Tom Morgan Posted 7 May , 2004 Share Posted 7 May , 2004 In a Naval order I'm reading, the officers are instructed to wear "No. 5 Dress with Swords" and the men are ordered to wear "No. 2". Can anyone explain just what this means? I also have a question about the signals sounded on board ship. Can anyone tell me what happened when the "Still" was sounded? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.r.f Posted 7 May , 2004 Share Posted 7 May , 2004 TOM F rom memorie,my dad was a ROYAL MARINE,no 2s were the second best uniform,ie posh but not formal.This may be wrong as he has been dead a long time.But it was something like that. I can only guess that no5 with swords would be really posh for a mess dinner or the like.Again this is just a guess. CHEERS. JOHN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 7 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2004 Thanks for that John - certainly seems to fit. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 8 May , 2004 Share Posted 8 May , 2004 Tom The still is piped from a bosun's call and calls the ship's company to attention. It is a single high tone and lasts for a few seconds. The still is followed by the 'carry on' which is a short high then low note. This means carry on with your work. These pipes are still used today to bring the ships company to attention for sunset / colours or for example when sailing past another RN ship. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 8 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 8 May , 2004 Michael, thanks for that. (I knew you'd know!) I'd never heard of the "Still" before but I read about it in a book about the journey of the Unknown Warrior from Boulogne to Dover on HMS "Verdun." As the coffin was being carried off the ship, the "Still" was sounded. I have another question for you. I can imagine all the sailors lining the deck and being called to attention by the "Still." But did the signal require everyone to stop what they were doing and stand to attention - the whole ship, even the men whose duties meant that they weren't on deck? Or would you say it was just the men on ceremonial duty? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 8 May , 2004 Share Posted 8 May , 2004 From personal experience Tom, everyone who is within earshot of the pipe comes to attention. For instance if the Officer of the Day is doing rounds between decks, the bosuns mate will pipe the still as he is walking through. However if you are passing a ship coming into port, the still would be accompanied by the ship's tannoy with a message such as "Attention on the upper deck, face to starboard - HMS XYZ". The ships of the 20's wouldn't have had this luxury so I guess everyone within earshot would have come to attention. My big brother who was in the Seamanship branch tells me that the still lasts 8 seconds. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyDick Posted 8 May , 2004 Share Posted 8 May , 2004 Aside from being a mark of respect when leaving home waters or passing another RN vessel, ships entering foreign ports have most of the crew lining the deck as a symbolic gesture of goodwill (i.e. that they do not have their weapons manned and intend a surprise attack; much as the legacy of handshakes from the days of wearing swords and daggers.). Cheers Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 8 May , 2004 Share Posted 8 May , 2004 ships entering foreign ports have most of the crew lining the deck Called Procedure Alpha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 8 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 8 May , 2004 Thanks Michael, Richard and j.r.f. for such full details. It must have been quite an imposing scene and next time I'm in Dover (next week) I want to go to the Admiralty Pier and try to imagine it. That's why I wanted to extract every detail. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 8 May , 2004 Share Posted 8 May , 2004 I'm not sure about WW1, but in my days (80's), No1 uniform was gold badges, No2 uniform was red. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Morton Posted 9 May , 2004 Share Posted 9 May , 2004 Hello Tom The Royal Navy have always had their dress code by numbers, it is probably the same today, it certainly was when I was in in the sixties. If my memory serves me right the dress codes for ratings went up into the teens. Mick is right No 1 starts off with best uniform, gold badges, No 2 red badges, then if carries on down the lines listing numerous variations right down to overalls with or without caps. Somewhere in the middle was tropical dress, this could be shorts with white stockings and white shoes or white shorts with black stockings and black shoes, I seem to recall the list was endless and it was a good man who could remember anything other than 1 and 2 and overalls. Regards, Eddie PS. They probably only go up to No 5 today they seem to wear the same rig for everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 9 May , 2004 Share Posted 9 May , 2004 Tom This link may be of genaral RN interest to you. Dave http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/static/pages/4741.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 10 May , 2004 Share Posted 10 May , 2004 No. 2 for officers was and is what you might describe as normal uniform i.e. what an officer will wear every day. It is much the same for a rating. The normal rig for working is No. 8 for ratings which will be denim shirt and trousers. POs/CPOs/ is jacket and trousers with red badges. As someone else said, the list is endless, but No. 2 and No. 8 are those worn on all normal occasions when at sea or on land but not on something official. When they are visitng a foreign port or on some official visit somewhere ratings will normally wear No. 2s - the famous bell bottoms and tops with black scarf. No. 1 for them includes medals. Officers wear No. 2 for just about every occasion, although they would be expected not to wear their No. 2 that is covered in paint for going ashore! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 10 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 May , 2004 Thanks all for the continuing further information - all appreciated. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 10 May , 2004 Share Posted 10 May , 2004 Officers wear No. 2 for just about every occasion, although they would be expected not to wear their No. 2 that is covered in paint Covered in paint ????? Are you sure ?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 12 May , 2004 Share Posted 12 May , 2004 Officers don't necessarily have overalls all the time (obviously they do in the engine room, etc. So, say, the First Lieutenant who has a look to see how the painting of ... is getting one, could get paint on his uniform. That's why he wears an old one on board and at work. Intrinsically it is the same as the uniform he would wear when on shore - ex-paint. Paint is just an example. Grease, oil, old age; whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SARowl Posted 18 May , 2004 Share Posted 18 May , 2004 Officers No5's were their normal everyday working uniform of the period ie. four button double breasted reefer jacket, trousers, white shirt, black tie, black shoes and black hat (white cover in summer and with tropical rig). Adding swords and medals was to formalise the uniform for ceremonial occasions eg divisions, Captains table and Courts Martial. No5's was an Officers second best uniform, they also had a full dress uniform with long frock coat and hat (the name of which alludes me at the moment), gold laced trousers etc. A Ratings No2 uniform is also his second best uniform. Although identical to the usual 'Square Rig' of sailors and the 'Fore & Aft Rig' of Senior Rates, it had red badges not gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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