Accountant Branch (Royal Navy)
Entry
Uniform
In a memorandum dated 28 December, 1863, it was announced that Queen Victoria had sanctioned the introduction of white velvet stripes between the distinction lace of officers of the "Paymasters' Department".[1] By Memorandum No. 1 E of 14 January, 1864, it was clarified that the white stripes were to be a quarter of an inch wide and had to be worn by 1 July.[2]
Numbers
By Order in Council of 12 November, 1900, the number of Fleet Paymasters, Staff Paymasters, and Paymasters, was increased to 250. The number of Assistant Paymasters and Clerks was fixed at 300, and the numbers of Assistant Clerks was to be regulated at the discretion of the Admiralty.[3]
Ranks
The ranks were renamed by Order in Council in November 1918:[4]
| Before November, 1918. | After November, 1918. |
|---|---|
| Paymaster Director-General* | Paymaster Rear-Admiral |
| Paymaster-in-Chief | Paymaster Captain |
| Fleet Paymaster | Paymaster Commander |
| Staff Paymaster | Paymaster Lieutenant-Commander |
| Paymaster | Paymaster Lieutenant |
| Assistant Paymaster | Paymaster Sub-Lieutenant |
| Clerk | Paymaster Midshipman |
| Assistant Clerk | Paymaster Cadet |
- Paymaster Director-General was initially an appointment only, but the rank of Paymaster-Rear-Admiral was retroactively applied to it by Order in Council of 20 December, 1919.[5]
Paymaster Directors-General
- Paymaster-in-Chief Sir John H. G. Chapple, 6 March, 1918[6]
- Paymaster Rear-Admiral William M. C. B. Whyte, 1 July, 1918[7]
- Paymaster Rear-Admiral Charles F. Pollard, 1923[Citation needed]
Renaming
By Order in Council of 23 November 1944 the Accountant Branch was renamed the Supply and Secretariat Branch. The ranks were changed thus:[8]
| Present Rank. | New Rank. |
|---|---|
| Paymaster Rear-Admiral | Rear-Admiral (S) |
| Commissioned Officers. | |
| Paymaster Captain | Captain (S) |
| Paymaster Commander | Commander (S) |
| Paymaster Lieutenant-Commander | Lieutenant-Commander (S) |
| Paymaster Lieutenant | Lieutenant (S) |
| Paymaster Sub-Lieutenant | Sub-Lieutenant (S) |
| Subordinate Officers. | |
| Paymaster Midshipman | Midshipman (S) |
| Naval Cadet (Accountant) | Naval Cadet (S) |
| Commissioned Officers from Warrant Rank. | |
| Commissioned Writer | Commissioned Writer Officer |
| Commissioned Supply Officer | Commissioned Stores Officer |
| Commissioned Cook | Commissioned Cookery Officer |
| Commissioned Steward | Commissioned Catering Officer |
| Warrant Officers. | |
| Warrant Writer | Warrant Writer Officer |
| Warrant Supply Officer | Warrant Stores Officer |
| Warrant Cook | Warrant Cookery Officer |
| Warrant Steward | Warrant Catering Officer |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Navy List, Corrected to the 20th December, 1863. p. 388.
- ↑ Memorandum No. 1 E dated 14 January, 1864. The National Archives. ADM 7/892.
- ↑ The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service. VIII. p. 147.
- ↑ The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service. XII. p. 422.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 31705. p. 15854. 23 December, 1919.
- ↑ Chapple Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/12. f. 367.
- ↑ Whyte Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/81. f. 69.
- ↑ The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service. XVII. No. 59. C.W..
Bibliography
- The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service. Vol. VIII. London: For His Majesty's Stationery Office. 1903.
- The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service. Vol. XII. London: For His Majesty's Stationery Office. 1926.
- The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service. Vol. XVII. London: Printed under the Authority of His Majesty's Stationery Office. 1948.
