Royal Hellenic Navy rank insignia

This article contains the rank insignia of the Royal Hellenic Navy (until 1973).

Officer ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers
Royal Hellenic Navy (World War 1 era)
Royal Hellenic Navy (World War 1 era)		Ναύαρχος Navarchos	Ἀντιναύαρχος Antinavarchos	Ὑποναύαρχος Yponavarchos		Πλοίαρχος Ploiarchos	Ἀντιπλοίαρχος Antiploiarchos	Πλωτάρχης Plotarchis	Ὑποπλοίαρχος Ypoploiarchos	Ἀνθυποπλοίαρχος Anthypoploiarchos	Σημαιοφόρος Simaioforos
Royal Hellenic Navy^[1]^[2]^[3] (1936–1973)
Royal Hellenic Navy^[1]^[2]^[3] (1936–1973)	Ἀρχιναύαρχος Archinavarchos	Ναύαρχος Navarchos	Ἀντιναύαρχος Antinavarchos	Ὑποναύαρχος Yponavarchos	Ἀρχιπλοίαρχος Archiploíarchos (1969 onwards)	Πλοίαρχος Ploiarchos	Ἀντιπλοίαρχος Antiploiarchos	Πλωτάρχης Plotarchis	Ὑποπλοίαρχος Ypoploiarchos	Ἀνθυποπλοίαρχος Anthypoploiarchos	Σημαιοφόρος Simaioforos
NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1

¹ The rank was instituted in 1939 for King George II, and was held only by his successors, King Paul and King Constantine II.

The rank of Archiploiarchos was instituted in 1969, with the same decree that also "normalised" the previously extraordinary wartime rank of four-star Navarchos.^[4] Preceding Decrees on the organisation of the Armed Forces^[5] and RHN Uniform Regulations didn't include it.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Reserve officers

Reserve officers were divided into two categories: reserves from among the reserves (έφεδροι εξ εφέδρων) and auxiliary (επίκουροι) officers. Αs per the 1937 and 1956 Regulations, reserves wore RNR-like insignia with wavy lines,^[6]^[7]^[9] whereas auxiliaries wore RNVR-like insignia.^[7]^[9]

Sleeve insignia of an Έφεδρος (εξ Εφέδρων) Σημαιοφόρος
Sleeve insignia of an Σημαιοφόρος Επίκουρος

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs					Junior NCOs		Enlisted
Royal Hellenic Navy (World War 1 era)									No insignia
Royal Hellenic Navy (World War 1 era)		Master chief petty officer Ἀρχικελευστής (1915 onwards)^[10]		Chief Petty Officer Κελευστής	Petty officer, 1st class Ὑποκελευστὴς Α΄	Petty officer, 2nd class Ὑποκελευστὴς Β΄	Leading Seaman Δίοπος	Able Seaman Ὑποδίοπος	Seaman Ναύτης
Royal Hellenic Navy^[1]^[2]^[11] (1937–1956)									No insignia
Royal Hellenic Navy^[1]^[2]^[11] (1937–1956)	Warrant Officer Class 1 Ἀρχικελευστὴς Α΄	Warrant Officer Class 2 Ἀρχικελευστὴς Β΄		Chief Petty Officer Κελευστής	Petty officer, 1st class Ὑποκελευστὴς Α΄	Petty officer, 2nd class Ὑποκελευστὴς Β΄	Leading Seaman Δίοπος	Able Seaman Ναύτης Α΄	Seaman Ναύτης Β΄
Royal Hellenic Navy (1956–1968)^[12]^[13]									No insignia
Royal Hellenic Navy (1956–1968)^[12]^[13]		Warrant Officer Ἀρχικελευστής		Chief Petty Officer Κελευστής	Petty officer, 1st class Ὑποκελευστὴς Α΄	Petty officer, 2nd class Ὑποκελευστὴς Β΄	Leading Seaman Δίοπος	Able Seaman Ναύτης Α΄	Seaman Ναύτης Β΄
Royal Hellenic Navy (1968–1973)^[14]									No insignia
Royal Hellenic Navy (1968–1973)^[14]		Warrant Officer Ἀνθυπασπιστής		Master chief petty officer Ἀρχικελευστής	Senior Chief Petty Officer Επικελευστής	Chief Petty Officer Κελευστής	Leading Seaman Δίοπος	Able Seaman Ναύτης Α΄	Seaman Ναύτης Β΄
NATO code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1

Rank reform (1968)

In 1968 the rank structure was revamped:^[15]


Old rank	New rank
Archikeleustis	Anthypaspistis
Keleustis	Archikeleustis
Ypokeleustis 1i táxi	Epikeleustis
Ypokeleustis 2i táxi	Keleustis

Other NCOs

Reserve NCOs save for Αρχικελευστής wore their respective insignia.^[7] Starting in 1969, NCO schools graduates received the rank of Probationary Petty Officers (Δόκιμος Κελευστής) for a 20-month period.^[16]

Auxiliary WO (Επίκουρος Αρχικελευστής) rank insignia
Probationary PO (Δόκιμος Κελευστής) insignia

References

Bibliography

Mollo, Andrew (2001). The Armed Forces of World War II: Uniforms, Insignia & Organisation. Leicester: Silverdale books. ISBN 1-85605-603-1.

[FOOTNOTEMollo2001101-1] 1 2 Mollo 2001, p. 101.

[US_Department_of_the_Army-2] 1 2 United States Department of the Army (1962). "Military Uniforms - DA Pam 355-120 - 1959 to 1962 - Part 2". Archive.org. Retrieved 9 October 2021.

[3] 
Royal Decree "on the uniforms of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 33/1937)

Royal Decree "Uniforms Regulation of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 60/1956)

Royal Decree 755/1965 "Uniforms Regulation of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 186/1965)

Legislative Decree 178/1969, as published in (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 71/1969)

Legislative Decree 4028/1959 On the Hierarchy, Promotions, and Postings of Armed Forces Officers (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 249/1959)

[mw6w] Royal Decree "on the uniforms of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 33/1937)

[mw7Q] Royal Decree "Uniforms Regulation of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 60/1956)

[mw7w] Royal Decree 755/1965 "Uniforms Regulation of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 186/1965)

[mw8Q] Legislative Decree 178/1969, as published in (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 71/1969)

[mw8w] Legislative Decree 4028/1959 On the Hierarchy, Promotions, and Postings of Armed Forces Officers (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 249/1959)

[4] Legislative Decree 178/1969, as published in (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 71/1969)

[5] Legislative Decree 4028/1959 On the Hierarchy, Promotions, and Postings of Armed Forces Officers (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 249/1959)

[:0-6] 1 2 Royal Decree "on the uniforms of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 33/1937)

[:1-7] 1 2 3 4 Royal Decree "Uniforms Regulation of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 60/1956)

[8] Royal Decree 755/1965 "Uniforms Regulation of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 186/1965)

[:2-9] 1 2 Modification of the 1965 Uniforms Regulation as published in ΦΕΚ Α΄ 180/1968

[10] Royal Decree Concerning the specification of insignia for Archikeleustis (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 125/1915)

[11] Royal Decree "on the uniforms of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 33/1937)

[12] Royal Decree "Uniforms Regulation of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 60/1956)

[13] Royal Decree 755/1965 "Uniforms Regulation of the Royal Navy" (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 186/1965)

[14] Article 12 of Emergency (Αναγκαστικός) Law 268/1968 (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 13/1968)

[15] Article 12 of Emergency (Αναγκαστικός) Law 268/1968 (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 13/1968)

[16] Legislative Decree 171/1969 (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 69/1969)

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