Artisan/ Shipwright branches
The various rates that made up the Artisan/Shipwright branch of the RCN had been around for quite some time in the RN, altho the first rate badges did not appear until 1890.
The Artisan branch encompassed many trades & skills, including: coppersmiths, whitemetalsmiths, coopers, carpenters mates, joiners, blacksmiths, plumbers, painters, & ropemakers.
The Artisan branch did not include Engine room & machinist ratings, fitters, turners, boilermakers, mouldmakers, etc; they belonged to the ERA branch - illustrated elsewhere in this series of threads.
Artisans wore a common rate badge - the logo being an old fashioned axe crossed with a sledge hammer.
The Shipwright branch was made up of skilled shipwrights - men trained in shipbuilding & construction, both wood & metal. These ratings had previously undergone a 5-7 year apprentishship in dockyards prior to entering the RN. Shipwrights wore the Artisan rate badge but with the addition of a star above the crossed axe/hammer logo. Later (after WWI) additional stars & the crown was added above the logo to indicate advancement within the branch.
Artisan & Shipwright rate badges are shown below:
Last edited by RCN; 04-10-09 at 06:08 PM.
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04-10-09, 06:02 PM
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