Our branch - policing
Throughout this website, for the benefit of both veterans and serving members of the Royal Navy Police specialisation, the Association strives to meet one of its key objectives.
To preserve knowledge of, and continue to promote, its rich heritage from its earliest beginnings over 300 years ago to the modern policing unit it is today
Utilising research carried out by the Association since its inception in 1993, this section is intended to relate that rich history and its myriad of twists and turns throughout the years.
To rekindle fond memories for our veterans of the Branch they proudly served, and instil in new recruits to the specialisation that sense of pride their service should provide.
Maintaining order
The Royal Navy has always in one way, or another, had the need to maintain good order and discipline.
At sea, the Captain was the king’s representative, his rule was kept by the First Lieutenant. He was assisted by persons known as the Ship’s Marshals, who in turn was supported by a number of Ship’s Corporals.
Ship’s Marshals were eventually abolished and the Master At Arms (MAA) rate was introduced in about 1699, thereby spinning a thread of gold that has continued through the centuries, until the present day.
Six bells
On punishment day, at six bells in the forenoon watch, the order was given: “All hands to witness punishment”. At this the Master at Arms presented the offender to the Captain who questioned him about the offence and then delivered a verdict. The officer of the offender’s division was asked if he had anything to say in mitigation. If this did not satisfy the Captain, he ordered the man’s punishment.
Other than the actual act of flogging, abolished in 1879, the Master at Arms was responsible for ensuring that any punishment awarded was carried out. A process that has changed little since those early days.
Duties
The Master at Arms was also accountable to the Lieutenant at Arms for the duties of the Ship’s Corporals, the supervision of sentries, and the guard, and training the ship’s company in the use of small arms.
Another duty that the M.A.A performed was at around 9pm to patrol the ship to check that all lanterns and fires were out and that no men were intoxicated. Undoubtedly an early form of evening rounds.
The duties of the Ship’s Police were promulgated in the 1879 edition of the Queen’s Regulations for the Royal Navy but differed little from those laid down a century earlier.
Queen's regulations
In 1879, to indicate his special position in the service the MAA was permitted to wear a frock coat and carry a sword. To be distinguishable from the officers’ dress, the coat was to have 4 buttons instead of 5 and the sword was to be plain with a black hilt.
The introduction of the divisional system in 1918 brought about a strong feeling in the Fleet that there would be no requirement for the Ship’s Police Branch. This feeling was so strong that branch numbers dwindled. Potential candidates, believing the branch to be moribund, were not forthcoming and the situation became critical.
Admiralty Fleet Order 3689 of 21 November 1918 therefore called for the Commanders-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet and Home Ports to ascertain the opinions of their senior Captains on the advisability of continuing the Ship’s Police as a branch of the Service.
Under scrutiny
Seventy-one Flag Officers and senior Captains reported their opinions; cleanliness below decks, administration and discipline were the main subjects for argument. The majority view, 59 out of the 71, was that disciplinary and administrative duties required both training and experience. Petty Officers untrained and employed for short periods would cause the ship to be in a constant state of turmoil.
Most Captains stressed the need for an experienced Master at Arms who understood the complexities of a constantly changing ship’s company, very unlike the comparatively rigid Army regimental system.
Senior support
The Captain of HMS CANADA wrote on 4 December 1918:
“Speaking from a seagoing ship’s point of view during this war, the Ship’s Police have shown their great value in accustoming the Hostility Only Ratings to naval discipline and life”.
Rear Admiral H F OLIVER, the Rear Admiral Commanding the First Battle Cruiser Squadron, wrote on 28 November 1918:
“The experienced long service Ship’s Police understand the complex system which controls the diverse ratings which are a ship’s company and I think we owe them a great deal for the contentment and good discipline prevailing during this war. The Ship’s Police deal with the Commander and Captain and nothing serious can happen with regards to the men without the Commander being aware of it”.
Mixed reviews
A number of senior officers recommended renaming the Ship’s Police the Regulating Branch to reflect its duties more clearly on board, and which were not seen to be opposed in any way to the new divisional system.
Senior Officers argued that the presence of the Ship’s Police undermined the authority of the Petty Officers. They stated that it inculcated the belief that discipline was not of their concern, that administration was a simple routine matter that could be undertaken by anyone and the disciplinary or legal knowledge could be very quickly learned.
