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BR 2

THE QUEEN’S REGULATIONS FOR THE ROYAL NAVY

Consolidated Edition
Issued 1997
This edition incorporates
Changes 1 - 8, updating
The Queen’s Regulations (BR 2)
revised 1989

LONDON: The Stationery Office

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CONTENTS

Introductory Order by the Defence Council, page iii

J. Government and Command of the Services, page xv
Instructions for Use, page xxi
Explanation of Terms, page xxiii

BOOK ONE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, COMMAND AND ORGANIZATION

Chapter 1 Composition of the Naval Service and Jurisdiction of QRRN

Section I Composition of the Naval Service
Section II Jurisdiction of QRRN
Chapter 2 Government, Higher Command and Organization
Chapter 3 Rank and Command
Section I Relative Rank
Section II Officers of Flag Rank and Commodores
Section III Entitlement to Command
Section IV Ship’s Company
Section V Royal Marines
J.Section VI Command and Corresponding Rank
Section VII Degrees of Command and Administration
Chapter 4 Spare
Chapter 5 Resources and Finance
Chapter 6 Spare
BOOK TWO INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFICERS AND OTHERS
Part I Commanders-in-Chief and Senior Officers
Chapter 7 Instructions to Commanders-in-Chief and Senior Officers
Section I General Instructions
Section II Instructions relating to Ships
Section III Instructions relating to Shore Establishments

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Part II Commanding Officers

Chapter 8 Instructions to Commanding Officers
Section I Sea Command
Section II General Instructions
Section III Organization
Section IV Supply Duties
Section V Weapons and Weapon Systems
Section VI Ship Upkeep, Maintenance and Repair
Section VII New Construction Ships and Submarines
Part III Heads of Department
Chapter 9 The Executive Officer
Section I The Executive Officer
Section II The Executive Officer (Submarines)
Section III The Executive Officer (Naval Air Squadrons)
Chapter 10 The Engineer Officer
Section I The Staff Engineer Officer
Section II Heads of Engineering Departments
Section III The Marine Engineer Officer (Surface Ships)
Section IV The Marine Engineer Officer (Submarines)
Section V The Weapon Engineer Officer (Surface Ships)
Section VI The Weapon Engineer Officer (Submarines)
Chapter 11 The Air Engineer Officer
Chapter 12 The Supply Officer & Officer carrying out Supply Duties
Chapter 13 Spare
Chapter 14 The Officer Commanding Royal Marines
Chapter 15 Medical Branch Officers
Section I Medical Officers
Section II Officer in Medical Charge
Section III Dental Officers
Section IV QARNNS Officers
Chapter 16 The Chaplain
Chapter 17 Spare

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Part IV Divisional Responsibilities

Chapter 18 Divisional Officers
Part V Specialist Officers
Chapter 19 Warfare Officers
Section I Principal Warfare Officers
Section II Navigating Officer/Submarine Navigating Officer
Section III Mine Warfare & Clearance Diving Officer
Section IV The Operations Officer
Section V The Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic
Officer
Chapter 20 Spare
Chapter 21 Physical Training and Sports Officers
Chapter 22 Communications Officers
Section I The Signal Communication Officer
Section II The Signal Communication Officer (Submarines)
Section III The Electronic Warfare Officer
Section IV The Communication Security Officer/Crypto Custodian
Chapter 23 The Submarine Officer
Section I The Sonar Officer
Section III The Officer of the Watch in Dived Submarines
Chapter 24 Aviation Officers
Chapter 25 Photographic Officers
Part VI Officers and Others Allocated Particular Tasks
Chapter 26 Operations Room Personnel
Chapter 27 Personnel with Responsibilities for the Control of Diving
Chapter 28 Officers Responsible for Explosives
Chapter 29 Establishment Security Officer
Chapter 30 Officer of the Watch
Chapter 31 Officer Responsible for Education and Resettlement Duties
Chapter 32 Young Officer’s Training Officer
Chapter 33 Public Relations Officers

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Chapter 34 Boatswain, Master at Arms, Chief of the Boat and Coxswain

