Rear-Admiral of the White
Rear-Admiral of the White
Flag_Rear_Admiral_of_the_White_1805_to_1864.png
Active 1545-1864
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
Abbreviation RADM (W)
Next higher rank Rear-Admiral of the Red
Next lower rank Rear-Admiral of the Blue

The Rear-Admiral of the White was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Rear-Admiral of the Red (see order of precedence below). Royal Navy officers currently holding the ranks of commodore, rear admiral, vice admiral and admiral of the fleet are sometimes considered generically to be admirals. From 1624 to 1805 this rank was the eighth highest rank; after 1805 this was the ninth highest rank. In 1864 it was abolished as a promotional rank. (pictured opposite is the command flag for an Rear-Admiral of the White).

1) History

The Rear-Admiral of the White was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Rear-Admiral of the Red (see order of precedence below). Royal Navy officers currently holding the ranks of commodore, rear admiral, vice admiral and admiral of the fleet are sometimes considered generically to be admirals. From 1624 to 1805 this rank was the eighth highest rank; after 1805 this was the ninth highest rank. In 1864 it was abolished as a promotional rank.

2) Order of precedence Admirals of the Colour

Today we are used to the White Ensign being flown by all ships of the Royal Navy. However in Nelson's Day a different system was in use. The Navy was divided into three squadrons Red, White and Blue in order of seniority. Admirals were appointed to these squadrons and therefore their rank and squadron split the seniority into 9 bands with ‘Admiral of the Fleet' forming a tenth senior to all others.

Seniority was therefore from 1805 to 1864.:

  1. Admiral of the Fleet,
  2. Admiral of the Red Squadron (rank created in 1805)
  3. Admiral of the White Squadron
  4. Admiral of the Blue Squadron
  5. Vice-Admiral of the Red Squadron
  6. Vice-Admiral of the White Squadron
  7. Vice-Admiral of the Blue Squadron
  8. Rear-Admiral of the Red Squadron
  9. Rear-Admiral of the White Squadron
  10. Rear-Admiral of the Blue Squadron

Seniority was therefore from 1624 to 1805.:

  1. Admiral of the Fleet,
  2. Admiral of the White Squadron
  3. Admiral of the Blue Squadron
  4. Vice-Admiral of the Red Squadron
  5. Vice-Admiral of the White Squadron
  6. Vice-Admiral of the Blue Squadron
  7. Rear-Admiral of the Red Squadron
  8. Rear-Admiral of the White Squadron
  9. Rear-Admiral of the Blue Squadron

Admirals without an appointment were colloquially referred to as Yellow Admirals. Ships of the Royal Navy flew the Ensign that coincided with the squadron of their commanding officer.

3) Former command flag 1625 to 1702

Flag_Rear_Admiral_of_the_White_1702_to_1805.png

Pictured is the command flag of the Rear-Admiral of the White from 1702 to 1805

4) See Also

  1. Flag Officers Promotion Path (1545-1864)

5) Sources

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_command_flags_of_the_Royal_
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