The Rear-Admiral of the Red was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Vice-Admiral of the Blue (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.[1] From 1624 to 1805 this rank was in order of precedence seventh; after 1805 it was the eighth. In 1864 it was abolished as a promotional rank. (pictured opposite is the command flag for an Rear-Admiral of the Red)..[2]
The Rear-Admiral of the Red was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Vice-Admiral of the Blue (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 in order of precedence seventh; after 1805 it was the eighth. In 1864 it was abolished as a promotional rank. (pictured opposite is the command flag for an Rear-Admiral of the Red)..[3]
Order of precedence Admirals of the Colour
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 originally into 9 bands then later 10 with ‘Admiral of the Fleet' as senior to all others..[4]
Seniority was therefore from 1805 to 1864.:
Admiral of the Fleet,
Admiral of the Red Squadron (rank created in 1805)
Admiral of the White Squadron
Admiral of the Blue Squadron
Vice-Admiral of the Red Squadron
Vice-Admiral of the White Squadron
Vice-Admiral of the Blue Squadron
Rear-Admiral of the Red Squadron
Rear-Admiral of the White Squadron
Rear-Admiral of the Blue Squadron
Seniority was therefore from 1624 to 1805.:
Admiral of the Fleet,
Admiral of the White Squadron
Admiral of the Blue Squadron
Vice-Admiral of the Red Squadron
Vice-Admiral of the White Squadron
Vice-Admiral of the Blue Squadron
Rear-Admiral of the Red Squadron
Rear-Admiral of the White Squadron
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.[5]
Perrin, W. G. (William Gordon) (1922). "Flags of Command: Admirals Flags". British flags, their early history, and their development at sea; with an account of the origin of the flag as a national device. Cambridge, England: Cambridge: The University Press.
Squadron Colours" (2014), (PDF). National Museum of the Royal Navy.
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