Section I The Officer borne for Boatswain’s Duties
Section II The Master at Arms, Chief of the Boat and Coxswain
Chapter 35 Duties and Privileges of Warrant Officers, Chief Petty Officers, Petty
Officers and Leading Ratings
BOOK THREE REGULATIONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NAVAL SERVICE
Part I Discipline and Conduct
Chapter 36 Discipline-and-Conduct - General
Chapter 37 Jurisdiction
Chapter 38 Misconduct and Negligence of Officers
Chapter 39 Civil Power
Chapter 40 Deserters and Absentees
Chapter 41 Spare
Chapter 42 Representations and Complaints; Race Relations Act
Section I Representations and Complaints
Section II Equality and Diversity
Part II Operational Matters
Chapter 43 Spare
Chapter 44 Aviation
Section I General
Section II Special and Passenger Flights
Chapter 45 Collisions and other Navigational Incidents
Chapter 46 Salvage and Special Services
Section I Prize Money and Awards for Salvage and Special Services -
General
Section II Salvage - General
Section III Salvage of HM Ships and Vessels
Section IV Salvage of Private Ships
Section V Salvage of Private Property
Section VI Salvage or Recovery of Naval Property

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Chapter 47 Geneva Conventions - Provision of Identity Cards and Armlets; Prisoners

of War
Section I General
Section II General
Section III F. Ident 106 and Red Cross Armlet
Section IV F. Ident 107 and Armlet
Section V F. Ident 108
Section VI Prisoners of War
Section VII Law of Armed Conflict
Chapter 48 Military Aid to the Civil Authorities
Section I Military Aid to the Civil Authorities - General
Section II Deleted
Section III Service Assistance in Disasters Overseas
Section IV Local Defence and Internal Security in Overseas Territories
Chapter 49 Reserve and Disposal List Ships
Chapter 50 Spare
Part III Casualties
Chapter 51 Casualty Procedures
Chapter 52 Spare
Chapter 53 Accidental Death or Injury; Inquests
Chapter 54 Spare
Chapter 55 Wills and Effects
Section I Wills
Section II Disposal of Pay and Effects
Chapter 56 Sea Cadet Corps - Definition of Duty
Part IV Boards of Inquiry
Chapter 57 Boards of Inquiry
Section I General
Section II Procedure and Notes for Guidance
Part V General Legal Matters
Chapter 58 Legal Advice and Proceedings

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Chapter 59 Compensation and Claims

Section I Compensation for Lost and Damaged Service Kit and
Personal Effects
Section II Common Law/Maritime Claims
Section III Special Procedures for Claims Arising in Foreign Countries
Section IV Matters Incidental to Claims and Offences Abroad
Chapter 60 Indemnities
Chapter 61 Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Section I General
Section II Banns of Marriage in HM Ships at Sea
Section III Notice of Marriage in HM Ships at Sea
Section IV Marriages in Naval Chapels
Section V Naval and Royal Marines Chapels Licensed or Registered
for Marriages
Chapter 62 Quarantine and Animals
Section I Quarantine
Section II Service Animals
Section III Domestic Animals
Chapter 63 Customs
Chapter 64 Jury Service
Chapter 65 Working with Children and Vulnerable Persons
Part VI Political Matters; Security; Official Information and Public Relations
Chapter 66 Political Activities; Parliamentary Candidature
Chapter 67 Electoral Registration
Chapter 68 Activities Involving the Use of Official Information or Experience
Chapter 69 Parliamentary Enquiries and Correspondence
Chapter 70 Security
Chapter 71 Spare
Part VII Relations with Foreign and Commonwealth Countries
Chapter 72 Relations with Foreign and Commonwealth Countries

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Part VIII General Administration

