| Royal Navy Reserves |
Article Index for Royal Navy |
Website Links For Royal Navy |
Information AboutRoyal Navy Reserves |
|
The process of impressment was not suitable for the recruiting of officers, and the procedure adopted there was that officers received a basic pay for their rank when they were holding an appointment and half of that when between appointments (half-pay). Officers in command of ships or establishments received additional 'Command money' which varied with the status of the ship or establishment involved. Officers and men also received extra payments under the 'Prize' scheme. While this could arise in several different ways the most common by far was the capture of an enemy ship and its subsequent purchase by the Navy (a feasible process with wooden ships). For the ordinary sailor the amount was typically a few shillings (although it should be noted that this represented several months pay) but for the commanding officer it typically amounted to hundreds of pounds. Thus many captains had estates ashore which gave them an alternative income. Junior officers were in a much more parlous state, as it was not really possible to keep a home on the half pay for a Lieutenant. This was part of the reason why marriage by junior officers was so frowned upon. Impressment was eventually dropped in the late 19th century as ordinary sailors became expected to spend most (if not all) of their working lives with the service. This was fine for the numbers required during peace when staffing levels changed slowly, but it meant that some means had to be provided to produce the extra men needed in time of war. Accordingly a scheme was introduced whereby men could leave the service after a given period and go to a civilian job but still be available for the fleet in time of emergency. This was the concept behind the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR). Similar things happened for officers, but to a much smaller extent, and the half-pay system did not die out until post WWII . Officers could still transfer to the RNR, but were expected to keep up with maritime matters. Most did this by becoming officers in the Merchant Marine , especially those who were discharged from the navy ('bowler hatted') by the Geddes axe in the early 1920s. Another large group who joined the RNR were those who had undertook Merchant Navy Apprenticeships and had the option of being RNR officers as well. At the start of the 20th Century it was realised that the RNR could not supply the required number of trained men and officers and a scheme was introduced that allowed men in civilian shore jobs (unconnected with the sea) to train on a part-time basis at special shore establishments, and provided the valuable experience of real time with the fleet for a few weeks a year once a certain level of competence had been achieved. This was the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), known as the 'Wavy Navy' on account of the rank stripes (rings) on officers sleeves being wiggly rather than straight. The RNVR was organised in 'Divisions' whose names were taken from the place where the main centre was situated. London, Edinburgh and most large Seaports had divisions. Each division was commanded by a Captain. In the late 1930s The Admiralty realised that the numbers available would not meet the needs of the fast approaching war and created the Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve (RNVSR). The main recruits were amateur yachtsmen, who were given sufficient training to get them up to speed in a very high-pressure manner compared with the 'ordinary' RNVR. The RNVSR uniform was the same as the RNVR one. The RNVSR was dropped after WWII. Those who became officers during WWII were considered to have joined the RNVR and wore that service's uniform. Most of the officers in Landing Craft , Coastal Forces and the Atlantic Convoys were RNVR and many regular officers were astonished how well they coped. A significant number achieved command of Corvettes and even Frigate s. Quite a few also went into the Submarine branch of the service and some achieved command there. Joining the pre-WWII RNVR and how it operated is described by Derek Rayner in his book Escort . |
|
|