | ||
| Admiral of the fleet | Fleet Admiral | gold with three stars, anchor and crown | wide and 4 narrow clearances | blue with gold embroidery | ||
Since 1856, cabin crews have accepted young men no younger than 14 years old who have undergone special training in special educational institutions within 6-10 months. As a rule, cabin boys under 16 years old had 2nd class, over 16 - 1st class, and at the age of 18 they were awarded the rank of sailor. Since 1956, instead of the rank of cabin boy, the rank of junior sailor began to be awarded. Junior Seaman).
Ranks during the World Wars
The appearance of complex mechanisms on ships required the presence of more narrowly qualified specialists in the crews. This caused a strengthening of the role of warrant officers, among whom were transferred boatswains, cooks, clerks, carpenters, chaplains and other narrow specialists who had a predetermined staff under their subordination. Taking the position of a warrant officer required serious preparation, since the newly installed ship equipment required a significant amount of knowledge.
In 1913, special “Royal Instructions and Admiralty Orders” were developed, which regulated the training of specialists and their areas of specialization.
As new technologies emerged, the composition of the core services changed, but the principle of servicing technically complex devices by warrant officers remained unchanged.
| English Navy ranks after 1913 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranks | Insignia | Notes | |||
| original name | Russian variant | Epaulet (Epaulette) | Patches | Buttonhole | |
| Boy | cabin boy | chevrons on the sleeve mean class, stars - qualification | |||
| Ordinary Seaman | Sailor | ||||
| Able Seaman | Senior sailor | ||||
| Leading Seaman | Leading Sailor | ||||
| Petty Officer | Sergeant Major | ||||
| Chief Petty Officer | Chief Petty Officer | three gold buttons on the cuffs | |||
| Naval Cadet | Cadet | ||||
| Midshipmen | Midshipman | ||||
| Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer | ||||
| Acting Sub Lieutenant | Actual junior lieutenant | ||||
| Sub Lieutenant | Ensign | ||||
| Lieutenant | Lieutenant | ||||
| Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant Commander | ||||
| Commander | Commander | ||||
| Captain | Captain | ||||
| Commodore 2nd Class | Commodore 2nd class | ||||
| Commodore 1st Class | Commodore 1st Class | ||||
| Rear admiral | Rear Admiral | ||||
| Vice admiral | Vice Admiral | ||||
| Admiral | Admiral | ||||
| Admiral of the fleet | Fleet Admiral | ||||
Epaulettes were officially abolished in 1939.
For female officers there was their own scale of ranks:
- Director, equivalent to rear admiral
- Deputy Director equivalent to Commodore 2nd class
- Superintendent equivalent captain
- Chief Officer equivalent to commander
- First Officer equivalent lieutenant commander
- Second Officer equivalent to lieutenant
- Third Officer equivalent to sub-lieutenant
On female signs differences, blue was used instead of gold.
Ranks and ranks of the Royal Navy of Great Britain
Currently, the ranks of the British Navy are unified with NATO standards.
The general administration of the Royal Navy is carried out by the Admiralty.
Personnel training for the fleet is carried out in special educational institutions, which are financed and managed by the Admiralty.
| Junior squad | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Able Seaman | Leading Rate | Petty Officer | Chief Petty Officer | Warrant Officer | |
| Shoulder strap | |||||
| Abbreviation | AB | Cpl | P.O. | CPO | WO1 |
| NATO code | OR-2 | OR-4 | OR-6 | OR-7 | OR-9 |
| Officers | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officer cadet | Midshipman | Sub lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant-commander | Commander | Captain | Commodore | Rear admiral | Vice admiral | Admiral | Admiral of the Fleet | |
| Shoulder strap | ||||||||||||
| Chevron | ||||||||||||