Officers

The Royal Navy has two types of officer; the commissioned officer and the warrant officer. Commissioned officers hold commissions from the Crown and were originally called sea officers. They command individual ships, fleets and stations and are responsible to the Admiralty for carrying out policy and warfare as ordered. They include the flag officers, Admirals, Vice Admirals, Rear Admirals and later Commodores, and below them, the Captains and Lieutenants. To these were later added Commanders, Lieutenant-Commanders and Sub-Lieutenants. In the 19th century some warrant officers also became commissioned officers.

Warrant officers held their commissions by warrant of particular naval authorities, usually the Navy Board (until 1832) but also by the Admiralty. Most warrant officers kept accounts and carried out specialized duties on board ship. There were the civilian officers, the surgeon, purser and chaplain who carried out duties similar to those ashore. Warrant officers also included standing officers, gunners, boatswains and carpenters responsible for ship maintenance and who would stay appointed to the ship even when out of commission and in dock. Below these were the inferior officers, the master-at-arms, surgeon´s mate, armourer, sailmaker, cook, etc. From 1903 it was possible for individuals holding warrant officer ranks to become commissioned officers.

The Navy List began as Steel´s Navy List in 1782 and gives seniority lists of commissioned officers. Warrant officers begin to be listed from 1794. Copies are available on microfilm in the Open Reading Room. Confidential lists for the First and Second World Wars are available in series ADM 177. In addition to the Navy List there are many published reference works on commissioned naval officers. Go to bibliography.