Royal Navy Officer Ranks

Military Branch

• Admiral of the Fleet
• Admiral
• Vice-Admiral
• Rear-Admiral
• Commodore First Class
• Commodore Second Class
• Captain
• Commander
• Lieutenant-Commander
• Lieutenant
• Sub-Lieutenant
• Commissioned Warrant Officer

Engineer Branch

From 1 April, 1903, the ranks and titles of officers of the Engineer Branch were changed. The rank of Engineer Lieutenant-Commander replaced Engineer Lieutenant (Senior List) in 1914.

Before April, 1903	After April, 1903	After March, 1914
Chief Inspector of Engineering	Engineer Rear-Admiral
Inspector of Engineering	Engineer Captain
Fleet Engineer	Engineer Commander
Staff Engineer	Engineer Lieutenant	Engineer Lieutenant-Commander
Chief Engineer
Engineer		Engineer Lieutenant
Assistant Engineer	Engineer Sub-Lieutenant
Probationary Assistant Engineer	Abolished
Engineer student	Engineer Cadet

Medical Branch

The medical officers of the Civil Branch formed the Medical Branch by Order in Council of 24 March, 1902.

Before November, 1918	After November, 1918
Medical Director-General	Surgeon Vice or Rear-Admiral*
Surgeon-General	Surgeon Rear-Admiral
Deputy Surgeon-General	Surgeon Captain
Fleet Surgeon	Surgeon Commander
Staff Surgeon	Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander
Surgeon	Surgeon Lieutenant
Surgeon Probation, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	Surgeon Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

* The Medical Director-General was granted the relative rank of Vice-Admiral or Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy.

Accountant Branch

The rank of Paymaster-in-Chief, with relative rank as Captain, Royal Navy, of three years' seniority, was instituted on 1 October, 1903.

Just before the Armistice in November, 1918, the ranks and styles were altered thus:

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
Assistant Paymaster	Paymaster Lieutenant
Clerk	Paymaster Midshipman
Assistant Clerks	Paymaster Cadet

* The Paymaster Director-General was granted the rank and style of Paymaster Rear-Admiral.

Naval Instructor Branch

By Order in Council of 8 November, 1918, the ranks and styles were altered thus:

Before November, 1918	After November, 1918
Chief Naval Instructor	Instructor Captain
Naval Instructor of 15 years' seniority	Instructor Commander
Naval Instructor of 8 years' seniority	Instructor Lieutenant-Commander
Naval Instructor of less than 8 years' seniority	Instructor Lieutenant

Comparative Ranks

Military Branch	Without the curl (until), but with;
	Purple between stripes (1915)	Scarlet between stripes (1918)	White between stripes (1918)	Light Blue between stripes (1918)
Admiral of the Fleet	-	-	-	-
Admiral	-	-	-	-
Vice- Admiral	Engineer-in-Chief	Medical Director-General	-	-
Rear- Admiral	Engineer Rear-Admiral	Surgeon-General	-	-
Commodores, First and Second Class	-	-	-	-
Captain of three years' seniority	Engineer Captain of eight years' service in that rank	Deputy Surgeon-General	Paymaster-in-Chief with five years' service in that rank	Chief Naval Instructor (rank established 1917)
Captain under three years' seniority	Engineer Captain under eight years' service in that rank	Deputy Surgeon-General	Paymaster-in-Chief	-
Commander	Engineer Commander	Fleet Surgeon	Fleet Paymaster	Naval Instructor of 14 years' seniority
Lieutenant- Commander	Engineer Lieutenant-Commander	Staff Surgeon	Staff Paymaster	Naval Instructor of 6 years' seniority
Lieutenant	Engineer Lieutenant	Surgeon	Assistant Paymaster of four years' seniority	Naval Instructor under 6 years' seniority
Sub-Lieutenant	Engineer Sub-Lieutenant	-	Assistant Paymaster under four years' seniority	-