Dartmouth Royal Naval College
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Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, also known as Dartmouth, is the
naval academy A naval academy provides education for prospective naval officers. List of naval academies See also

* Military academy {{Authority control Naval academies, Naval lists ...
of the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and the initial officer training establishment of the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
. It is located on a hill overlooking the port of
Dartmouth, Devon Dartmouth () is a town and civil parish in the England, English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the western bank of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes. It lies w ...
,
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. Royal Naval officer training has taken place in Dartmouth since 1863. The buildings of the current campus were completed in 1905. Earlier students lived in two wooden
hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk ...
s moored in the
River Dart The River Dart is a river in Devon, England, that source (river), rises high on Dartmoor and flows for to the sea at Dartmouth, Devon, Dartmouth. Name Most hydronyms in England derive from the Common Brittonic, Brythonic language (from which ...
. Since 1998, BRNC has been the sole centre for Royal Naval officer training.


History

The training of naval officers at Dartmouth dates from 1863, when the wooden hulk was moved from
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
and moored in the
River Dart The River Dart is a river in Devon, England, that source (river), rises high on Dartmoor and flows for to the sea at Dartmouth, Devon, Dartmouth. Name Most hydronyms in England derive from the Common Brittonic, Brythonic language (from which ...
to serve as a base. In 1864, after an influx of new recruits, ''Britannia'' was supplemented by . Prior to this, a
Royal Naval Academy The Royal Naval Academy was a facility established in 1733 in HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth Dockyard to train officers for the Royal Navy. The founders' intentions were to provide an alternative means to recruit officers and to provide standardise ...
(later Royal Naval College) had operated for more than a century from 1733 to 1837 at
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
, a major naval installation. The original ''Britannia'' was replaced by the in 1869, which was renamed ''Britannia.'' The foundation stone for a new building at the college was laid by
King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...
in March 1902. Sir
Aston Webb Sir Aston Webb, (22 May 1849 – 21 August 1930) was a British architect who designed the principal facade of Buckingham Palace and the main building of the Victoria and Albert Museum, among other major works around England, many of them in par ...
designed the shore-based college at Dartmouth, which was built by
Higgs and Hill Higgs and Hill was a major British construction company responsible for construction of many well-known buildings in London. History The company was established in 1874 by the merger of the firm of Thomas Hill (managed by Rowland and Joseph Hill ...
and practically completed in 1905. From September 1903, officer cadets first entered the
Royal Naval College, Osborne The Royal Naval College, Osborne, was a training college for Royal Navy officer cadets on the Osborne House estate, Isle of Wight, established in 1903 and closed in 1921. Boys were admitted at about the age of thirteen to follow a course lasting ...
, then after two years transferred to Dartmouth, and the first such intake was in September 1905. The college was originally known as the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth (RNC). As a Royal Naval shore establishment, it was later known also by the ship name HMS ''Britannia'' (a battleship called operated from 1904 to 1918). The college was renamed ''HMS Dartmouth'' in 1953, when the name ''Britannia'' was given to the newly launched royal yacht . The training ship moored in the River Dart at Sandquay, a ''Sandown'' class
minehunter A minehunter is a naval vessel that seeks, detects, and destroys individual naval mines. Minesweepers, on the other hand, clear mined areas as a whole, without prior detection of mines. A vessel that combines both of these roles is known as ...
formerly known as , continues to bear the name ''Hindostan''. As of 2025, eight 15-metre
Sea-class workboat The Sea-class workboat has been procured for Britain's Royal Navy to undertake a number of roles, including: logistics and transport tasks, inshore and harbour survey work, diver training and support, officer training and providing passenger tr ...
s (Cormorant, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Skua, Gannet and Tern) are assigned to the College for the purpose of training officer cadets. Cadets originally joined the
Royal Naval College, Osborne The Royal Naval College, Osborne, was a training college for Royal Navy officer cadets on the Osborne House estate, Isle of Wight, established in 1903 and closed in 1921. Boys were admitted at about the age of thirteen to follow a course lasting ...
, at
Osborne House Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat. Albert designed the house in the style ...
, at the age of 13 for two years' study and work before joining Dartmouth. The Royal Naval College, Osborne closed in 1921. During the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, after six
Focke-Wulf Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG () was a German manufacturer of civil and military aircraft before and during World War II. Many of the company's successful fighter aircraft designs were slight modifications of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. It is one of the ...
aircraft bombed the College in September 1942, students and staff moved activities to Eaton Hall in
Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...
until the autumn of 1946. Two bombs had penetrated the College's main block, causing damage to the quarterdeck and surrounding rooms. Britannia Royal Naval College became the sole naval college in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
following the closures of the
Royal Naval Engineering College The Royal Naval Engineering College was a specialist establishment for the training of Royal Navy engineers. It was founded as Keyham College in 1880, new buildings were opened in Manadon, Devon in 1940 and the old college site at Keyham close ...
, Manadon, in 1994 and of the
Royal Naval College, Greenwich The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was a Royal Navy training establishment between 1873 and 1998, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Royal Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers. The equi ...
, in 1998. In 2020, a group of Junior Rates were trained at BRNC to help alleviate added pressure on HMS ''Raleigh'', after a surge in recruitment. On 13 August 2020, a troop of 34 Ratings and 130 officers passed out simultaneously for the first time in the history of the Royal Navy. They were followed by a second class of Junior Rates who passed out on 17 December 2020.