Chapter 73 Spare
Chapter 74 Dress and Decorations
Chapter 75 Religion and the Chaplaincy Services
Chapter 76 Education and Resettlement
Chapter 77 Medical
Chapter 78 Identity Cards
Chapter 79 Spare
Chapter 80 Welfare Committee, Canteen and Non Public Funds
Section I Welfare Committee and Ship’s Welfare Fund
Section II Messes, Canteens and Bars - Authorization and Licensing
Section III Canteens and Bars - Self-run System
Section IV Service Funds
Chapter 81 Messing and Accommodation
Section I Messing of Officers
Section II Cabins
Section III Messing of Ship’s Company
Section IV Visitors and Passengers - Entertainment and Hospitality
Section V Official Residences and Married Quarters
Section VI Private Accommodation
Chapter 82 Spare
Chapter 83 Commercial Sponsorship
Chapter 84 Business Activities and Private Interests
Section I Business Activities
Section II Crown Service and Private Interests
Chapter 85 Extraneous Services
Section I General Principles
Section II Basic Procedures
Section III Waiving or Reducing Charges
Section IV Departmental Accounting Instructions

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Chapter 86 Spare
Chapter 87 Definitions and Counting of Service; Duty Status
Section I Definitions and Counting of Service
Section II Duty Status
Chapter 88 Ships’ and Establishments’ Badges and Mottoes
Chapter 89 Inventions, Patents and Awards for Suggestions
Chapter 90 TV Licences in HM Ships and Shore Establishments
Part IX Ceremonial
Chapter 91 Standards, Flags and Colours
Section I Standards and Distinguishing Flags
Section II Colours
Section III Flags in Boats, Aircraft and Cars
Chapter 92 Military Honours and Marks of Respect
Chapter 93 Official Visits, Precedence and Ceremonies
Chapter 94 Gun Salutes
Chapter 95 Funeral Honours
Chapter 96 Service Bands
Section I General Instructions
Section II Definitions
Section III Engagements
Section IV Music
Chapter 97 Royal Marines Band Service and Volunteer Bands
Section I Command and Control
Section II Administration
Section III Ceremonial
Section IV Band Instruments and Equipment
Section V Engagement Categories
Section VI Volunteer Bands
INDEX
List of Effective Pages

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BY THE DEFENCE COUNCIL

THE REGULATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS contained in this volume (to be designated

The Queen’s Regulations for the Royal Navy) have been established by Her Majesty’s
Order in Council for the government of Her Majesty’s Naval Service and of all those
serving Her Majesty in association with or for the purposes of the Naval Service.

All Commanders-in-Chief, Flag Officers and other officers in command of Her Majesty’s
ships and vessels or in charge of naval establishments, are hereby required and directed
to observe and obey these Regulations and Instructions and to take care that the officers
and others under their command also pay the most strict attention and obedience thereto.

Every officer shall make himself acquainted with and shall duly observe and obey, and so
far as he is able enforce the due execution of, the Naval Discipline Act or other Acts in
force, these Regulations, and all other regulations, orders or instructions that may be
issued by the Defence Council or on their Authority, and shall in all respects act in
conformity with the established customs and practices of Her Majesty’s Service at sea.

Every direction contained herein is to be considered applicable to all whom it may concern,
though it may appear in a chapter addressed to a particular class of officer.

By Command of the Defence Council,

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GOVERNMENT AND COMMAND OF THE ROYAL NAVY AND THE ROYAL MARINES

J. GOVERNMENT AND COMMAND OF THE SERVICES

1.The government and command of each of the fighting Services is vested in Her Majesty
The Queen, who has charged the Secretary of State with general responsibility for the
defence of the Realm and established a Defence Council having command and
administration over Her Armed Forces.

2.The Defence (Transfer of Functions) Act 1964 transferred to the Secretary of State the
statutory functions of the previous Secretaries of State for War and Air and (except for
certain specified functions relating to command and administration) of the former Board of
Admiralty. The Act transferred to the Defence Council the statutory functions of the former
Army Council and Air Council and corresponding statutory functions (including the
excepted functions referred to above) of the former Board of Admiralty.

3.The Letters Patent of the Defence Council are reproduced at Annex A. The Council are
given the prerogative functions of the former Board of Admiralty, Army Council and Air
Council, are given administrative functions, are given command of all members of the
Forces and are directed to set up an Admiralty Board, an Army Board and an Air Force
Board.

