Communications Department Staff of Ships, Flag Officers and Shore Stations

[Pelican]

NUBIAN's R.O.s mess Trinidad 1975

[Pelican]

GRAHAM MILL-WILSON:

I was a RO(T) from 1967-74. The photo is the Comms branch of the Tiger in Singapore, 1973, Can't remember all the names, alas.

[Pelican]

ARK ROYAL'S COMMS DEPT. - DATE UNKNOWN

[Little h]

ARK ROYAL'S COMMS DEPT. - DATE UNKNOWN

Thanks for that photo David. Just guessing the photo is sometime commencing 1970 onwards.

I have spent some number of hours investigating what at first appears to be amomalous drafting to a major warship; of a Fleet Chief Radio Supervisor, Chief Radio Supervisors/Radio Communication Instructors and Radio Supervisor/Radio Communication Instructors - plus of course an LRO who is qualified as a Radio Supervisor ... all of whom appear in the photo.

By that I mean:-
a) there is a FCPO or WO
b) there is an RS/RCI
c) there are CRS/RCI's and/or CCYInstr's
d) there is an LRO qualified as an RS

So; over to ye olde Ch. Tel. (whom will hopefully look in) .... who takes presidence 'communication wise'; the FCRS/WO or the CRS/RCI? Oh yes another query ... as far as I am aware all FCRS did not have to have been qualified as a CRS/RCI to become a Fleet Chief or Warrant Officer.

[Pelican]

ARK ROYAL'S COMMS DEPT. - DATE UNKNOWN

Thanks for that photo David. Just guessing the photo is sometime commencing 1970 onwards.

I have spent some number of hours investigating what at first appears to be amomalous drafting to a major warship; of a Fleet Chief Radio Supervisor, Chief Radio Supervisors/Radio Communication Instructors and Radio Supervisor/Radio Communication Instructors - plus of course an LRO who is qualified as a Radio Supervisor ... all of whom appear in the photo.

By that I mean:-
a) there is a FCPO or WO
b) there is an RS/RCI
c) there are CRS/RCI's and/or CCYInstr's
d) there is an LRO qualified as an RS

So; over to ye olde Ch. Tel. (whom will hopefully look in) .... who takes presidence 'communication wise'; the FCRS/WO or the CRS/RCI? Oh yes another query ... as far as I am aware all FCRS did not have to have been qualified as a CRS/RCI to become a Fleet Chief or Warrant Officer.

TU Harry, I hav'nt a clue what FCPOs are/were or what they did. Or Upper Yardsmen for that matter.
I did hear once that FCPOs were created in order to give 'some' CPOs a pay rise - an incentive to stay on.
All water under the bridge but important for the history of the Branch.

[Little h]

ARK ROYAL'S COMMS DEPT. - DATE UNKNOWN

a) there is a FCPO or WO
b) there is an RS/RCI
c) there are CRS/RCI's and/or CCYInstr's
d) there is an LRO qualified as an RS

So; over to ye olde Ch. Tel. (whom will hopefully look in) .... who takes precedence 'communication wise'; the FCRS/WO or the CRS/RCI? Oh yes another query ... as far as I am aware all FCRS did not have to have been qualified as a CRS/RCI to become a Fleet Chief or Warrant Officer.

TU Harry, I hav'nt a clue what FCPOs are/were or what they did. Or Upper Yardsmen for that matter.

The few FCRS's that I came across before leaving in 1974 were 'employed' exclusively in an administrative capacity. The guy in the photo I suspect was probably the Comms Branch Sub Divisional Officer (Sub DO) or even DO .... such an arrangement would leave the qualified SD(C) Communicatins Officer (SCO) to function professionally at the apex of the department.

[Little h]

.... who takes presidence 'communication wise'; the FCRS/WO or the CRS/RCI?

Ooops presidence missspelt my bad - should read precedence ... well it was 0300 hrs - ish

[DaveH]

Ye Olde Ch Tel reporting in .

As I saw it the Fleet Rank was created to fill the longstanding gap in Naval Ranks when the "Commissioned Warrant" was abolished . Advancement to Fleet Chief was the same procedure as advancement from PO to Chief .

Departments were still overseen by CRS's/CCY's [Some of which would have been "I's" .

Drafting or appointment of the Fleet Rank/Rate became a bit of a strange one . For instance , there was no gaurantee that your next appointment would be in your own Branch . I do know of one excellent Fleet Communicator who was appointed to HM Dockyard overseeing Dockside Amenities and another who joined a Capital Ship but was not one of the Communications Complement.

I left the service after my 22 because had I made Fleet I was informed that there would be no guarantee that I would be employed in Communications and if I remained a CRS I would have no guarantee of getting another ship .

Hope this goes some way to answering your question Harry / David . What transpired further down the road I am not clear on .

[Little h]

Ye Olde Ch Tel reporting in .

As I saw it the Fleet Rank was created to fill the longstanding gap in Naval Ranks when the "Commissioned Warrant" was abolished . Advancement to Fleet Chief was the same procedure as advancement from PO to Chief .

Departments were still overseen by CRS's/CCY's [Some of which would have been "I's" .

Drafting or appointment of the Fleet Rank/Rate became a bit of a strange one . For instance , there was no gaurantee that your next appointment would be in your own Branch . I do know of one excellent Fleet Communicator who was appointed to HM Dockyard overseeing Dockside Amenities and another who joined a Capital Ship but was not one of the Communications Complement.

I left the service after my 22 because had I made Fleet I was informed that there would be no guarantee that I would be employed in Communications and if I remained a CRS I would have no guarantee of getting another ship .

Hope this goes some way to answering your question Harry / David . What transpired further down the road I am not clear on .

Thanks ye olde Ch. Tel. - we had one of our few (S) branch FCRS's appointed as RNLO over our various contingents at Cheltenham, replacing a Lt.Cdr. (cheap replacement or wot). I only experienced their introduction for a couple of years before leaving and at least he was very much 'of the branch'; had an absolute wealth of experience having been a linguist since the early/mid 50's and having done his share of seatime alongside the rest of us. I'm fairly sure that when the AFO came out there was reference to Fleet Chiefs being appointed in Admin functions having in their charge up to 1000 bods.

[Little h]

............ I'm fairly sure that when the AFO came out there was reference to Fleet Chiefs being appointed in Admin functions having in their charge up to 1000 bods.

perhaps that should read "having in their charge up to 100 bods" seems more realistic