Royal Navy Ranks
Here you will find ranks used during WW2. Equivalent rank and common abbreviations are in brackets.
This list is not absolute as Naval Rank variations are numerous.
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Prefix and Suffixes to Ranks
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(A) After a rank indicates Air. A member of the Fleet Air Arm. e.g. “Lieutenant (A)” (Lt (A)).
(D) Indicating Dental Officer. e.g. “Surgeon Lieutenant (D)” (Surg Lt (D)).
(E) Indicating Engineer Officer. e.g. “Lieutenant (E)” (Lt (E)).
(O) Indicating Observor in the Fleet Air Arm. e.g. “Lieutenant (O)” (Lt (O)).
(P) Indicating Pilot in the Fleet Air Arm. e.g. “Lieutenant (P)” (Lt (P)).
(T) Indicating Torpedo Officer on ship or passed course . e.g. “Gunner (T)” (Gnr (T)).
The following can be seen before a Commissioned Officers rank –
Engineer – e.g. “Engineer Lieutenant” (Eng Lt)
Instructor – e.g. “Instructor Lieutenant” (Inst Lt)
Paymaster – e.g. “Paymaster Lieutenant” (Pay Lt)
Surgeon – e.g. “Surgeon Lieutenant” (Surg Lt)
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Ranks
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Able Seaman (AB)
Able Seaman Meteorological (AB (Met))
Able Seaman Radar Control (AB (Radar) RC)
Able Seaman Radar Plot (AB (Radar) RP)
Acting Sub Lieutenant (A S Lt/A Sub Lt)
Admiral (Adm)
Admiral of the Fleet (AF)
Air Artificer Class 1st Class to 5th Class (AA1 to AA5)
Air Fitter (Fleet Air Arm)
Air Mechanic 1st Class & 2nd Class (AM1 & AM2) (Fleet Air Arm)
Armourer (Arm)
Armourer’s Crew (Arm Cr)
Armourer’s Mate (Arm Mt)
Armourer Quartermaster Sergeant (Arm QM Sgt) (Royal Marines)
Armourer Sergeant (Arm Sgt) (Royal Marines)
Assistant Cook (A Ck)
Assistant Steward (Asst Std)
Band Boy (Bd Boy) (Royal Marines Band)
Band Corporal (Bd Cpl) (Royal Marines Band)
Bandmaster 1st Class (Bdmr1) (Royal Marines Band)
Bandmaster 2nd Class (Bdmr2) (Royal Marines Band)
Barrack Quartermaster Sergeant (Bk QM Sgt) (Royal Marines)
Blacksmith 1st to 5th Class (Blk1 to Blk5)
Boy 1st Class (Boy1)
Boy 2nd Class (Boy2)
Boy Airman 1st Class & 2nd Class (Boy Air1 & Boy Air2) (Fleet Air Arm)
Boy Bugler (B Bglr) (Royal Marines)
Boy Musician (Boy Mus/Boy Musn) (Royal Marines)
Boy Std (Boy Std)
Boy Telegraphist (B Tel/Boy Tel)
Bugle Cpl (Royal Marines)
Bugle Major (BM) (Royal Marines)
Bugler (Bglr) (Royal Marines)
Captain (Capt)
Chief Air Artificer (CAA) (Fleet Air Arm)
Chief Armourer (Ch Arm)
Chief Blacksmith (Ch Blk)
Chief Cooper (Ch Cpr)
Chief Electrical Artificer (CEA)
Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class & 2nd Class (CERA1 & CERA2)
Chief Engineman (Ch Eng) (RNR/RNVR)
Chief Joiner (Ch Jnr)
Chief Mechanician (Ch Mech)
Chief Motor Mechanic 1st Class to 4th Class (Ch MM1 to Ch MM4)
Chief Officer (= Commander) (Wren)
Chief Ordnance Artificer 1st Class & 2nd Class (Ch OA1 & Ch OA2)
Chief Painter (Ch Ptr)
Chief Petty Officer (CPO)
Chief Petty Officer Air Fitter (CPO Air Fitter) (Fleet Air Arm)
Chief Petty Officer Air Mechanic (CPOAM) (Fleet Air Arm)
Chief Petty Officer Airman (CPO (A)) (Fleet Air Arm)
Chief Petty Officer Coder (CPO Coder)
Chief Petty Officer Cook (CPO Ck)
Chief Petty Officer Photographer
Chief Petty Officer Radar Control (CPO (Radar) RC)
Chief Petty Officer Radar Plotting (CPO (Radar) RP)
Chief Petty Officer *Radio Mechanic (*”Wireless” prior to May 1943)
Chief Petty Officer Steward (CPO Std)
Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist (CPO Tel)
Chief Petty Officer Writer (CPO Wtr)
Chief Plumber (Ch Pbr)
Chief Rigger
Chief Sailmaker (Ch Slmr)
Chief Shipwright (Ch Shpt)
Chief Stoker (Ch Sto)
Chief Wren (Ch Wren)
Chief Yeoman of Signals (CYS)
Coder
Colour Sergeant (C Sgt) (Royal Marines)
Commander (Cdr)
Commodore 1st Class and 2nd Class (Cdre 1 & Cdre 2)
Company Sergeant Major (CSM) (Royal Marines)
Cook (Ck)
Cooper 1st to 5th Class (Cpr1 to Cpr5)
Corporal (Cpl) (Royal Marines)
Deputy Director (= Commodore 2nd Class) (Wren)
Director (= Rear Admiral) (Wren)
Drum Major (D Maj) (Royal Marines)
Electrical Artificer 1st Class to 5th Class (EA1 to EA5)