4.The Directions of the Defence Council setting out the composition and duties of the
Admiralty Board are reproduced at ANNEX B. The Board have, under the Defence
Council, command over the officers, ratings and marines of Her Majesty’s naval and
marine forces; subject to the orders and directions of the Defence Council, they are
charged with the administration of matters relating to the naval and marine forces.

5.The Defence (Transfer of Functions) Act 1964 empowers the Admiralty Board to
discharge the statutory functions of the Defence Council, subject to any Directions of the
Council. The effect of the above Directions is to confine this power, in the main, to statutory
functions relating to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Certain prerogative functions
under Orders in Council relating to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines were transferred to
the Secretary of State who in practice is advised on such matters by the Admiralty Board.
The Army and Air Force Boards have been empowered by Royal Warrant to exercise
concurrently certain prerogative functions.

6.The regulations governing the administration of the Royal Fleet Reserve, the Royal
Naval Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve are contained in BRs 61, 60 and 63
respectively.

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J. ANNEX A

LETTERS PATENT CONSTITUTING THE DEFENCE COUNCIL

ELIZABETH THE SECOND BY THE GRACE OF GOD of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen Head of the
Commonwealth Defender of the Faith

To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting. Whereas We did by Our Letters
Patent, under the Great Seal of Our Realm bearing date the fourth day of May in the forty-
second year of Our Reign constitute and appoint the persons therein named to be Our
Defence Council to exercise on Our behalf the functions of Our Prerogative as therein
mentioned And Whereas We are desirous of changing the constitution of Our said Defence
Council Now Therefore Know Ye that We do revoke with effect from the fifth day of
November in the forty-eighth year of Our Reign Our Letters Patent bearing date the fourth
day of May in the forty-second year of Our Reign aforesaid And Further Know Ye that We
do constitute and appoint as from the said fifth day of November the following persons in
place of those constituted and appointed by Our Letters Patent aforesaid that is to say Our
Principal Secretary of State for Defence the Minister of State for the Armed Forces the
Minister of State for Defence Procurement the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for
Defence the Chief of the Defence Staff the Permanent Under Secretary of State of the
Ministry of Defence the Chief of the Naval Staff and First Sea Lord the Chief of the General
Staff the Chief of the Air Staff the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff the Chief of Defence
Procurement for the Ministry of Defence the Chief Scientific Adviser of the Ministry of
Defence the Chief of Defence Logistics and the Second Permanent Under Secretary of
State of the Ministry of Defence to be Our Defence Council to exercise on Our behalf the
functions of Our Prerogative which have heretofore on Our behalf been exercised by Our
Defence Council constituted and appointed by Our Letters Patent aforesaid and in
particular to administer such matters pertaining to Our Naval Military and Air Forces as We
shall through Our Principal Secretary of State for Defence direct them to execute And to
have command under Us of all Officers and Ratings Soldiers and Airmen of Our Naval
Military and Air Forces And Further Know Ye that Our Principal Secretary of State for
Defence (or in his absence one of Our Ministers of State aforesaid) shall be Chairman of
Our Defence Council so constituted and for the business of which he shall be responsible
to Us and to Parliament And the said Permanent Under Secretary of State of the Ministry
of Defence shall be the Secretary of Our Defence Council Provided that Our Defence
Council may appoint such other person or persons to act as Secretary or Secretaries in
addition to the said Permanent Under Secretary of State as Our Defence Council may think
fit And We do empower and direct Our Defence Council to establish an Admiralty Board
an Army Board and an Air Force Board to be charged with the administration of such
matters relating to Our Naval Military and Air Forces as Our Defence Council shall direct
And to have command under Us and Our Defence Council of all Officers and Ratings
Soldiers and Airmen whom Our Defence Council shall place under their command And We
do grant Our Defence Council authority to give and dispose of all such Offices places and
employments in Our Naval Military and Air Forces as shall become or be made vacant And
We enjoin all such Officers and all others whom it may concern to be obedient to Our
Defence Council and to the Boards established by Our Defence Council by virtue of these
Presents in all things as becometh And Further Know Ye that the powers of Our Defence
Council and of the Boards so appointed may be exercised and their duties performed by
any two of their members and any document may be signed on behalf of our Defence
Council or of any of the said Boards by any two of their members or by the Secretary or

