Midshipman

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For the fish called midshipman, see midshipman fish.
Midshipman of the Royal Navy, by Thomas Rowlandson

A midshipman is a subordinate officer, an Officer Cadet, or alternatively a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the navies of several English-speaking countries.

During the days of sailing vessels, from the 17th through the 19th centuries, a midshipman was an apprentice officer. The word derives from the location of ship, amidships, where they were berthed. [1] The midshipman used to serve seven years on the lower deck and was roughly equivalent to a present day petty officer in rank and position. [2]

During the 19th century training of Naval officers in both the Royal Navy and the U.S. Navy changed toward formal schooling in a Naval college as opposed to apprenticeship aboard ships. Today, a Midshipman is a Naval Cadet in the U.S. Navy. In the modern Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy, and the Royal New Zealand Navy non-graduates join as Midshipman, while those with a university degree join as a Sub-Lieutenant.

The Midshipmen is also the name for sports teams fielded by the U.S. Naval Academy.

The rank of midshipman is one of the oldest ranks still in existence. The first published use of the term Midshipmen was in 1662, and from 1677 all candidates for commissioned rank in the Royal Navy required previous service as a midshipman.[3] Midshipmen is an English term, the equivalent term in Spanish is guardia marina and, in Portuguese, is guarda-marinha. In French, the similar term garde marine was renamed in Republican France to aspirant, and again in 1814 élèves de la marine.[4]

At the height of the Age of Sail during the Napoleonic era (1793 - 1815), most midshipmen started their sailing career around the age of 11 or 12. The regulations in the Royal Navy demanded that no-one 'be rated as master's mate or midshipman who shall not have been three years at sea'.[4]. There were several ways of getting around this requirement. Since most midshipmen were from the landed gentry or had family connections with sailing ships, they could use their standing to have their name placed on a ship's books. A notable example was Thomas Cochrane, whose uncle had him entered at the age of 5, and his name was carried on various ships until he was 18 and received his commission. [4]

Another way was through the Royal Naval College, in Portsmouth. This had been founded in 1729, for 40 students between 13 and 16 who would take 3 years to complete. After graduation, they would serve on a ship as a midshipman. [4] The school was not popular because of an aversion to 'book learning' in the navy, and it tended to infringe on the officers' privileges in the matter of taking on servants.

Most boys served the appropriate time at sea. The other four years might be served in any lower rating, [5], either as a seaman or as a servant of one of the ship's officers. For example, a captain was entitled to 4 servants for every 100 men aboard, many of which were young men destined to become officers. [4] In 1794, this system was changed and a new rating was created called 'Volunteer Class 1', young gentlemen intended for the sea service provided they are not under the age of eleven years and were paid £6. [4] Most midshipmen aspired to stand for the lieutenant examination at age 17 or 18, and the average age of a midshipman was between 15 and 22.[5] Promotion to Lieutenant meant a prospective officer had to take a formal examination. Successful completion of the examination made the midshipman a 'Passed Midshipman'.

Midshipmen in the Age of Sail came from a wide social background. The largest group was the sons of professional men, about 50 percent of officers. This group included the sons of naval officers, and there were notable sailing families through out the age of sail such as Saumarez, Hood and Parker. The family connection was an obvious advantage with the power of promotion these men held. The next largest group was from the landed gentry, about 27 percent of officers. The numbers were smaller, but similarly, their connections gave them excellent prospects for promotion, and they had a considerable influence on the Royal Navy. The rest were from commercial or working class backgrounds, and because of the advantages possessed by the gentry and professional sailors, their chances at promotion to lieutenant were slim. [4]

Between 1815 and 1850 naval officer education changed to adopt the Naval College approach as opposed to the 'apprenticeship' approach favored in the Age of Sail. By 1850 the term midshipman had evolved into its modern definition as an officer cadet at a Naval college. For example, midshipmen at the newly formed United States Naval Academy studied at the Academy for four years and trained aboard ships each summer. [6]

Midshipman's badge
Midshipman's insignia

In the Royal Navy a Midshipman is the second lowest rank of officer, above the rank of Cadet RN which is referred to in the Naval Discipline Act 1957 but no longer used. Although not commissioned, midshipmen are officers in the Royal Navy, and rank immediately below Second Lieutenants in the British Army and Pilot Officers in the Royal Air Force and above all enlisted and warrant ranks (although pre-1956 Royal Navy and Royal Marines Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers from Warrant Rank were senior to Midshipmen). A midshipman's rank insignia, which have changed little since Napoleonic times, are a white patch of cloth with a gold button and a twist of white cord on each side of the coat collar.

Today those joining the Navy as graduates start as Sub-Lieutenants with non-graduates joining as Midshipmen. Until they have completed initial sea training, both midshipmen and sub-lieutenants at Britannia Royal Naval College do not use their substantive ranks, but use the non-substantive rank of Officer Cadet.

