For other nations and militaries that use this rank, see Commander.
Commander (Cdr) is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. It is immediately junior to captain and immediately senior to the rank of lieutenant commander. Officers holding the junior rank of lieutenant commander are not considered to be commanders.
The title (originally 'master and commander')[1] originated in around 1670 to describe Royal Navy officers who commanded ships of war too large to be commanded by a lieutenant, but too small to warrant the assignment of a post-captain, or (before about 1770) a sailing-master who was in charge of a ship's navigation.[2] These ships were usually unratedsloops-of-war of no more than 20 guns, fireships, hospital ships and store ships.[3]: 127 The commanding officer of this type of ship was responsible for both sailing and fighting the ship and was thus its 'master and commander'.
Before 1750, the rank was broadly considered as the limit of advancement for those without patronage, especially those who had been promoted from among a ship's crew.[4] By contrast, those with Parliamentary supporters or family connections were more likely to spend only a nominal period as master and commander of a sloop, before being elevated to post-captain. From 1718, the Navy List began recording an officer's date of appointment to the rank of master and commander, with the intention of establishing seniority as a guide to promotion, but there is little evidence that this carried through into actual appointments.[3]: 130
Over the later 18th century, the rank evolved into a more regular stage of service between lieutenant and captain. The Royal Navy shortened 'master and commander' to 'commander' in 1794;[5] however, the term 'master and commander' remained (unofficially) in common parlance for several years.[6] The term 'master commanding' (abbreviated as 'master com.' or 'mast. com.') was still recognised in 1851, with the Navy List for that year listing 21 ships commanded by Masters with this appellation .[7]: passim
The rank of commander was a popular recognition of service during the Napoleonic Wars, resulting in promotion of more commanders than there were commands; in 1812 the Navy List recorded 586 commanders against 168 available vessels. Commanders unable to secure a ship were left ashore on half-pay, with limited prospects for future advancement. This promotions bottleneck was addressed from 1827 with the introduction of commanders as a second-in-command on larger vessels.[8]: 98
In the 20th and 21st centuries, the rank has been assigned the NATO rank code of OF-4, matching the army rank of lieutenant colonel.
Seniority and usage
A commander in the Royal Navy is senior to an officer holding the rank of lieutenant commander but junior to a captain. A commander may command a frigate, destroyer, submarine, mine countermeasures squadron, fishery protection squadron, patrol boat squadron, aviation squadron or shore installation, or may serve on a staff. Formerly equivalent to the Army rank of major,[9] a commander is now equivalent in rank to a lieutenant colonel in the British Army or a wing commander in the Royal Air Force. The rank of wing commander was derived from the naval rank of commander via the usage in the World War I Royal Naval Air Service.
The rank insignia of a commander features three rings of gold braid with a loop in the upper ring.[10]
^Rodger, N. A. M. (2001). "Commissioned officers' careers in the Royal Navy, 1690–1815". Journal for Maritime Research. 3 (1): 88–89. doi:10.1080/21533369.2001.9668314. S2CID 163008417.
^ abBaugh, Daniel A. (1965). British Naval Administration in the Age of Walpole. Princeton University Press. ISBN978-0691051079. OCLC 729683642.
^Hickox, Rex (2005). All You Wanted to Know about 18th Century Royal Navy: Medical Terms, Expressions and Trivia. Bentonville, Arkansas: Rex Publishing. p. 30. ISBN978-1-4116-3057-4. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
^. Naval Historical Center. 1998. Archived from the original on 24 February 2011.
^Allen, Joseph, R.N., ed. (February 1854). The New Navy List. London: Parker, Furnivall and Parker.
^Lavery, Brian (2012). Nelson's Navy: The Ships, Men and Organisation, 1793-1815. Naval Institute Press. ISBN9781591146124.
