His Royal Navy officer rank insignia

This is a list of His Royal Navy officer rank insignia.

Ranks and insignia

Officers of His Royal Navy wear rank in various methods, either on the shoulder, cuff or chest. In Full dress, rarely worn by officers, a single lengthwise stripe of gold is worn on shoulder boards, usually black but depending on service branch, with various insignia of rank. These differ from the common shoulder board with the same design as the cuff, In this 'rig,' the cuff is embellished.

In No. 1 and No. 2 blue dress, solely cuff ranks are worn, while in the white dress equivalents, common shoulder boards are worn, while flag officers optionally may wear the full dress board. The same case as the No. 1 whites is true for No. 3 dress, blues and whites. Thus, officers of rank captain and junior rarely wear the elaborate shoulder board, and is most commonly seen among flag officers.

In No. 3C, 4A, 4B, and 5, shoulder straps are worn of the design of the cuff insignia. Some examples of a full dress style strap have been worn but are no longer permitted for wear. The cuff rank is rendered in black with an 'H.R.N.' title, when worn with army battledress.

Current

NATO equiv. code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Baustralia	Day dress and cuff insignia																															No equivalent
	Reserves insignia	No equivalent
	Volunteer insignia
	Rank	Admiral of the Fleet		Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		Commodore		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Sub lieutenant						Midshipman
	Abbreviation	Adm. of the F.		Adm.		VAdm.		RAdm.		Cdre.		Capt.		Cdr.		LtCdr.		Lt.		SLt.						Mdsp.
	Command flag

Former

NATO equiv. code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Baustralia (2017)																															No equivalent
	Lord High Admiral	Admiral of the Fleet	Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		Commodore		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Sub-lieutenant			Acting sub-lieutenant			Cadet
Abbreviation	Ld. H. Adm.	FAdm	Adm		VAdm		RAdm		Cdre		Capt(N)		Cdr		LtCdr		Lt(N)		SLt			ASLt			Cdt
Command flag

Distinguishing cloth

Distinguishing cloth is cloth worn by certain trades of officers in between the cuff lace. In the case of one lace, they wear a half inch cloth under the bar. It is also worn on the band of the tricorn hat and forage cap.

	Wardmasters of the Medical Branch.		Surgeons of the Medical Branch.		Dentists of the Medical Branch.		Civilians required to bear rank and uniform.
	Electrical engineers.		Instructors of the Administrative Branch.		Pursers of the Administrative Branch.		Ordance officers of the Logistics Branch.
			Other engineers.		Legal Branch.