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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
: ''Please see [[Captain (naval)]] for other versions of this naval rank.''
{{short description|Senior officer rank of the Royal Navy}}
{{multiple image
{{for|other versions of this naval rank|Captain (naval)}}
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| align = right
{{Infobox military rank
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| width = 150
| name = Captain
| image1 = Captainjamescookportrait.jpg
| alt1 =
| image =
| image_size = 100px
| caption1 = Portrait of famous British explorer Captain [[James Cook]]
| caption = Flag of a Lieutenant commander, [[Royal Navy]]
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| image2 = HMS Vanguard's Port ship's company, Divisions, Jan 2013 01.jpg
| alt2 =
| image2 = UK-Navy-OF-5-collected.svg
| image_size2 = 100px
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| caption2 = A Royal Navy captain's rank insignia during Divisions conducted at [[HMNB Clyde]] in January 2013.
| caption2 = A Royal Navy captain's rank insignia
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| image3 = HMS Vanguard's Port ship's company, Divisions, Jan 2013 01.jpg
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| alt3 =
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| caption3 = A Royal Navy captain's rank insignia (left, with a [[Lieutenant (navy)|lieutenant]] at right) during divisions conducted at [[HMNB Clyde]] in January 2013.
| country = United Kingdom
| service branch = {{navy|United Kingdom}}
| abbreviation = Capt
| rank =
| NATO rank = [[Ranks and insignia of NATO navies officers#Officers (OF 1–10)|OF-5]]
| Non-NATO rank =
| formation =
| abolished =
| higher rank = [[Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore]]
| lower rank = [[Commander (Royal Navy)|Commander]]
| equivalents = {{unbulleted list|{{nowrap|[[Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel]] ([[British Army|Army]]; [[Royal Marines]])}}|[[Group captain]] ([[Royal Air Force|RAF]])}}
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| history =
}}
}}
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'''Captain''' ('''Capt''') is a senior officer rank of the [[Royal Navy]]. It ranks above [[Commander (Royal Navy)|commander]] and below [[Commodore (Royal Navy)|commodore]] and has a [[NATO]] ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]] in the [[British Army]] and [[Royal Marines]], and to a [[group captain]] in the [[Royal Air Force]]. There are similarly named [[Captain (naval)|equivalent ranks]] in the navies of many other countries.
[[Image:Generic-Navy-O7.svg|thumb|65px|upright|right|A Royal Navy captain's rank insignia.]]

⚫
'''Captain''' ('''Capt''') is a senior officer rank of the [[Royal Navy]]. It ranks above [[Commander (Royal Navy)|Commander]] and below [[Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore]] and has a [[NATO]] ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a [[Colonel]] in the [[British Army]] and [[Royal Marines]], and to a [[Group Captain]] in the [[Royal Air Force]]. There are similarly named [[Captain (naval)|equivalent ranks]] in the navies of many other countries.


==Seagoing captains==
==Seagoing captains==


In the Royal Navy, the officer in command of any warship of the rank of [[Commander (Royal Navy)|Commander]] and below is informally referred to as "the Captain" on board, even though holding a junior rank, but formally is titled "the Commanding Officer" (or CO). In former times Royal Navy officers who were Captains by rank and in command of a naval vessel were referred to as [[Post-Captain]]s; this practice is now defunct.
In the Royal Navy, the officer in command of any warship of the rank of [[Commander (Royal Navy)|commander]] and below is informally referred to as "the captain" on board, even though holding a junior rank, but formally is titled "the commanding officer" (or CO). In former times, up until the nineteenth century, Royal Navy officers who were captains by rank and in command of a naval vessel were referred to as [[post-captain]]s; this practice is now defunct.

Captain (D) or Captain Destroyers, afloat, was an operational appointment commanding a [[destroyer (ship)|destroyer]] [[flotilla]] or [[Squadron (naval)|squadron]], and there was a corresponding administrative appointment ashore,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Whitby |first1=Michael |title=Commanding Canadians: The Second World War Diaries of A.F.C. Layard |date=2011 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver, Canada |isbn=9780774840378 |page=Abbrev: XV |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4mIXtaqcAvgC&q=Captain+%28D%29+is+an+appointment+of+a+commander+of+a+destroyer+flotilla+or+squadron.&pg=PR13 |language=en}}</ref> until at least a decade after the [[Second World War]]. The title was probably used informally up until the abolition of [[frigate]] and destroyer squadrons with the Fleet FIRST reorganisation circa 2001.