Electrical Mechanic 1st Class to 5th Class (EM1 to EM5)
Electrical Probationer
Electrical Junior Probationer
Engine Room Artificer 1st to 5th Class (ERA1 to ERA5)
Engine Room Mechanic 1st to 5th Class (ERM1 to ERM5)
Engine Room Mechanic Probationer
Engine Room Mechanic Junior Probationer
Engineman (Eng) (RNR/RNVR)
First Officer (= Lieutenant Commander) (Wren)
Hospital Quartermaster Sergeant (Hospital QM Sgt) (Royal Marines)
Hospital Staff Sergeant (Hospital S Sgt) (Royal Marines)
Joiner 1st to 5th Class (Jnr1 to Jrn5)
Lance Sergeant (L Sgt) (Royal Marines)
Leading Air Fitter (Fleet Air Arm)
Leading Air Mechanic (LAM) (Fleet Air Arm)
Leading Airman (L Air) (Fleet Air Arm)
Leading Coder (L Coder)
Leading Cook (L Ck)
Leading Motor Mechanic (Leading MM)
Leading Patrolman (LPM)
Leading Photographer
Leading *Radio Mechanic (*”Wireless” prior to May 1943)
Leading Seaman (LS)
Leading Seaman Meteoroloical (LS (Met))
Leading Seaman Radar Control (CPO (Radar) RC)
Leading Seaman Radar Plotting (CPO (Radar) RP)
Leading Sick Berth Attendant (LSBA)
Leading Signalman (L Sig)
Leading Steward (L Std)
Leading Stoker (L Sto)
Leading Telegraphist (L Tel)
Leading Wireman (L Wireman)
Leading Wren (L Wren)
Leading Writer (L Wtr)
Lieutenant (Lt/Lieut)
Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cdr)
Marine (Mne) (Royal Marines)
Master-at-Arms (MAA)
Mechanician (Mechn)
Mechanician 1st Class & 2nd Class (Mech1 & Mech2)
Midshipman (Mid)
Motor Mechanic (MM)
Musician (Mus/Musn) (Royal Marines/Royal Marines Band)
Naval Airman 1st Class & 2nd Class (NA1 & NA2) (Fleet Air Arm)
Naval Cadet
Naval Shipwright Apprentice
Officers Chief Cook
Officers Cook 1st Class to 3rd Class (OC1 to OC3)
Ordinary Coder (O Coder)
Ordinary Seaman (OS)
Ordinary Seaman Meterological (OS (Met))
Ordinary Seaman Radar Control (OS (Radar) RC)
Ordinary Seaman Radar Plotting (OS (Radar) RP)
Ordinary Signalman (O Sig)
Ordinary Telegraphist (O Tel)
Ordinary Wren ( O Wren)
Ordnance Artificer 1st to 5th Class (OA1 to OA5)
Ordnance Mechanic 1st Class to 5th Class (OM1 to OM5)
Ordnance Mechanic Junior Probationer
Ordnance Mechanic Probationer
Painter 1st to 5th Class (Ptr1 to Ptr5)
Petty Officer (PO)
Petty Officer Air Fitter (PO Air Fitter) (Fleet Air Arm)
Petty Officer Air Mechanic (POAM) (Fleet Air Arm)
Petty Officer Airman (PO (A)) (Fleet Air Arm)
Petty Officer Coder (PO Coder)
Petty Officer Cook (PO Ck)
Petty Officer Meteorological (PO (Met))
Petty Officer Motor Mechanic (PO MM)
Petty Officer Photographer
Petty Officer Radar Control (PO (Radar) RC)
Petty Officer Radar Plotting (PO (Radar) RP)
Petty Officer *Radio Mechanic (*”Wireless” prior to May 1943)
Petty Officer Steward (PO Std)
Petty Officer Teleraphist (PO Tel)
Petty Offcer Wireman (PO Wireman)
Petty Officer Wren (PO Wren)
Petty Officer Writer (PO Wtr)
Photographer
Plumber 1st to 5th Class (Pbr1 to Pbr5)
Probationary Assistant Cook
Probationary Sick Bert Attendant (PBSA)
Probationary Writer (Prob Wtr)
Quartermaster Sergeant (QM Sgt) (Royal Marines)
Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor (QM Sgt Inst) (Royal Marines)
*Radio Mechanic (*”Wireless” prior to May 1943)
Read Admiral (R Adm)
Regulating Petty Officer (RPO)
Rigger
Rigger’s Mate
Sailmaker (Slmr)
Sailmaker’s Mate (Slmr Mt)
Second Officer (= Lieutenant) (Wren)
Sergeant (Sgt) (Royal Marines)
Ship Mechanic 1st Class to 5th Class
Ship Mechanic Probationer
Ship Mechanic Junior Probationer
Shipwright 1st Class to 5th Class (Shpt1 to Shpt5)
Shipwright Apprentice
Sick Berth Attendant (SBA)
Sick Berth Attendant Probationer
Sick Berth Chief Petty Officer (SBCPO)
Sick Berth Petty Officer (SBPO)
Signal Boy (Sig Boy)
Signalman (Sig)
Staff Clerk (Royal Marines)
Steward (Std)
Stoker 1st Class & 2nd Class (Sto1 & Sto2)
Stoker Petty Officer (SPO)
Sub Lieutenant (S Lt/Sub Lt)
Superintendent (= Captain) (Wren)
Superintending Clerk (Suptg Clerk) (Royal Marines)
Telegraphist (Tel)
Third Officer = Sub Lieutenant) (Wren)
Vice Admiral (V Adm)
Warrant Officer Class 1 & Class 2 (WO1 & WO2) (Royal Marines)
Wireman
Wren
Writer (Wtr)
Writer Probationer
Yeoman of Signals (YS)
