[Troppo2]

Hello all,

I came across a fascinating pic on the FB Radio Officer's group. One of the members has a uncanny knack of digging out all kinds of radio room pics - he has posted dozens.

The latest one is very interesting. It shows a Union Castle R/O taking traffic on a typewriter.

He is wearing (a copy of) RAN rank insignia - an executive curl instead of the usual diamond. I've never seen that.

Were Union Castle R/O's direct employ?

[Cisco]

Yes... direct employ.

Prior to Clan and U-C getting together as British and Commonwealth U-C had standard MN braid..... Clan had the curl.

After 1956(?) all members of the group wore what you see in the photo. I believe the 'stripes' were slightly narrower than RAN/RN stripes...

[cajef]

Yes direct employ and that braid was worn across the whole British & Commonwealth fleet, if you look closely at the photo you can just make out the turquoise coloured stripe below the gold braid which depicted the radio officer.

[Troppo2]

Originally Posted by Cisco

Yes... direct employ.

Prior to Clan and U-C getting together as British and Commonwealth U-C had standard MN braid..... Clan had the curl.

After 1956(?) all members of the group wore what you see in the photo. I believe the 'stripes' were slightly narrower than RAN/RN stripes...

Thanks.

[Troppo2]

Originally Posted by cajef

Yes direct employ and that braid was worn across the whole British & Commonwealth fleet, if you look closely at the photo you can just make out the turquoise coloured stripe below the gold braid which depicted the radio officer.

Green?

[Troppo2]

Union Castle even had rear admirals...

[cajef]

Originally Posted by Troppo2

Green?

Oops, it's a long time ago I could have sworn it was turquoise.

[gordonarfur]

i have never so much gold braid in all my life, anybody know what the collective noun is for a group like that?

[G0SLP]

Originally Posted by Cisco

Yes... direct employ.

Prior to Clan and U-C getting together as British and Commonwealth U-C had standard MN braid..... Clan had the curl.

After 1956(?) all members of the group wore what you see in the photo. I believe the 'stripes' were slightly narrower than RAN/RN stripes...

Correct. 3/8" wide, as opposed to RN/RAN braid, which is 1/2" wide.

[onestar]

Actually RN (and Commonwealth Navies) had braid that was 9/16th" in width. What that is after metrication, I do not know! I think Clan etc had 1/2" but am not dogmatic about it.

[Varley]

More impressive to Pa were the sleeves of the reserve officers who crewed an armed yacht (one for which he failed to make 'go') in Gibraltar. All dug-outs, the most senior rank was no more than commander however the unfaded area of barathea that continued stretched above their now junior badges revealed their far more exalted ranks prior to eligibility for dug-out status.

[les.edgecumbe]

Have to say that R/O looks very much like a vintage edition of Richard Harris. Anyone confirm this??

[R651400]

Originally Posted by Troppo2

..I came across a fascinating pic on the FB Radio Officer's group...

See there are two fb RO groups.. Can you post a URL link pse?

[Troppo2]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/707451009311335/

[R651400]

Mni tks...