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Royal Navy uniforms GB Stamp Issue 2009

As he is also a stamp collector, Mike has kindly offered GBStamp.co.uk the chance to publish the latest version of his critical report of the 2009 issue and the associated prestige booklet.

Final Report on the Royal Navy Uniforms Stamp Set & Prestige Booklet
Issued by Royal Mail on 17th September 2009

By: Mike Bishop MBE

I believe that my findings are soundly based. The only area of disagreement on the issues covered in this report, is the image on the ‘Able Seaman 1880’ stamp. I have had no feedback at all about the booklet from Royal Mail or any of the other authorities contacted.

The following statement issued by Royal Mail describes the standard set for the Royal Navy Uniforms stamps:

“Royal Mail has striven to show service personnel on duty. To this end we have collaborated with national collections that have supplied access to actual artefacts and image resources. In the case of the Able Seaman the image is based on illustrations of seamen in their working rig from a contemporary sketchbook…………”

The Stamps

Able Seaman 1880. The image chosen by Royal Mail is based on illustrations contained in a contemporary sketchbook. Although the cuff design was replaced in 1867, it is well known that uniform garments continued to be worn after they had been superseded. Indeed, at least one senior officer, at the time, expressed concern over the variety of non regulation clothing being worn in the fleet.

Comment: The reasons I disagree with the choice of image used are:

· Apart from that of the Able Seaman, the other four RN uniforms are in accordance with uniform regulations at the time and, as far as I am aware, so is that of the Royal Marine.

· The mixture of garments worn is unofficial and neither ceremonial nor working dress. The cuff design is 13 years out of date.

· From 1879, the sennet hat was worn only on ceremonial occasions.

· 1879 uniform regulations included a round cap and white or blue jumper, worn outside the trousers, on normal occasions of duty. For dirty work, there was a white duck jumper (without the blue collar) and duck trousers.

Based on the range and scale of kit issued in 1880, I believe that an Able Seaman’s working dress would have been the same or very similar to that in the following pictures:

Second Officer WRNS 1918.

Comments: The rank of ‘Second Officer WRNS’ was not introduced until sometime after 1939. This has now been confirmed. In 1918 the correct title for the WRNS Officer was “Deputy Principal WRNS”.

The cap badge appears to be all blue. The following picture shows the WRNS Officer’s hat badge in 1918:

The tricorne hat is similar in appearance to the modern day version, whereas the dimensions of the brim on the 1918 hat were noticeably exaggerated as illustrated in the following pictures:

Royal Navy Uniforms - Prestige Booklet

Page 1. Slops and Lace.

Picture of Joseph Edwin Moore. Comment: The “frock” worn by the subject has a buttoned front which was not applicable to the frock of 1857. Earlier and later illustrations of seamen in uniform show a black silk handkerchief tied below the collar, not a tie as in the picture.

The uniform was not introduced only for an ordinary seaman which is a rate in its own right. It was for Petty Officers, Seamen and Boys.

Page 10. 1850-1900.

Excerpt: “Uniforms of the Royal Navy became complete in 1857 with the introduction of regulations for the naval dress of ordinary seamen.”

Comment: The uniform regulations did not apply only to “ordinary seamen”, the singular of which is a rate in its own right. They applied to “Petty Officers, Seamen and Boys”.

Side note “LEFT. Able seaman of 1880 wearing the newly introduced regulation uniform for ordinary seamen.”

Comment: There is nothing new about the uniform garments shown which were introduced some 23 years earlier. Also there is a contradiction in terms, the rating would have been either an ‘Able Seaman’ or an ‘Ordinary Seaman’, not both. A more apt description would have been “...uniform for seamen.”

Side note “RIGHT. Chief Petty Officer’s white duck frock featuring a badge of blue thread with crossed fouled anchors and crown.”

Comment: This is not the badge of a Chief Petty Officer but of a 1st Class Petty Officer. Furthermore, in 1879 Chief Petty Officers moved into fore and aft rig consisting of a blue double breasted jacket and blue trousers, worn with a white shirt and black tie. Therefore the smock would not have been for a Chief Petty Officer. A more accurate description would have been: “Seaman’s white duck frock featuring an embroidered blue on white badge of a 1st Class Petty Officer.”

The full length picture of the Able Seaman at the ship’s wheel shows him wearing shoes. Shoes were only worn ashore, bare feet being the custom afloat.

Page 11. WRNS and QARNNS.

Centre note “LEFT. Second Officer WRNS...”

Comment: As explained above, the rank of Second Officer WRNS did not exist in 1917/1918.

Side note “LEFT. Recruitment poster featuring a uniformed officer...”

Comment: The image on the recruitment poster is a rating, not an officer.