Entry

Prospective cadets entrants must meet a minimum academic requirement. They then proceed to the
Admiralty Interview Board The Admiralty Interview Board (AIB) is a key element of the officer selection process for the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve, and Royal Fleet Auxiliary. It is an equivalent of the Army Officer Selecti ...
, where they are tested mentally and physically. Several mental
aptitude An aptitude is a component of a competence to do a certain kind of work at a certain level. Outstanding aptitude can be considered "talent", or "skill". Aptitude is inborn potential to perform certain kinds of activities, whether physical or ...
tests are administered, along with a basic
physical fitness Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of Outline of sports, sports, occupations, and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, modera ...
test and a medical examination. Officer cadets, as they are known until passing out from the college, can join between the ages of 18 and 39. While most cadets join BRNC after finishing university, some join directly from secondary school. The commissioning course is 30 weeks, with Warfare Officers and Aircrew spending a further 19 weeks studying academics at the college. A large contingent of international and
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
students are part of the student body. The
Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service and provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RF ...
sends its officer cadets to BRNC for a 10-week initial officer training course, before they start at a maritime college.


Ofsted criticism

An
Ofsted The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial department of His Majesty's government, reporting to Parliament. Ofsted's role is to make sure that organisations providing education, training ...
report on BRNC in 2023 described the college as being filled with "rot and mould". Inspectors also cited unsafe structures, ill-fitting equipment, staff shortages and medical inspection delays. Inspectors noted how windows in some dormitories were boarded over due to rot while "mould is growing on window frames and ceilings". Dartmouth was rated by Ofsted as inadequate. Amanda Spielman, Ofsted's Chief Inspector, said Dartmouth received the rating due to the poor state of the college's infrastructure which was due to "a lack of investment over many decades".


