RCN Good Conduct badges

[RCN]

Good Conduct Badges (G.C.B.’s)

Now the RCN Good Conduct badges are what causes the most problem for those that are not familiar with RCN ranks. Just how do the RCN GCB’s fit in with the rank insignia? This can be very confusing, so I’ll try to clarify that in the this section........


The first thing to get into your head is that RCN Good conduct badges were worn in conjunction with badges of rank.

The second thing to get is that GCB’s were only worn for those ratings, up to the rank of PO1. CPO’s did not wear GCB’s.

The third thing to get is that GCB’s were worn below the rank badge & both were worn on the LEFT sleeves of the uniform tunics.

& the fourth (& hardest to grasp) is that they could be awarded in various combinations of GCB('s) with the rank insignia.

For the 1949 insignia changes there were no changes affected in the G.C.B.’s – there had been a maximum of three awarded since Victorian times, & there were still 3. They were awarded as follows:

1st G.C.B. - awarded after completion of 3 years service

2nd G.C.B. - awarded after completion of 8 years service

3rd G.C.B. - awarded after completion of 13 years service



Illustrated firstly are the types of gold, red & blue GCB's:

[RCN]

The GCB's were also issued in the inferior 'gold' embroidery by the firm contracted in Pakistan:

[RCN]

& here is a comparison of the gold lace type with the gold 'paki' embroidered type.

The single (3 yr) GCB both examples are mint & unworn, so you can see that the 'paki' embroidered version when new was pretty good looking.

In the double (8 yr) & triple (13 yr) examples were both worn & you can see the degree of tarnishing that has occured in the 'paki' example.

The double gold lace GCB example was also worn.

[RCN]

Now I will address the fourth point in the initial post in this thread – the combinations of the GCB’s with the various badges of rank:

Naval GCB’s mean - “time in with good conduct” – so to be awarded a GCB a rating had to have a certain amount of time in plus the applicable good conduct.

The first GCB chevron means a man had completed 3 years service, the second GCB means he had completed 8 years service, & the third GCB means he had completed 13 years service (that is, 5 years between GC badges).

During this period of time he is progressing up the promotion ladder.
Usually by the time he is rated AB (no badge of rank) he has rec’d his first GCB.
He may have even reached LS by the time he was awarded first GCB.

However, & here is where we get into difficulty -- it is quite conceivable that a man could be say, a PO2 (crossed anchors as his rank badge) & only wear one GCB. This was generally the case with Technical Apprentices, who graduated as PO2’s after 5 years at Fleet Technical school.

Another rating could be a LS (single anchor as his rank badge) & wear three GCB’s, meaning he had at least 13 years service. Various combinations were possible, especially during wartime where promotion was more rapid.

Another possibility was the so called ‘stripey’ - an anomaly that was quite prevalent in the RN & RCN up to the end of WWII. A ‘stripey’ was a three badge AB that only wore three GCB’s, remember the rank of AB bore no rank insignia. The ‘stripey’ had pretty much disappeared from the RCN by the mid 1950’s, but the writer does recall seeing a couple of them still serving in the RCN(R) in the late 1950’s, but by that time they were very rare birds indeed.

Generally, by the time a man had been promoted to PO2 or PO1 he had at least 2, or usually 3 GCB’s to his credit, & likely had the CD (12 year long service medal) as well. In the mid 1950’s many of the pre 2WW regulars wore the old Royal Naval Long service medal ribbon (also known as the ‘blue peter’ - 15 yr long service medal) as well.

GCB’s were worn up to the rank of PO1,
& CPO’s did not wear GCB’s.

I have illustrated below some example of various rank & GCB’s combinations:

The first 2 are LS & date from 2WW period. These two ratings would have had thire 1st GCB & be working on their second so they have a minimum of 3 yrs service in, but not yet reached 8 yrs.
The top example is embroidered in yellow thread & yellow lace & the lower example is embroidered in gold wire:

[RCN]

Here is an example of a wartime PO with one GCB with a minimum of 3 yrs service in:

[RCN]

Examples of a PO1 & PO2, both with minimum of 13 yrs service in,
they date from the 1050's period:

[RCN]

& PO2 with minimum of three yrs in, this example is in the gold ''paki' embroidered style from the 50's period:

[RCN]

An LS with a minimum of 8 yrs service in,

& PO1 with a minimum of 13 yrs service in,

both likely from the early 60's period:

[boots and saddles]

I guess you had to buy the gold wire one, Could you wear a gold wire stripe or badge on any uniform you chose? or did it have to be dress uniform whatever you called it, There were a lot of uniform numbers that I can't keep track of. I liked the black uniform with red badges whatever that was called, and I have one in my stores. Excellent info Bryan. I'll be a while grasping it but I'll save the thread. Almost as bad as the Warrant officer bit.

[RCN]

Another 2 GCB LS, this example came to me in pieces, with his uniform, the anchor badge cut to fit inside the V of the top GCB, then sewn together,
likely from the '50's:

[RCN]

& finally to finish with - an old well worn cloth embroidered wartime "stripey" dates from WWII, another one that came to me with his medals.

I can only imagine the places this badge has seen & the stories it could tell, if it was able!

Bryan

[RCN]

Originally Posted by boots and saddles

I guess you had to buy the gold wire one, Could you wear a gold wire stripe or badge on any uniform you chose? or did it have to be dress uniform whatever you called it, There were a lot of uniform numbers that I can't keep track of. I liked the black uniform with red badges whatever that was called, and I have one in my stores. Excellent info Bryan. I'll be a while grasping it but I'll save the thread. Almost as bad as the Warrant officer bit.

When I was in we had the option to buy our gold wire badges either from stores or from the base tailor. We were issued the CANADA badges in NE training but I am certain we had to buy our first trade badge. The rank badges after that would be issued, or you could also buy from tailors, every naval base had a tailor shop on site in those days.

The gold embroidered badges were worn on the Number 1 (best parade) uniform, but some guys wore them also on their number 2 uniform, perhaps a uniform that had started out as a number 1 uniform, but the gold badges tarnish & dull after a while, so it then became number 2.

Your everyday uniform was red badges. Blue badges were worn on whites & working dress. I'll cover the numbers when I get into uniforms Ray.

It does take a non naval person a while to digest the 'old navy way' of doing things.

I recall the first two wks of NE training at Cornwallis yrs ago - all we did for those first two wks was mark & sew kit, & learn the navy rank system & how & whom to salute -- usually the hard way too!!!

& that is primarily why I choose to develop these threads - to EDUCATE people - the questions I get asked at shows!!!! !!!


Bryan