Officers & Yachtsmen
A tour of duty
When a Yachtsman joined Britannia's crew he entered a world quite unlike any other in the Royal Navy. His orders were nothing less than to 'strive daily for perfection'. Each man was hand-picked to meet the very highest standards, and each and every one chose this special ship for the honour and privilege of serving Queen and country.
Duties ranged from ensuring the slope of the royal gangway was never steeper than 12° to arranging the royal flowers; from diving daily to search the seabed beneath the Yacht to polishing the silverware. In temperatures of up to 120°F, they manned Britannia's 'state of the ark' laundry, yet had to appear as pristine as the ship herself at all times.
The junior Yachtsmen had the arduous task of scrubbing the two-inch thick teak decks each day to keep them in pristine condition. But so that the Royal Family were not disturbed, all work near the Royal Apartments had to be carried out in silence and everything had to be completed by 8 o'clock in the morning. If a Yachtsman did encounter a member of the Royal Family, he had to stand still and look straight ahead until they had passed.
Who's who
Programming the activities of the Royal Yacht was a very complicated business. Careful coordination and thorough planning were fundamental to the smooth running of the Yacht. Like all Royal Navy ships, Britannia's crew was organised into departments. The Admiral was in overall charge of his staff of 20 Officers and 220 Yachtsmen. He was supported by his Heads of Department who organised work and delegated duties through the Sub-Departments.
Seaman Department
The Seaman Department comprised:
The Commander (Executive Officer & Second in Command)
1 First Lieutenant (Fo'c'sle Officer)
1 Second Lieutenant (Quarterdeck Officer)
1 Chief Bo's'n's Mate (In charge of Seaman Department Activity)
1 The Coxswain (In charge of Discipline & Administration)
1 The Boatswain (Bo's'n) (In charge of Britannia's boats)
1 The Royal Barge Officer (Also serves as Household Liaison Officer)
The Queen's Coxswain (In charge of the Royal Barge)
1 Waist Petty Officer
1 Fo'c'sle Petty Officer
1 Quarterdeck Petty Officer
1 Chief Quartermaster & Routines Petty Officer
Royal Marine Colour Sergeant (In charge of Royal Marines Detachment)
Physical Training Instructor (Also in charge of between decks)
3 Leading Seamen
1 Fo'c'sle Leading Seaman
1 Quarterdeck (Leading Seaman)
24 Able Seamen
4 Royal Marines (Part of Ship (Royal Deck),also Royal Marines Orderlies & Security Sentries)
Commander's Office Writer (In charge of producing programmes, Daily Orders & Red Hot Notices)
Navigation Department
The Navigation Department comprised:
Commander N (Navigating Commander responsible for Navigation & Communications)
Assistant Navigation & Meteorology Officer
Communications & Royal Cypher Officer
1 CPO Chief Radio Supervisor (In charge of Radio Sub-Department)
1 CPO Chief Communications Yeoman (In charge of Tactical Signalling)
2 PO Radio Supervisors
1 Petty Officer (PO) Communications Yeoman (In charge of Flag Deck & Message Distribution)
2 Leading Radio Operators (Tactical Signalling Sub-Department)
3 Leading Radio Operators (Radio Sub-Department)
4 Radio Operators (Tactical Signalling Sub-Department)
6 Radio Operators (Radio Sub-Department)
1 Navigator's Yeoman
Fleet Chief WEA
Chief Radio Electrician
Chief PO Weapons Electrical Artificer
Leading Radio Electrical Mechanic
Weapons Electrical Mechanic (Radio)
Engineering Department
The Engineering Department comprised:
Commander E (The Engineer Commander & Wardroom Mess Secretary)
Senior Engineer (Deputy to Commander E)
1 Main Machinery Officer (In charge of main machinery )
1 Outside Machinery Officer (In charge of auxiliary machinery, shipwrights & laundry)
1 Electrical Officer (In charge of electrical services)
Warrant Officer (In charge of logistics & personnel)
3 CPO Marine Engineering Mechanics (In charge of Boiler Room)
1 CPO Engineer Artificer (In charge of auxiliary machinery)
2 CPO Engineer Shipwrights
2 CPO Engineer Artificers
1 CPO Electrician
5 Petty Officer Marine Engineer Mechanics (With Part of Ship responsibilities)
1 Petty Officer (In charge of the laundry)
7 Leading Marine Engineer Mechanics (With Part of Ship responsibilities)
24 Marine Engineer Mechanics (With Part of Ship responsibilities)
8 Laundry Crew
Supply Department
The Supply Department comprised:
Commander S (The Supply Officer & Admiral's Secretary)
The Keeper & Steward of the Royal Apartments
Deputy Supply Officer (Deputy to Commander S)
Warrant Officer Writer (In charge of pay & the Admiral's office)
1 CPO Steward (In charge of the Wardroom)
1 CPO Caterer (In charge of catering & menu planning)
2 CPO Stewards (Deputy & Assistant Keepers & Stewards of the Royal Apartments)
1 CPO Cook (In charge of the Royal & Wardroom Galleys)
1 CPO Cook (In charge of the Ship's Galley)
2 PO Stewards (In the Wardroom)
1 PO Naval Stores
1 PO Cook (Wardroom Galley)
1 PO Cook (Ship's Galley)
3 Wardroom Leading Stewards
1 Admiral's Leading Steward
3 Leading Stores Accountants
1 Leading Writer
4 Leading Stewards
1 Leading Airman (Photographer 'Snaps')
2 Wardroom Leading Cooks
2 Ship's Galley Leading Cooks
4 Wardroom Cooks
4 Ship's Galley Cooks
Royal Marine Butcher
8 Wardroom Stewards
2 Writers (Admiral's Office)
8 Royal Stewards
Medical Department
The Medical Department comprised:
Principal Medical Officer (PMO)
1 Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Medical Assistant (In charge of Sick Bay routine & assistant to PMO)
1 CPO Medical Technician (Physiotherapist)
HM Royal Marines Band Service
The Royal Marines Band comprised:
Director of Music
Colour Sergeant (The Drum Major)
Colour Sergeant (The Bandmaster)
5 Band Colour Sergeants
8 Band Corporals
6 Musicians
4 Buglers