# Union Castle



## Troppo2 (Jun 25, 2018)

Hello all,

I came across a fascinating pic on the FB Radio Officer's group. One of the members has a uncanny knack of digging out all kinds of radio room pics - he has posted dozens.

The latest one is very interesting. It shows a Union Castle R/O taking traffic on a typewriter.

He is wearing (a copy of) RAN rank insignia - an executive curl instead of the usual diamond. I've never seen that.

Were Union Castle R/O's direct employ?


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

Yes... direct employ.

Prior to Clan and U-C getting together as British and Commonwealth U-C had standard MN braid..... Clan had the curl.

After 1956(?) all members of the group wore what you see in the photo. I believe the 'stripes' were slightly narrower than RAN/RN stripes...


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## cajef (Feb 8, 2012)

Yes direct employ and that braid was worn across the whole British & Commonwealth fleet, if you look closely at the photo you can just make out the turquoise coloured stripe below the gold braid which depicted the radio officer.


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## Troppo2 (Jun 25, 2018)

Cisco said:


> Yes... direct employ.
> 
> Prior to Clan and U-C getting together as British and Commonwealth U-C had standard MN braid..... Clan had the curl.
> 
> After 1956(?) all members of the group wore what you see in the photo. I believe the 'stripes' were slightly narrower than RAN/RN stripes...


Thanks.


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## Troppo2 (Jun 25, 2018)

cajef said:


> Yes direct employ and that braid was worn across the whole British & Commonwealth fleet, if you look closely at the photo you can just make out the turquoise coloured stripe below the gold braid which depicted the radio officer.


Green?


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## Troppo2 (Jun 25, 2018)

Union Castle even had rear admirals...(Jester)


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## cajef (Feb 8, 2012)

Troppo2 said:


> Green?


Oops, it's a long time ago I could have sworn it was turquoise.(EEK) (Ouch)


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## gordonarfur (May 27, 2018)

i have never so much gold braid in all my life, anybody know what the collective noun is for a group like that?


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## G0SLP (Sep 4, 2007)

Cisco said:


> Yes... direct employ.
> 
> Prior to Clan and U-C getting together as British and Commonwealth U-C had standard MN braid..... Clan had the curl.
> 
> After 1956(?) all members of the group wore what you see in the photo. *I believe the 'stripes' were slightly narrower than RAN/RN stripes...*


Correct. 3/8" wide, as opposed to RN/RAN braid, which is 1/2" wide.


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## onestar (Apr 12, 2008)

Actually RN (and Commonwealth Navies) had braid that was 9/16th" in width. What that is after metrication, I do not know! I think Clan etc had 1/2" but am not dogmatic about it.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

More impressive to Pa were the sleeves of the reserve officers who crewed an armed yacht (one for which he failed to make 'go') in Gibraltar. All dug-outs, the most senior rank was no more than commander however the unfaded area of barathea that continued stretched above their now junior badges revealed their far more exalted ranks prior to eligibility for dug-out status.


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## les.edgecumbe (Dec 24, 2007)

Have to say that R/O looks very much like a vintage edition of Richard Harris. Anyone confirm this??


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Troppo2 said:


> ..I came across a fascinating pic on the FB Radio Officer's group...


 See there are two fb RO groups.. Can you post a URL link pse?


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## Troppo2 (Jun 25, 2018)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/707451009311335/


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Mni tks...


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## Neil Purdon (Aug 21, 2010)

Troppo2 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I came across a fascinating pic on the FB Radio Officer's group. One of the members has a uncanny knack of digging out all kinds of radio room pics - he has posted dozens.
> 
> ...


The ship in the photo is the Transvaal Castle GBQE. She retained that call sign after being renamed SA Vaal until early 1969 when her port of registry was changed from London to Cape Town.


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