These officers recommended abolition of the Ship’s Police Branch.
Regulating branch
Admiral BEATTY, Commander-in-Chief Grand Fleet, submitted to the Admiralty on 15 January 1919:
“Though the principle of Ship’s Police duties being carried out by Petty Officers is advocated, it is not considered, under the present changing conditions that the time has yet arrived to abolish the Ship’s Police as a branch of the Service. In any case should the change be made, it would have to be carried out very gradually”.
The survey resulted in the issue of Admiralty Fleet Order 2290 dated 2 July 1919 which abolished the Ship’s Police branch and introduced the Regulating Branch, which was to consist of Masters at Arms and Regulating Petty Officers.
Seeking re-organisation
Fast forward to September 1944, when the Admiralty again concluded that the organisation for the maintenance of discipline onshore in the main naval port areas was unsatisfactory. Colonel D H C Shepherd Royal Marines, previously the Naval Provost Marshal Malta, carried out a study into the requirement for a Naval Provost organisation.
He reported that the system of landing ships’ patrols in major naval base areas was unsatisfactory because the Petty Officers and Leading Ratings in charge, however well briefed, lacked the knowledge and experience to deal with incidents and, being unable to render a lucid written report, avoided taking action wherever possible.
The men detailed for patrol disliked the duty intensely believing it to be a form of punishment. Taking action against a messmate was abhorrent to them, and their dress and bearing left much to be desired.
Outcomes
The Shepherd report recommended the introduction of a Leading Patrolman rating to become the junior member of the Regulating Branch and borne primarily for provost duties, with the creation of a Provost organisation to operate within the major naval port areas.
The report concluded, “It is impossible to lay too much stress on the imperative need to ensure that this proposal is launched on a firm footing and with the correct attitude and ideals from the very outset”
The Board of the Admiralty would meet as the governing body of the British Navy as depicted here in 1943, secured the outcome and Admiralty Fleet Order 6681/44 of 21 December 1944 therefore implementing the proposals of the Shepherd report.
THE BOARD OF ADMIRALTY MEETS. © IWM Non Commercial License
Centralisation
In 1946, the school moved to Fort Wallington near Portsmouth, and then onwards in 1947 to HMS CICERO in Essex.
RPO R Hadley Green
This is a photograph of Regulating Petty Officer Richard Hadley Green (known as Jimmy) who joined the RN in 1937 at HMS Ganges as a Boy Seaman 2nd Class. In 1943 he survived the sinking of HMS Hurricane.
In 1945 Jimmy joined HMS Drake for transfer to the Regulating Branch and carried out his training at Beechwood Camp. In April 1945 he was rated Acting Leading Patrolman and joined HMS Pembroke in Chatham. He was subsequently drafted to HMS Golden Hind the RN Barracks Sydney, NSW, Australia, and HMS Tamar in Hong Kong.
Regulator
In September 1946 Jimmy joined HMS Victory for Fort Wallington and then on to HMS Cicero. It is thought this was probably for his RPO’s course. He was subsequently rated up in June 1948. Jimmy continued to serve on a number of ships and establishments until he joined HMS Victory for discharge in January 1961.
From these records it could be construed that Jimmy was one of the first candidates to pass through the school at Beechwood Camp, and subsequently the other early training Establishments.
The Association thanks his son Paul Green for this information which has helped to add a personal touch to our Branch history. Sadly, Jimmy Crossed the Bar in April 2008.
Regulating course
The photo has been supplied to the Association by Mike Harris the son of PO K Harris who is sitting in the front row far right. The course must have been one of the first to pass through Fort Wallington, as the building walls in the back of the photo resemble those of the Forts on Portsdown Hill.
A further coincidence is that in the rear row, second from the left, you will see the only Regulator on the RPO(Q) Course is Leading Patrolman Richard Green whose photo and small bio you will have read above.
Regulating school move
The following year (1948) the Regulating School moved again, this time to HMS EXCELLENT where it remained until November 2005.
The journey continues through the 50’s and heading towards the 1960’s when the role would take on new meaning.
A fresh outlook and a new team … the journey continues.