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person acting as Secretary of Our Defence Council or of that Board And We do further
direct that the arrangements for the administration and government of Our Naval Military
and Air Forces described in these Our Letters shall come into effect on the said fifth day
of November in the forty-eighth year of Our Reign In Witness whereof We have caused
these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourself at Westminister the fifth day of
November in the forty-eighth year of Our Reign

By Warrant Under the Queens Sign Manual

Phillips

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ANNEX B

DIRECTIONS OF THE DEFENCE COUNCIL AS TO THE

ADMIRALTY BOARD
THE ADMIRALTY BOARD DIRECTIONS 2000

The Defence Council, in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by the Letters Patent
of Her Majesty dated 5 November 1999 and by section 1(5) of the Defence (Transfer of
Functions) Act 1964, and of all other powers them thereunto enabling, hereby give the
following Directions:

Commencement, citation, revocation and interpretation

1.
i These Directions shall come into operation forthwith and may be cited as “The
Admiralty Board Directions 2000”.
ii The Admiralty Board Directions 1995 are hereby revoked, without prejudice,
however, to the validity of anything done by virtue of those Directions.
iii Any document referring to the Admiralty Board Directions 1995 or to any provision
thereof shall, so far as may be necessary for preserving its effect, be construed
as referring to these Directions or, as the case may be, to the corresponding
provision thereof.
iv The Interpretation Act 1978 shall apply for the purpose of interpreting these
Directions as it applies for the purpose of interpreting an Act of Parliament.

The Admiralty Board

2.
i The Admiralty Board shall consist of the holders for the time being of the following
offices:
the Secretary of State for Defence,
the Minister of State for the Armed Forces,
the Minister of State for Defence Procurement,
the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence,
the Chief of the Naval Staff and First Sea Lord,
the Second Permanent Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Defence,
the Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command,
the Commander-in-Chief, Fleet,
the Controller of the Navy,
the Naval Member for Logistics,
the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff.
ii The Secretary of State for Defence shall be Chairman of the Admiralty Board; but
in his absence the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, the Minister of State for
Defence Procurement, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence or
such other person as the Secretary of State shall designate may act as Chairman.
iii The Second Permanent Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Defence shall
be the Secretary of the Admiralty Board: provided that the Admiralty Board may
appoint such other person or persons to act as Secretary or Secretaries in
addition to him as the Board may think fit.

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Duties of the Admiralty Board

3.

i The Admiralty Board shall under the Defence Council have command over the
officers, ratings and marines of Her Majesty’s naval and marine forces.
ii The Admiralty Board is hereby charged with the administration of all such matters
relating to the naval and marine forces as may be administered by the Defence
Council; subject always, however, to any further orders or directions given by the
Defence Council.

Directions as to statutory functions

4.The functions under enactments conferred on the Defence Council by the operation of
section 1 of the Defence (Transfer of Functions) Act 1964 which are to be exercisable by
the Admiralty Board shall, subject to any further direction which may be given by the
Defence Council, not include functions which were before the coming into effect of that Act
not exercisable by the Admiralty.

Dated this 28th day of February 2000

Her Majesty’s Principal S of State for Defence
Permanent Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

J.1. The letter ‘J’ preceding a paragraph number [Article number in QRRN] indicates that
the paragraph [Article] (apart from the number and from necessary differences in relation
to ranks, cross-references, etc.) is published in identical form normally in Queen’s
Regulations, for each of the three Services. In the case of the Royal Navy and the Army,
certain of these paragraphs appear not in Queen’s Regulations but in other specialised
regulations, and appropriate references are made in Queen’s Regulations for the Royal
Navy, and Queen’s Regulations for the Army to these other publications. The text of the ‘J’
paragraphs [Articles] may not be amended without inter-Service agreement.