In Royal Navy slang, midshipmen are sometimes referred to as "snotties", and a somewhat dubious legend states that the three buttons formerly on the jacket cuffs of the midshipman were placed there to prevent him wiping his nose on his sleeve [7].


In the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, a midshipman is an officer cadet. The rank of midshipman is used by the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and Naval ROTC.

The student body is the Brigade of Midshipmen, and the naval service often is called "the fleet". Midshipmen at the Academy and in Navy Option NROTC wear service dress uniforms similar to those of U.S. Navy officers, with shoulderboard and sleeve insignia varying by school year or officer rank.

The Midshipmen is also the name for sports teams fielded by the U.S. Naval Academy.

Midshipmen in the Royal Australian Navy study at the Royal Australian Naval College. Generally, trainees who have no university education or a three year degree enter the college as Midshipmen, while trainees with significant experience or more university education enter as Sub-Lieutenants, Lieutenants and Chaplains. A Midshipman in the Royal Australian holds a commission, however this is not confirmed and officially issued until promotion to Lieutenant. The rank of Midshipman is a transitional rank indicating that a person is under training to be a Naval officer. [8]

A Midshipman in the Royal New Zealand Navies holds a commission, however this is not confirmed and officially issued until promotion to Lieutenant. In the the Royal New Zealand Navy[9] non-graduates join as Midshipman, while those with a university degree join as a Sub-Lieutenant.

Because a Midshipman historically refers to both a subordinate officer/Officer Designate as well as a cadet officer, there is some overlap in translation between different languages. Some modern Navies use both (Royal Navy), some only use student officer (U.S. Navy), some only use Officer Designate (Italian Navy), and some use neither (Danish Navy).

[edit] German Navy

Seekadett is the German Navy's cadet officer which translates to Midshipman in English.

[edit] Spanish Navy

Guardiamarina is the Officer Designate rank used by the Spanish Navy and is translated as Midshipman in English.

[edit] French Navy

Aspirant

Aspirant is the Officer Designate rank, used by the French Navy (French: Marine Nationale), and is translated as Midshipman in English.

[edit] Italian Navy

Aspirante guardiamarina

Aspirante guardiamarina is the Officer Designate rank used by the Italian Navy, and is translated as Midshipman in English but literally means 'Apprentice Ensign'.

[edit] Portuguese Navy

Guarda-marinha is the Officer Designate rank used by the Portuguese Navy and is translated as Midshipman in English.

[edit] Dutch Navy

Adelborst is the name of cadet officers at the Royal Netherlands Naval College and translates as 'Midshipman' in English.

[edit] Russian Navy

A Midshipman (Russian: Мичман) is considered a Warrant Officer by the Russian Navy and is translated as Midshipman in English.


v • d • e
Commissioned Officer ranks of the Flag of the United Kingdom British Armed Forces
Student Officer OF(D) OF-1 OF-2 OF-3 OF-4 OF-5 OF-6 OF-7 OF-8 OF-9 OF-10
Royal Navy OC Mid SLt Lt Lt Cdr Cdr Capt Cdre RAdm VAdm Adm Adm of the Fleet
Royal Marines 2Lt Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Maj-Gen Lt Gen Gen
Army O Cdt 2Lt Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Maj-Gen Lt Gen Gen FM
Royal Air Force OC APO / Plt Off Fg Off Flt Lt Sqn Ldr Wg Cdr Gp Capt Air Cdre AVM Air Mshl Air Chf Mshl MRAF
v • d • e
United States Uniformed Services rank and rate insignia
Officer
Enlisted

  1. ^ Kearns, Patricia (1998). Historical Dictionary of the United States Navy. Scarecrow Press. 
  2. ^ "Royal Navy and Marine Customs and Traditions" (HTML), http://www.hmsrichmond.org/avast/customs.htm, retrieved on 28 December 2008. 
  3. ^ Oxford English Dictionary. http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/00309268?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=midshipman&first=1&max_to_show=10. Retrieved on 25 July 2008. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Lavery, Brian (1989). Nelson's Navy: The Ships, Men and Organization. Naval Institute Press. 
  5. ^ a b Phillipson, David (1996). Band of Brothers: Boy Seamen in the Royal Navy 1800 - 1956. Naval Institute Press. 
  6. ^ "A Brief History of the US Naval Academy" (HTML), http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/history/homepage.htm, retrieved on 7 August 2008. 
  7. ^ "M Class - Muster" (HTML), http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.4023/changeNav/3533, retrieved on 17 December 2008. 
  8. ^ "Australian Navy Cadets - Cadet Midshipman - Opportunities Ahoy" (HTML), http://www.navy.gov.au/Publication:Sea_Talk_Summer_2003/Navy_Cadets_Ahoy, retrieved on 30 December 2008. 
  9. ^ "Midshipman" (HTML), http://www.navy.mil.nz/know-your-navy/officers/mid.htm, retrieved on 28 December 2008. 
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midshipman"
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