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1939-45 War • Royal Naval Patrol Service

• Petty Officer • RNPS• M/S A/S • Mine Sweeping Anti-Submarine
RNPS Petty OfficerSilver RNPS sleeve badge (enlarged)
This Royal Navy Petty Officer wears an important feature on his left forearm. It is the silver Royal Naval Patrol Service sleeve badge.
This small badge was awarded for six months sea service and was worn by all ranks. This badge is an 'award' and is equivalent to a medal.
No other badge looks like it or was worn in that position. badge shape

The RNPS was based at 'The Sparrows Nest' Lowestoft, Suffolk and is sometimes described as a Navy within the Navy. They operated vessels, often converted commercial craft and fishing boats on Minesweeping and Anti-Submarine duties. They served in both home and distant waters.

R.N. Petty Officer cap badgeNormally the men of the Senior Service Royal Navy wear only badges of rank and skill which was all that is necessary in that service.
This Petty Officer is wearing a single breasted jacket with a red embroidered cap badge and the crossed anchors rank badge of a Petty Officer on his left upper arm.
This is the uniform issued by the service. Many would replace the jacket with a privatetely purchased double breasted jacket with gold wire cap and rank badges,		R,N Petty Officer Crossed Anchors badge

Usually the cap tally worn by ratings bears the name of a man's vessel but for security reasons, during the Second World War the name was replaced with less specific wording or simply H.M.S . Unfortunately for us wartime Royal Navy and Air Force uniforms give relatively little information about the wearer.

Photograph by Boughtons of Lowestoft