2. Amendments to QRRN are published as a matter of routine business and a change is

not issued until there is sufficient material to warrant action. Amendments requiring more
immediate promulgation should initially be issued as a Defence Council Instruction (DIN),
Signal or Advance Information Leaflet which should be retained until the next update.

3. Amendments should be submitted, where possible electronically by email to

Fleet-DCS-LAW-LC 2E.

4. Unless the contrary intention appears, words importing the masculine gender include
the feminine.

5. Any errors, or queries on the contents of this publication should be referred to the
sponsor of the relevant chapter, shown in the chapter heading, for onward transmission by
the sponsor to FLEET DCS LAW, MAILPOINT 4-2, LEACH BUILDING, WHALE ISLAND,
PORTSMOUTH, PO2 8BY, (02392 62 5878), if necessary.

6. Chapter sponsors are reminded that they are responsible for their chapters and thus the
contents therein until such time as it is agreed that sponsorship should be assumed by
another branch. Any transfer of sponsorship to another branch or organisation must be
agreed between the two parties concerned and notified to FLEET DCS LAW, as soon as
possible.

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EXPLANATION OF TERMS

In these regulations and instructions the following terms shall have the meanings given
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Ministry of Defence: Defence Council: Admiralty Board. These terms are to be

distinguished as follows. Functions of the former Admiralty resting on statute and Letters
Patent were transferred from 1st April, 1964, either to the Secretary of State or to the
Defence Council. The Defence Council has by Direction delegated the administration of
the naval forces to the Admiralty Board. Orders and instructions to those forces (including
those in this book) are issued on the authority of the Defence Council. The references to
the ‘Ministry of Defence’ or to departments of the Ministry charged with naval matters,
which for convenience frequently occur in this book, are to be read in the light of this
explanation.

Superior Authority. The officer under whose immediate orders a Flag or other officer may
be placed or is serving at the time. If the Flag or other officer is acting under Ministry of
Defence orders and is not in the presence of a senior officer it shall mean the Ministry of
Defence.

Entitlement to command

Command )
Military command )
Sea command ) See Chapter 3, Section III
)
Special command
)

Degrees of command and administration

Full command )
Operational command )
Operational control )
)
Tactical controll command
)
Operational chain of command )
Officer in tactical command ) See Chapter 3, Section VII
Administration )
Administrative control )
Administrative chain of command )
Local administration )
)
Administrative authority

Flag Officer. An officer of the rank of Rear-Admiral or above exercising command and
authorized by the Ministry of Defence to fly a flag.

Officer of Flag rank. An officer of Rear-Admiral’s rank or above.

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Commander-in-Chief. An officer appointed to the chief command of a station, fleet or

squadron; and, in general routine duties, the officer in command of a station or squadron
or on whom such command may have devolved.

Commodore. See Para 0323.

The Captain. The officer appointed to command the ship.

The Commanding Officer. The officer or other person on board and in actual command
at the moment (except for the purposes of the Naval Discipline Act - see Para 0336).

The Executive Officer. The officer carrying out the executive duties of the ship.

The Marine Engineer Officer. The officer in charge of the Marine Engineering
Department in a ship or establishment.

The Weapon Engineer Officer. The officer in charge of the Weapon Engineering
Department in a ship or establishment.

The Commander (Air). The officer in charge of the Air Department of a ship, if of the rank
of Commander.

The Air Engineer Officer. The officer in charge of the Air Engineering Department of a
ship or establishment.

The Supply Officer. The officer in charge of the supply and secretariat duties of a ship or
establishment.

The Medical Officer. The officer in charge of the medical duties of a ship or establishment.

The Dental Officer. The officer in charge of the dental duties of a ship or establishment.

The Instructor Officer. The officer in charge of the education of officers and men to meet
the requirements both of Service training and of the individual for advancement or other
purposes.

The X (HM) Officer. The officer who is accountable to the Commanding Officer for the
delivery of hydrographic, meteorological and oceanographic advice including tactical
exploitation of the environment.

