Rank and Rate: Royal Navy Officers' Insignia Since 1856

For over a century and a half, since the Uniform Regulations of 1856 were introduced, identification of rank among officers in the Royal Navy, its branches and its reserves has not been restricted to a single, or even small number, of insignia. Rank may be seen on jacket cuffs, on shoulder badges, on shoulder boards and on epaulettes. It may be seen on swords and buttons, and in the manner in which buttons are worn. Cap peaks indicate rank, as do collars, cocked hat ornaments and cuff slashes. Rank insignia varies just as much between officers of similar rank. Cap badges and variants of gold lace stripes divide Executive from Civil branches, and from the Royal Navy and its reserves. Civil branches were further divided, and some remain so to this day, by the addition of color between the gold lace stripes. For the first time the complete range of Royal Navy Officers' insignia may be seen and studied in a single, comprehensive guide. The badges, buttons, stripes, wings and stars are catalogued separately in order of rank and date of introduction. Where possible, actual examples are used, and where not, an accurate as possible reproduction is offered. In addition, original photographs show the insignia being worn over the past 150 years.