Serco Denholm

[Phil2M]

Hi,

Does anybody know if Serco Denholm have/had cap badges, please? if so, do/did all ranks and does anybody have any illustrations or photos, please?

Many thanks,

Phil

[engr9266]

Aren't Serco Denholm something to do with HM Dockyards Portsmouth & Devonport ?? Do not know if they wear cap badges.

[Phil2M]

Yes mate, they run the tugs and ferries etc for the RN

[sailorbear]

Originally Posted by Phil2M

Yes mate, they run the tugs and ferries etc for the RN

Hi Phil, That's right but they are now Serco Marine Services. They started life as the French facilities company Serco, then joined with the British Denholm Ship Management who are an old established shipping company to form Serco Denholm, to bid for the MOD Marine services contract that was at that time, mainly run by the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS). in 2009 Serco took over all of the MOD Marine services and the RMAS was disbanded. Serco also have several commercial contracts (like the Woolwich ferry) . The MOD contract vessels are black hulls with buff superstructure, and fly the "Other Government Service" ensign of blue ensign defaced in the fly by an Horizontal single yellow anchor. The commercial vessels are all red hulls with white superstructure, and fly the red ensign and Serco company flag.

I worked for Serco Denholm in 2000, on the research vessel RV Colonel Templer on chaff rocket trials for the RN/USN/DERA. At that time the uniform (for ratings) was light grey trousers, (although blue was acceptable) red rugby shirt, tee shirt or polo shirt with company logo on the right breast, light grey NATO sweater, and a light grey baseball cap with Serco Denholm logo (pictured). Officers wore black trousers, white shirts and navy blue NATO sweaters with relevant Merchant Navy shoulder rank insignia. I never saw anyone wearing a peaked cap with a maritime cap badge. Whether they now wear a cap badge I cannot say but Serco also runs many fire fighting contracts for both MOD and commercial companies and their fire-fighters do wear cap badges.

Regards

Tony

[Phil2M]

Brilliant, thank you Tony Very much appreciated.

[sailorbear]

Originally Posted by Phil2M

Brilliant, thank you Tony Very much appreciated.

No worries Phil, if you need any info on the RMAS as well just ask, I worked for them too!

Regards

Tony

[Phil2M]

I have an officers cap badge to RMAS, did they have o/r badges too?

[sailorbear]

Originally Posted by Phil2M

I have an officers cap badge to RMAS, did they have o/r badges too?

Hi Phil, When I served with the RMAS in 2000 on the RMAS vessel Newton the ratings wore no insignia at all and no headdress apart from MOD issue blue safety helmets and (unofficial) baseball caps. The official uniform, issued from ships stores was the standard RN issue Action Working Dress (No4s) of dark blue trousers and lighter blue shirt, also issued were navy blue NATO sweaters, naval steaming bats (safety boots) RN blue coveralls and blue nylon foulies (waterproof jackets). However it was not compulsory to wear any of the issue kit and most of use wore our own civilian clothes at sea (pictured)

As for officers, like Serco they wore RN issue black trousers (no 3s) white long sleeve or short sleeve tropical shirts with relevant Merchant Navy Epaulette rank slides or boards, blue NATO sweaters and in hot climates white shorts and white long socks and white shoes. Again like Serco I never saw an officer wearing a peaked cap (even when going ashore in Gibraltar to sea the RN Commander in Chief!)

The badge you have I think is an Admiralty Yard Craft officers cap badge, which I think was the forerunner of the RMAS and Port Auxiliary Service. The ensign on it is different to the RMAS ensign which has 2 wavy lines under it. The one on the badge is the Other Government Service ensign which is now used by contractors like Serco but I believe it was originally the RFA ensign until the adopted the upright anchor.

There is a thread on here with a link about this in answer to a question I asked a few years ago now.

Hope it helps

Tony