The Officer Commanding Royal Marines. The officer in charge or command of the Royal
Marines detachment or special parties embarked in the ship.

Officer. In relation to any of HM Naval Forces a person of or above the rank of cadet, and
in relation to any other forces an officer of corresponding rank or any superior rank, except
where the term ‘superior officer’ is used.

Superior Officer. For the purpose of the Naval Discipline Act, an officer, or a rating not
below the rate of Leading Seaman, or a non-commissioned officer not below the rank of
Corporal who is a higher rank or rate, or senior in the same rank or rate, and who is subject
to the Act.

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Subordinate Officer. An Acting Sub-Lieutenant, Midshipman or cadet, or a Second

Lieutenant, RM.

Senior Upper Yardman. A rating candidate for officer rank over the age of 26 but under
the age of 46.

Senior Corps Commision. An RM or RM Band Service other rank candidate for officer
rank over the age of 26 but under the age of 46

Initial Commission (IC). The commission in which all entrants to the officer corps join
from 1 April 1999, whether recruits from civilian life or from the rating corps/ranks.

Career Commission (CC). The Commission to which officers on the IC may transfer. It
extends a commission to 16 years’ service from the age of 21, or date of joining if later.

Full Term Commission (FTC). The commission to which officers on the CC may transfer.
It extends a career to retirement age.

Officers and ratings. Except where the context requires otherwise, the term ‘officers and
ratings’ in these regulations is to be read as including all officers, Warrant Officers, Chief
Petty Officers, Petty Officers and non-commissioned officers, ratings and other ranks of
the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service and
Women’s Royal Naval Service.

Warrant Officers. The highest rate in the rating structure of the RN QARNNS and WRNS.

Petty Officers. To include Chief Petty Officers and Petty Officers and ratings of equivalent
status in all branches, except when used as the title of seaman ratings.

Non-Commissioned Officer, Royal Marines. To include all Royal Marines from Lance-
Corporal up to Warrant Officer 1st Class, inclusive.

Commonwealth. The British Commonwealth of Nations, which includes both members of

the Commonwealth (i.e., the fully self-governing countries) and the colonies and other
dependent territories administered by Commonwealth governments. The expression
‘other Commonwealth countries’ is used to denote the fully self-governing members of the
Commonwealth other than the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty’s ship. The title of Her Majesty’s ship (HMS) is confined strictly to
commissioned ships flying the White Ensign and is not applicable to fleet auxiliaries.

Flagship. A ship flying the flag of a Flag Officer or the broad pendant of a Commodore.

Tender. A ship or vessel whose officers and men are appointed or drafted to and borne on
the books of another ship being a parent ship.

Independent command. A ship whose officers and men are appointed or drafted direct
to her and borne on her books, irrespective of where her accounts are carried.

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Royal Fleet Auxiliary. A fleet auxiliary vessel manned by a mercantile crew, owned (or
operated on long-term charter) and managed by the Ministry of Defence (Navy) for the
purposes of the naval service.

Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary. A vessel, manned with a mercantile crew, under commercial
management, chartered or requisitioned by the Department of the Environment for
operation by the Ministry of Defence (Navy).

Ships (or vessels) in the naval service. All ships and vessels - formerly known as
‘Admiralty vessels’ - owned or operated by the Ministry of Defence (Navy), for naval and
fleet (or port) auxiliary purposes which are not commissioned as Her Majesty’s ships.

Naval establishment. Any establishment under the control of the Secretary of State and
maintained for any purpose of the naval service, whether within or without Her Majesty’s
dominions.

Fleet establishment. Any naval establishment manned by the Royal Navy, Royal
Marines, Women’s Royal Naval Service or by civilians engaged for Fleet services.

Civil establishment. Any naval establishment manned on a civilian basis, e.g.,

dockyards, victualling yards, naval armament depots, etc.

Medical establishment. Naval hospital or sick quarters.

Hospital. Military hospital, hospital ship or sick quarters.

By telegram. Embraces all means of rapid communication, except in cases where it is

specially desired to indicate a particular form of rapid communication (such as ‘by radio’,
or ‘by cable’).