Page 12. Officers Dress.

Excerpt: “The most instantly recognisable aspect of this is their gold, cuff braid bands - a system first introduced in 1856.”

Comment: The use of rows of gold lace to denote rank on the cuffs of officer’s uniforms was introduced in 1783. It was the executive curl in the top row of rank lace that was introduced in 1856 to differentiate between officers of the executive branch and those of the civil branch.

Excerpt: “In the modern Royal Navy, there are a total of 11 cuff-indicated ranks.”

Comment: Apart from Admiral of the Fleet which was discontinued for active service officers in 1996, there are currently only 9 officer ranks in the Royal Navy that are denoted by gold lace on the cuffs of uniform jackets [Admiral, Vice Admiral, Rear Admiral, Commodore, Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant, Sub Lieutenant]. The 10th rank, Midshipman, is denoted by a ‘turn-back’ worn at the end of each collar on the uniform jacket.

Although this page is headed “Officers Dress”, “senior and junior ratings……” are mentioned at the end of the page.

Page 15. 1900-1945.

Excerpt: “The ordinary seaman’s ‘frock’ was...”

Comment: Should have read “The Seaman’s ‘frock’ was...”

Excerpt: “An ASDIC rating - a word derived from Anti-Submarine Detection underwater sound-detection apparatus - stands on the bridge of HMS Tribune in 1942. Keeping a look-out for enemy u-boats with a torpedo night-sight...”

Comment: ‘ASDIC’ is an acronym of ‘Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee’. Not as described in the excerpt.

The item would have been much more convincing if the rating had been sitting, with earphones on, in front of a sonar set.

Page 16. 1900-1945 (continued)

Excerpt; “In the Far East and Pacific War, white uniforms were worn from Admiral down to ratings.”

Comment: A confused item on tropical uniforms. It should have been made clear that the uniform introduced in 1885 was for officers only and worn on ceremonial occasions. Ratings already had their white uniform.

Although nor formally introduced until 1945, a proposed form of working dress, consisting of a light blue cotton shirt and dark blue cotton trousers, was introduced as a war time measure for wear in the tropics. The design was similar to that of today’s action working dress

Excerpt: “In 1938 a tropical rig was introduced , including a white short sleeve shirt and shorts...”

Comment: The item makes no mention that, at the same time, a similar uniform was introduced for officers, consisting of white short sleeve shirt and white shorts. Shoulder boards were worn on the shirts to display rank. Shoes and white stockings (long socks) being the dress ashore and sandals without socks at sea.

Excerpt: “Sometimes ratings wore just cotton vests and sandals.”

Comment: They would, of course, have worn shorts as well.

Page 19. The Modern Navy.

Excerpt: “Royal Navy uniforms today combine the smartness of past tradition with the practicality of service on board a modern battleship.”

Comment: “Battleship” is a particular class of ship of which there are none in service in the Royal Navy - The last being HMS VANGUARD which was decommissioned in 1960. The correct term to use in this context is “warship”.

Excerpt: “Blue No.1 dress is worn on formal occasions and specifies a double breasted jacket and trousers for officers. All ratings - male and female - wear the universal square rig outfit first introduced in 1997.”

Comment: Incorrect. Warrant officers and chief petty officers have been wearing a double breasted uniform since the 19th century, petty officers changed to this uniform in 1920. As from 1997 the cut of the No.1 uniform for W.Os and senior rates was standardised on the officer’s style. Therefore the item should have read as follows:

“...a double breasted jacket and trousers for officers, warrant officers and senior ratings. Junior ratings wear square rig.”

No mention has been made of ‘male and female’ officers, warrant officers and senior ratings, so there was no need to differentiate between male and female ratings - They are all Royal Navy junior ratings.

Excerpt: “Blue No. 2 Dress is for evening occasions, when male officers wear a white waistcoat and female officers a cummerbund.”

Comment: It would have been less prone to misinterpretation if it had read as follows:

“Blue No.2 Dress is for evening occasions. Male officers wear a waistcoat and female officers a cummerbund with the mess dress jacket and trousers, or for female officers, a long skirt.”

My personal view is, apart from the numerous errors and misjudgements, that the literary content of the booklet does not do justice to its imaginative design and presentation. The language is confusing and disjointed in places and displays a lack of understanding in the use of naval terminology.

MIKE BISHOP

Notes: In the spirit of lively discussion around British stamps GBStamp.co.uk would like to thank Mike Bishop for allowing us to publish a copy of his report. We understand that Mike has made every effort to trace any current copyright restrictions on the images published and, to the best of his knowledge, there are none. In the event of a copyright claim please submit details to the following address copyright[at]GBStamp[dot]co[dot]uk

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