Royal cadets

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...
and
King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...
were naval cadets at Dartmouth. The first "significant encounter" between Prince Philip of Greece and the then Princess Elizabeth took place at Dartmouth in July 1939, where Philip was a naval cadet.
Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
and the
Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...
also attended Dartmouth. The
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...
spent a brief period at the College after leaving Sandhurst as part of his training with all three of Britain's Armed Forces. Sheikh Mubarak Ali Yousuf Suoud Al-Sabah, a member of the Royal Family of
Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
, attended the Royal Navy Young Officer Course at Britannia Royal Naval College in 2002. Sheikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the eldest son of the
Crown Prince of Bahrain The crown prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain () is the heir apparent to the King of Bahrain and official heir presumptive to King of Bahrain. Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa was sworn in as ''Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain'' on 9 March 1999 and ...
, also underwent training at BRNC (including time at sea in RN warships) from 2014 to 2015, prior to commencing active service in the
Royal Bahrain Naval Force The Royal Bahrain Naval Force (, abbreviated RBNF), also called the Royal Bahraini Navy,William E. Goodenough: May 1905 – August 1907 *Captain Trevylyan D. W. Napier: August 1907 – July 1910 *Captain
Hugh Evan-Thomas Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas, (27 October 1862 – 30 August 1928) was a British Royal Navy officer. During World War I he commanded the 5th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet, flying his flag in , and fought at the Battle of Jutland on 31 ...
: July 1910 – July 1912 *Captain the Hon. Victor A. Stanley: July 1912 – ? 1914 *Rear-Admiral Trevylyan D. W. Napier: September–December 1914 *Captain Edmond Hyde Parker: ? 1914 – February 1915 *Captain Norman C. Palmer: February 1915 – May 1916 *Rear-Admiral William G. E. Ruck Keene: May 1916 – January 1919 *Captain Eustace la T. Leatham: February 1919 – February 1921 *Captain Francis A. Marten: February 1921 – January 1923 *Captain the Hon. Herbert Meade: January 1923 – February 1926 *Captain Martin E. Dunbar-Nasmith: February 1926 – February 1929 *Captain Sidney J. Meyrick: February 1929 – December 1931 *Captain Norman A. Wodehouse: December 1931 – December 1934 *Captain Reginald V. Holt: December 1934 – December 1936 *Captain Frederick H. G. Dalrymple-Hamilton: December 1936 – November 1939 *Captain Robert L. B. Cunliffe: December 1939 – April 1942 *Captain Edward A. Aylmer: April 1942 – December 1943 *Captain Gerald H. Warner: December 1943–? *Captain Peveril B. R. W. William-Powlett: January 1946 – February 1948 *Captain Hugh W. Faulkner: February 1948 – August 1949 *Captain Norman V. Dickinson: August 1949 – April 1951 *Captain Richard T. White: April 1951 – August 1953 *Captain William G. Crawford: August 1953 – April 1956 *Captain William J. Munn: April 1956 – August 1958 *Captain Frank H. E. Hopkins: August 1958 – August 1960 *Captain Horace R. Law: August 1960 – December 1961 *Captain W. John Parker: December 1961 – September 1963 *Captain John E. L. Martin: September 1963 – August 1966 *Captain Ian W. Jamieson: August 1966 – April 1968 *Captain David Williams: April 1968 – September 1970 *Captain A. Gordon Tait: September 1970 – August 1972 *Captain John M. Forbes: August 1972 – September 1974 *Captain Michael A. Higgs: September 1974 – September 1976 *Captain Paul W. Greening: September 1976 – October 1978 *Captain Nicholas J. S. Hunt: October 1978 – June 1980 *Captain J. Julian R. Oswald: June 1980 – June 1982 *Captain Timothy M. Bevan: June 1982 – September 1984 *Captain George M. Tullis: September 1984 – 1987 *Captain John R. Brigstocke: 1987–89 *Captain J. Robert Shiffner: 1989–91 *Captain Richard G. Hastilow: 1991–93 *Captain Simon Moore: 1993–95 *Captain (later Commodore) Anthony P. Masterton-Smith: 1995 – January 1998 *Commodore Roy A. G. Clare: January 1998 – 1999 *Commodore Mark W. G. Kerr: 1999–2002 *Commodore C. Anthony Johnstone-Burt: 2002–04 *Commodore Richard J. Ibbotson: 2004–05 *Commodore Timothy Harris: 2005 – April 2007 *Commodore Martin B. Alabaster: April 2007 – September 2008 *Commodore Jake K. Moores: September 2008 – March 2011 *Commodore Simon P. Williams: March 2011 – September 2012 *Captain
Jerry Kyd Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Paul Kyd, (born August 1967) is a former senior officer in the Royal Navy. He has served as the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey since October 2022. He formerly served as Fleet Commander from March 2019 to September 202 ...
: September 2012 – February 2014 *Captain Henry Duffy: February 2014 – September 2016 *Captain Jolyon Woodard: September 2016 – September 2019 *Captain Roger Readwin: September 2019 – May 2022 *Captain Sarah Oakley: May 2022 – Dec 2023 *Captain Andrew Bray: Dec 2023 - Present


Images

File:Royal Naval college-3 alt.jpg, The college taken from the other side of the Dart at Kingswear File:BRNC.jpg, International air cadets from the
International Air Cadet Exchange The International Air Cadet Exchange is an annual student exchange program designed to promote character, good-will, and cooperation among the world's civilian auxiliaries, auxiliary aviation programs. Participants come from organizations such ...
on the main steps. File:TeamBuildingAtBRNC.jpg, Cadets at BRNC participate in a practical leadership task (PLT). File:BRNC Dartmouth.JPG, BRNC from the town quay


Former students


See also

*
Royal Naval College, Greenwich The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was a Royal Navy training establishment between 1873 and 1998, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Royal Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers. The equi ...
*
Royal Naval College, Osborne The Royal Naval College, Osborne, was a training college for Royal Navy officer cadets on the Osborne House estate, Isle of Wight, established in 1903 and closed in 1921. Boys were admitted at about the age of thirteen to follow a course lasting ...
*
Royal Naval Academy The Royal Naval Academy was a facility established in 1733 in HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth Dockyard to train officers for the Royal Navy. The founders' intentions were to provide an alternative means to recruit officers and to provide standardise ...
* The Royal Hospital School * St Vincent Squadron, a former division of the college *
King Fahd Naval Academy The King Fahd Naval Academy () is the main naval academy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Royal Saudi Navy, located inside King Abdulaziz Naval Base in Jubail, which also hosts the navy's Western Fleet. The academy was established in 1986 ...
- Military naval college of Saudi Arabia, modelled on Britannia Royal Naval College.


References


Sources

* *


External links


Official web siteThe Dreadnought ProjectThe Britannia Association
{{Coord, 50, 21, 26, N, 03, 34, 58, W, region:GB_type:edu_scale:3000, display=title Racquets venues Education in Devon Naval academies Training establishments of the Royal Navy Military academies of the United Kingdom 1863 establishments in the United Kingdom Economy of Devon Dartmouth, Devon Military history of Dartmouth Universities and colleges established in 1863