A month. For all purposes connected with pay and time, except as shown below, or as
otherwise provided by statute, the following scale is to be observed whenever the words
‘month’ or ‘months’ are used:

1 month shall be equal to 30 days and vice versa.

2 months shall be equal to 61 days and vice versa.
3 months shall be equal to 91 days and vice versa.
4 months shall be equal to 121 days and vice versa.
5 months shall be equal to 152 days and vice versa.
6 months shall be equal to 182 days and vice versa.
7 months shall be equal to 212 days and vice versa.
8 months shall be equal to 243 days and vice versa.
9 months shall be equal to 273 days and vice versa.
10 months shall be equal to 303 days and vice versa.
11 months shall be equal to 334 days and vice versa.

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Exceptions. Reckoning by the calendar is to be applied in the following matters:

a. Assessing the seniority of officers.

b. Qualifying service for advancement in rating.

c. Date of restoration of good conduct badges.

d. Date of restoration to first class for conduct.

e. Where specifically so directed in BR 1950, Naval Pay Regulations.

A year. Twelve months or one year shall be reckoned by the calendar for all purposes,
except for the calculation of ‘service’ and ‘service in a ship-of-war at sea’ necessary to
determine the eligibility for promotion of officers of certain ranks, which will continue to be
calculated at the rate of 365 days to a year. (See Chapter 87.)

i Care is to be taken in reckoning service by the calendar to allow for time lost as
the result of punishment, (e.g., cells, detention, etc.) or absence from the Service,
by adding the number of days lost to date as indicated by the calendar. When,
however, a period exceeding one year is involved the year (or years) is to be
reckoned by the calendar and the number of additional days added thereto.
ii Where a period of twelve months or one year begins on the last day of February
of any year, whether that date be the 28th or 29th of the month, the successive
years reckoned by the calendar shall be deemed to end on the day preceding the
last day of February, i.e., on the 27th (or on the 28th if a leap year) and, similarly,
where the period of calculation begins on the first day of March of any year, the
successive years reckoned by the calendar shall be deemed to end on the last
day of February, i.e., on the 28th (or on the 29th if a leap year).
iii Where a period of service ends within a leap year the 29th February should be
included for pension and gratuity purposes only, provided:

(a) The period of service is less than a year ending within a leap year;

(a) 29th February comes within the total number of days outside the full
calendar year.

Yearly. On 31st December of each year.

Half-yearly. On 30th June and 31st December.

Quarterly. On 31st March, 30th June, 30th September and 31st December, or by the
quarters ending on those dates. Exceptionally, quarterly reports on officers (see BR 8373
Officers’ Career Regulations) are to be rendered at intervals of three months from the
effective date of the Ministry of Defence instruction.

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BRd 2

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SAFE CONDUCT

OF HM SHIPS AT SEA (SEE PARA 0809)

Conduct. The direction of a team or management of a series of tasks in the performance

of a function, e.g., conduct of the ship, conduct of navigation, conduct of operations.
Conduct includes planning and may include execution.

Charge of the ship. The authority delegated by the Commanding Officer or the officer to
whom command or conduct has been delegated, to the Officer of the Watch (OOW) for the
safety of the ship at sea.

Navigation. The process of planning and executing the movement of ships from one place
to another. Navigation includes ocean and coastal movements and pilotage, giving due
consideration to problems of ship handling and collision avoidance.

Pilotage. Navigation involving frequent or continuous determination of position or a line of

position relative to geographic points, and usually requiring the need for close attention to
the vessel’s draught with respect to the depth of water. It is practised in the vicinity of land,
dangers, and navigational hazards.

Control. The action of a functional superior in issuing instruction and guidance in a clearly
defined professional field.

Planning. The predetermination of actions involving people and resources as an integral

part of conduct.

Execution. The act of putting into effect (the navigation plan, Captain’s orders etc).

Conning. The act of giving wheel, hydroplane or engine orders.

Advising. The act of providing information to assist the recipient in making a decision.

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