OFFICERS’ MARKS OF RANK

Southland Times, Issue 23406, 13 January 1938, Page 8

OFFICERS’ MARKS OF RANK

STANDARD UNIFORM ADOPTED CHANGES MADE BY UNION COMPANY Important changes are being made in the mountings of the uniform worn by masters, officers, engineers and other ranks of the sea-going staff of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, Ltd. The new uniform mountings are those adopted in 1918 by the Imperial authorities for the standard uniform of the British Mercantile Marine, with some additions where no distinction of rank is provided under the standard uniform regulations. One of the reasons for the change is that the various ranks serving in the company’s ships, particularly the passenger liners, small be more readily identified by their uniform mountings. Until the latter part of 1918 there was no standard uniform for the British Mercantile Marine, and the markings of rank varied widely with different lines. The question was referred in March 1917 to an advisory committee which reported to the Board of Trade in May 1918. The recommendations about a standard uniform were approved by the King, and the details were set out in an Order-in-Council issued in September 1918. The order, which applied only to persons employed in British ships registered at ports in the British Isles, provided that the standard uniform was to be worn by masters and officers of the Mercantile Marine, surgeons, pursers, wireless operators, cadets, apprentices, petty officers and other ratings. DISTINGUISHING STRIPES The distinguishing rank stripes worn on the standard uniform as now adopted by the Union Company, are mainly as follows:— . Master, four rows; chief officer, three rows; second officer, two rows; and other certificated officers one row of half-inch plain gold lace; uncertificated junior officers, one row of quarter-inch plain gold lace. Chief engineer, four rows, as for master; second engineer three rows, third engineer two rows, and certified junior engineers one row of half-inch gold lace; uncertified junior engineers, one row of quarter-inch gold lace. Purple insertion with the gold lace is prescribed for all engineers. Ship surgeon three rows, and assistant surgeon two rows of half-inch gold lace, with red insertion in each case. Senior purser, where three or more are carried, three rows, purser two rows, and assistant purser one row of half-inch gold lac 6 with white insertion in each case. First wireless operator, two waved lines with diamond, second wireless operator two waved lines, and third wireless operator one waved line of quarter-inch gold braid. Masters and' chief engineers wear two interlaced chevrons, one pointing upward and one downward, andformed by the two inner of the four rows of gold lace. Other deck and 1 engineer certificated officers, together with surgeons and pursers, wear one diamond of half-inch gold lace, and first wireless operators one diamond of quarter-inch gold braid, with open centre. In the case of “three stripe’ officers, the diamond is inserted in the middle strip, with two stripes the diamond is centred between them and with one stripe the diamond is inserted. Uncertificated junior officers and engineers wear a single chevron pointing! downward and formed by the single' row of gold lace. Chief stewards wear three rows, second stewards two rows, and assist-] ant seconds one row of half-inch silver, lace. In the case of electricians, the appropriate rows of gold lace are carried with green insertion. UNIFORM CAP BADGE The cap badge prescribed for tha standard uniform was a Naval Crown] —a design of great interest—carrying! turret-like representations of the high] poop of ships of Tudor days with its! lanterns, alternated with a representa-: tion of the sails of the same period.] This badge, until 1918, was a naval; emblem reserved for the use of the regular Naval forces, although it is not the crown now worn by them, 1 which is of another design of Tudor origin. The Order-in-Council of September] 1918, provided that where the masters] and officers of the ships belonging to] any line were accustombed to use a] cap with a distinctive badge—generally a representation of the line’s house-flag —that badge could be substituted fori the cap badge prescribed for the] standard uniform. The Union Steam Ship Company, the] Canadian-Australasian Line and the] Indo-Pacific Shipping Company, Ltd.j will rptain their respective cap badges and uniform buttons, but in place ofl the gold fem-leaves on the peak of the master’s cap, gold laurel leaves will be' worn. The wearing of the new uniform] mountings in passenger ships was to] start from January 1.