==Terminology==
==Terminology==


Ashore, the rank of Captain is often verbally described as "Captain RN" to distinguish it from the more [[Captain (land)|junior Army and Royal Marines rank]], and in naval contexts, as a "Four Ring Captain" (referring to the uniform lace) to avoid confusion with the title of a seagoing Commanding Officer. In the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]], and in Joint Service establishments, a Captain may be referred to as a "DACOS" (standing for Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff) or an "AH" (Assistant Head), from the usual job title of OF5-ranked individuals who work with civil servants.
Ashore, the rank of captain is often verbally described as "captain RN" to distinguish it from the more [[Captain (land)|junior Army and Royal Marines rank]], and in naval contexts, as a "four-ring captain" (referring to the uniform lace) to avoid confusion with the title of a seagoing commanding officer. In the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]], and in joint service establishments, a captain may be referred to as a "DACOS" (standing for deputy assistant chief of staff) or an "AH" (assistant head), from the usual job title of OF5-ranked individuals who work with civil servants.
[[File:AirAsia 9M-AFJ.jpg|thumb|An AirAsia A320 with the [[Malaysian flag]]


==Insignia and uniform==
==Insignia and uniform==
The rank insignia features four rings of gold braid with a loop in the upper ring.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/conMediaFile.21097 |title=Uniforms and Badges of Rank at Royal Navy website |accessdate=2 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802223004/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/conMediaFile.21097 |archivedate=2 August 2008}}</ref>
The rank insignia features four rings of gold braid with an [[executive curl]] in the upper ring.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/conMediaFile.21097 |title=Uniforms and Badges of Rank at Royal Navy website |access-date=2 December 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802223004/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/conMediaFile.21097 |archive-date=2 August 2008}}</ref>


When in [[mess dress]] or mess undress, officers of the rank of Captain and above wear gold-laced trousers (the trousers are known as "tin trousers", and the gold lace stripes thereon are nicknamed "lightning conductors"), and may wear the undress tailcoat (without epaulettes).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/~/media/royal%20navy%20responsive/documents/reference%20library/br%203/Br3book/an39a.pdf |title=Naval Book of Reference, Annex 39A: RN Dress Tables |work=Royal Navy |date=October 2015 |accessdate=5 April 2015}}</ref>
When in [[mess dress]] or mess undress, officers of the rank of captain and above wear gold-laced trousers (the trousers are known as "tin trousers", and the gold lace stripes thereon are nicknamed "lightning conductors"), and may wear the undress [[tailcoat]] (without epaulettes).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/~/media/royal%20navy%20responsive/documents/reference%20library/br%203/Br3book/an39a.pdf |title=Naval Book of Reference, Annex 39A: RN Dress Tables |work=Royal Navy |date=October 2015 |access-date=5 April 2015 |archive-date=6 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106031623/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/~/media/royal%20navy%20responsive/documents/reference%20library/br%203/br3book/an39a.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
{{stack|{{Portal|United Kingdom}}}}
* [[British and U.S. military ranks compared]]
* [[Captain (United States O-6)]]
* [[Captain (United States O-6)]]
* [[Comparative military ranks]]
* [[Royal Navy officer rank insignia]]


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 09:38, 30 April 2024

For other versions of this naval rank, see Captain (naval).
Captain
A Royal Navy captain's rank insignia
A Royal Navy captain's rank insignia (left, with a lieutenant at right) during divisions conducted at HMNB Clyde in January 2013.
CountryUnited Kingdom
Service branch Royal Navy
AbbreviationCapt
NATO rank codeOF-5
Next higher rankCommodore
Next lower rankCommander
Equivalent ranks

Captain (Capt) is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above commander and below commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a colonel in the British Army and Royal Marines, and to a group captain in the Royal Air Force. There are similarly named equivalent ranks in the navies of many other countries.

Seagoing captains[edit]

In the Royal Navy, the officer in command of any warship of the rank of commander and below is informally referred to as "the captain" on board, even though holding a junior rank, but formally is titled "the commanding officer" (or CO). In former times, up until the nineteenth century, Royal Navy officers who were captains by rank and in command of a naval vessel were referred to as post-captains; this practice is now defunct.

Captain (D) or Captain Destroyers, afloat, was an operational appointment commanding a destroyer flotilla or squadron, and there was a corresponding administrative appointment ashore,[1] until at least a decade after the Second World War. The title was probably used informally up until the abolition of frigate and destroyer squadrons with the Fleet FIRST reorganisation circa 2001.

Terminology[edit]

Ashore, the rank of captain is often verbally described as "captain RN" to distinguish it from the more junior Army and Royal Marines rank, and in naval contexts, as a "four-ring captain" (referring to the uniform lace) to avoid confusion with the title of a seagoing commanding officer. In the Ministry of Defence, and in joint service establishments, a captain may be referred to as a "DACOS" (standing for deputy assistant chief of staff) or an "AH" (assistant head), from the usual job title of OF5-ranked individuals who work with civil servants.

Insignia and uniform[edit]

The rank insignia features four rings of gold braid with an executive curl in the upper ring.[2]

When in mess dress or mess undress, officers of the rank of captain and above wear gold-laced trousers (the trousers are known as "tin trousers", and the gold lace stripes thereon are nicknamed "lightning conductors"), and may wear the undress tailcoat (without epaulettes).[3]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Whitby, Michael (2011). Commanding Canadians: The Second World War Diaries of A.F.C. Layard. Vancouver, Canada: UBC Press. p. Abbrev: XV. ISBN 9780774840378.
  2. ^ "Uniforms and Badges of Rank at Royal Navy website". Archived from the original on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  3. ^ "Naval Book of Reference, Annex 39A: RN Dress Tables" (PDF). Royal Navy. October 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
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