A persons first commission in the Royal Navy, he was listed as Commanding Officer, In his next ship he is listed as First Lieutenant. Was that a demotion? Both ships were about minesweeper size
2007-03-11 10:49:14 · 7 answers · asked by Curly Top 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
One can be Commanding Officer of an inshore patrol boat with a ten-man crew with the rank of Sub Lt and be moved to a frigate where one will be lower in the status order, but still of the same rank.
The person to whom you refer seems to be either very good or very lucky. To get to be a CO of a Minesweeper sized vessel on his first commission is scary - I was only a PO cook in a minesweeper in my days in the Andrew, but with a sprog sub-lieutenant in charge, I'd be after having my lifejacket closer to hand than my tiddley-suit. First Lieutenant is also a responsible position for any Officer - he is next below the Captain and is responsible for the efficient functioning of all branches in the ship, and this includes discipline. Senior Rates such as myself could have made this sprogs' life a misery. We'd be asking him if there was enough red oil in the stores for the ships' port navigation light, and similar questions. The Chief ERA (Engine Room Artificer) would be after asking for a bucket of revs.
2007-03-11 11:47:33 · answer #1 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There were a lot of different size minesweepers some ships others looking more like large boats and the person in your question sounds has if he has moved into a larger ship where though he retains his rank his position in the order of command is reduced as the captaincy of the second vessel is designated to a higher rank.
2007-03-12 08:02:30 · answer #2 · answered by frankturk50 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, because those are appointments, not ranks.
Depending (but not entirely) on the size of the ship, the CO could be a Lieutenant, a Lt Commander, a Commander or a Captain.
What were the ships?
2007-03-11 18:23:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
position within a ship does not depend on the officer's rank...... a lieutenant who is the commanding officer of the ship, will be the ship's captain, though not a captain in rank (the crew will call him 'captain' aboard the ship - ashore he will be "lieutenant"). Similarly, if an Admiral is the senior officer on the ship, it will still have a 'captain' - the admiral commands the group of ships, the captain is the commanding officer of that individual ship (and just to be even more confusing, if there is an admiral aboard, the ship's 'captain' usually holds the rank of Captain!)
2007-03-11 19:47:14 · answer #4 · answered by skipper409 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm a vet of the U.S. Navy and I know any officer there would consider that a demotion!
2007-03-11 18:02:57 · answer #5 · answered by drokk 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes I would think its a demotion
2007-03-12 12:45:22 · answer #6 · answered by sunshine 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure was
2007-03-11 17:53:08 · answer #7 · answered by kif 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