^The Royal Kalendar, and Court and City Register for England, Scotland, Ireland and the Colonies. London: Oxford University. 1835. p. 148. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
^"Uniforms and Badges of Rank at Royal Navy website". Archived from the original on 27 January 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
May 11, 2023
commander, royal, navy, other, nations, militaries, that, this, rank, commander, commander, senior, officer, rank, royal, navy, united, kingdom, immediately, junior, captain, immediately, senior, rank, lieutenant, commander, officers, holding, junior, rank, li. For other nations and militaries that use this rank see Commander Commander Cdr is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom It is immediately junior to captain and immediately senior to the rank of lieutenant commander Officers holding the junior rank of lieutenant commander are not considered to be commanders CommanderA Royal Navy commander s rank insigniaCountry United KingdomService branch Royal NavyAbbreviationCdrNATO rank codeOF 4Next higher rankCaptainNext lower rankLieutenant commanderEquivalent ranksLieutenant colonel Army Royal Marines Wing commander RAF Contents 1 History 2 Seniority and usage 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory EditThe title originally master and commander 1 originated in around 1670 to describe Royal Navy officers who commanded ships of war too large to be commanded by a lieutenant but too small to warrant the assignment of a post captain or before about 1770 a sailing master who was in charge of a ship s navigation 2 These ships were usually unrated sloops of war of no more than 20 guns fireships hospital ships and store ships 3 127 The commanding officer of this type of ship was responsible for both sailing and fighting the ship and was thus its master and commander Before 1750 the rank was broadly considered as the limit of advancement for those without patronage especially those who had been promoted from among a ship s crew 4 By contrast those with Parliamentary supporters or family connections were more likely to spend only a nominal period as master and commander of a sloop before being elevated to post captain From 1718 the Navy List began recording an officer s date of appointment to the rank of master and commander with the intention of establishing seniority as a guide to promotion but there is little evidence that this carried through into actual appointments 3 130 Over the later 18th century the rank evolved into a more regular stage of service between lieutenant and captain The Royal Navy shortened master and commander to commander in 1794 5 however the term master and commander remained unofficially in common parlance for several years 6 The term master commanding abbreviated as master com or mast com was still recognised in 1851 with the Navy List for that year listing 21 ships commanded by Masters with this appellation 7 passim The rank of commander was a popular recognition of service during the Napoleonic Wars resulting in promotion of more commanders than there were commands in 1812 the Navy List recorded 586 commanders against 168 available vessels Commanders unable to secure a ship were left ashore on half pay with limited prospects for future advancement This promotions bottleneck was addressed from 1827 with the introduction of commanders as a second in command on larger vessels 8 98 In the 20th and 21st centuries the rank has been assigned the NATO rank code of OF 4 matching the army rank of lieutenant colonel Seniority and usage EditA commander in the Royal Navy is senior to an officer holding the rank of lieutenant commander but junior to a captain A commander may command a frigate destroyer submarine mine countermeasures squadron fishery protection squadron patrol boat squadron aviation squadron or shore installation or may serve on a staff Formerly equivalent to the Army rank of major 9 a commander is now equivalent in rank to a lieutenant colonel in the British Army or a wing commander in the Royal Air Force The rank of wing commander was derived from the naval rank of commander via the usage in the World War I Royal Naval Air Service The rank insignia of a commander features three rings of gold braid with a loop in the upper ring 10 See also Edit United Kingdom portal British and U S military ranks compared Comparative military ranks Royal Navy officer rank insigniaReferences Edit See also Master and Commander by Patrick O Brian Rodger N A M 2001 Commissioned officers careers in the Royal Navy 1690 1815 Journal for Maritime Research 3 1 88 89 doi 10 1080 21533369 2001 9668314 S2CID 163008417 a b Baugh Daniel A 1965 British Naval Administration in the Age of Walpole Princeton University Press ISBN 978 0691051079 OCLC 729683642 Rodger 2001 pp 88 89 Hickox Rex 2005 All You Wanted to Know about 18th Century Royal Navy Medical Terms Expressions and Trivia Bentonville Arkansas Rex Publishing p 30 ISBN 978 1 4116 3057 4 Retrieved 7 September 2015 Why is the Colonel called a Kernal Naval Historical Center 1998 Archived from the original on 24 February 2011 Allen Joseph R N ed February 1854 The New Navy List London Parker Furnivall and Parker Lavery Brian 2012 Nelson s Navy The Ships Men and Organisation 1793 1815 Naval Institute Press ISBN 9781591146124 The Royal Kalendar and Court and City Register for England Scotland Ireland and the Colonies London Oxford University 1835 p 148 Retrieved 7 September 2015 Uniforms and Badges of Rank at Royal Navy website Archived from the original on 27 January 2009 Retrieved 7 September 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Commander Royal Navy amp oldid 1137297749, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
