The Admiralty Yard Craft Service was the civilian service which operated auxiliary vessels for the

British Admiralty The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of it ...

, mainly in HM Dockyards or the vicinity. It was renamed the Port Auxiliary Service (PAS) on 1 October 1958 and the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service in 1976 The service operated

tug A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...

s, harbour ferries, launches, and

lighters A lighter is a portable device which creates a flame, and can be used to ignite a variety of items, such as cigarettes, gas lighter, fireworks, candles or campfires. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable liquid or c ...

. Although some of its tugs were classified as ocean-going, it did not operate ocean-going supply vessels, which were the responsibility of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The Yard Craft Service crews answered to the Captain's Department in each dockyard. The Fleet Coaling Service and the Admiralty Dredging Service were separate, but closely related, services. Ratings and engineers often transferred freely between vessels of the three services, although masters and mates had to be rated individually on each of the three types of vessel. The Fleet Coaling Service, renamed the Fleet Fuelling Service sometime between 1914 and 1926, operated harbour and coastal vessels carrying coal and

fuel oil Fuel oil is any of various fractions obtained from the distillation of petroleum (crude oil). Such oils include distillates (the lighter fractions) and residues (the heavier fractions). Fuel oils include heavy fuel oil, marine fuel oil (MFO), bun ...

to Royal Navy vessels. Its masters did not have to be so highly qualified as the masters of the other two services and were paid considerably lower salaries. The

Dredging Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing da ...

Service was originally part of the Admiralty Works Department, but later transferred to the Civil Engineer-in-Chief's Department (between 1914 and 1926). By 1947, the other two services had fully amalgamated into the Yard Craft Service. Vessels of the Service flew the Blue Ensign defaced by the yellow Admiralty anchor badge.

Ranks/Ratings

Rated in ascending order of pay scales.

1914

*Boy *Ordinary Seaman *Dredger Deckhand *Harbourman *Able Seaman/Dredger Fireman/Dredger Stoker/Dredger Ladderman *Writer/Messenger *Stoker/Skilled Harbourman *Coaling Master 2nd Class/Leading Stoker/Dredger Engine Driver *Chief Stoker/Leading Harbourman *Mate *Coaling Master 1st Class *Engineer 3rd ClassHad to have served as a stoker or a shore engineering mechanic for at least three years. *Master 2nd Class/Dredger MasterHad to have served as a Dredger Mate for at least two years./Suction Dredger Navigator/Engineer 2nd Class *Master 1st Class *Engineer 1st Class *Suction Dredger Master and Chief Engineer

1926

*Boy *Stoker 2nd Class *Ordinary Seaman *Harbourman/Dredger Deckhand *Writer Messenger *Able Seaman *Dredger Stoker/Dredger Fireman/Dredger Ladderman *Stoker 1st Class/Skilled Harbourman *Wireless Telegraph Operator *Leading Stoker *Dredger Engine Driver *Coaling Master 2nd ClassIn 1925 were authorised to wear uniforms. "Yard Craft Officers", ''The Times'', 12 June 1925. *Leading Harbourman *Mate *Chief Stoker *Tug Mate *Coaling Master 1st Class *Engineer 3rd Class *Master 2nd Class/Dredger Master/Suction Dredger Navigator/Engineer 2nd Class *Coaling Master C1 *Master 1st ClassIn 1923 authorised to wear an RN Chief Petty Officer style cap with a

cap badge A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as w ...

of a pilot jack on a black velvet ground for masters who were qualified pilots and an Admiralty Blue Ensign on a red velvet ground for others. "Yard Craftmen's Uniform", ''The Times'', 24 February 1923.In 1925 received the courtesy status of

subordinate officer Subordinate officer is a term used in some armed forces for a grade of officer above a non-commissioned officer but still not actually commissioned, usually still in training. Such officers are treated for most intents and purposes as commissioned ...

s. "Yard Craft Officers", ''The Times'', 12 June 1925. *Engineer 1st Class *Suction Dredger Master and Chief Engineer In 1925, all Masters (except Coaling Masters), Mates, and Engineers 1st and 2nd Class were authorised to wear uniforms.

1947

In 1947, there was a reorganisation. *The grades of Harbourmen and Writer Messengers were abolished, with Harbourmen being transferred to corresponding Seaman or Stoker grades. *Coaling Masters were renamed Coaling Supervisors. *Engineers 3rd Class were renamed Mechanicians. *Boatswains were introduced as third-in-command of larger tugs, second-in-command of vessels with no Mates, or in charge of certain smaller vessels. *All Masters, Mates, Engineers and Coaling Supervisors C1 became salaried and were officially classed as officers. From 1947, the non-salaried grades were as follows: *Boy *Ordinary Seaman/Stoker 2nd Class *Able Seaman/Stoker 1st Class/Dredger Deckhand/Dredger Fireman *Dredger Deckhand (Winch Driver) *Dredger Ladderman *Leading Stoker/Coaling Supervisor Class 2/Wireless Telegraph Operator *Leading Seaman *Dredger Crane Driver/Dredger Grab Driver *Boatswain/Chief Stoker/Qualified Wireless Telegraph Operator *Mechanician/Coaling Supervisor Class 1 These grades were still extant in 1962.

1970

By 1970 the grades were: *Seaman Apprentice *Ordinary Seaman/Mechanic 2nd Class *Able Seaman/Mechanic 1st ClassRenamed from Stoker 1st Class in 1970. *Able Seaman Special *Leading Seaman/Leading Stoker/Fuelling Supervisor 2nd Class *Chief Stoker/Fuelling Supervisor 1st Class *Boatswain/Mechanician

Footnotes

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References

*''Statement of the Decisions of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty on the Petitions received from the Civilian Employees in HM Dockyards and Naval Establishments at Home in 1914'' *Admiralty, ''Conditions of Service, Rates of Pay, Allowances etc. of the Ratings Serving in the Yard Craft at HM Dockyards, Victualling Yards etc. at Home'', December 1926 *Admiralty Fleet Order (AFO) 2/62, 5 January 1962 Royal Navy