THE COMMUNICATIONS BRANCH COTERIE

Written by Godfrey Dykes

© RN Communications Branch Museum/Library

  The Royal Naval Communications Branch gave rise to a special group of people who gained access to the Branch’s COTERIE. These were the Instructor Rates, the RCI, TCI and EWI all from sub branches which collectively formed the much respected Communications Branch whose alma mater was the Signal School Leydene in HMS Mercury at East Meon Hampshire.

  The Coterie was formed in 1956 when titles were respectively WI (1956-1958) and SI (1956-1957) meaning Wireless Instructor and Signal Instructor. The new titles as shown in the first paragraph above started in 1958 and were RCI (1958-1974), TCI (1958-1974) and EWI (1964-1974) meaning Radio Communication Instructor, Tactical Communication Instructor and Electronic Warfare Instructor. Note that for submariners CRS/RS(SM) and special branch CRS/RS(S) wireless telegraphy ratings attended the same RCI course as those taken from the surface fleet. Competition was fierce for all instructor courses which believe it or not now, in the 21st century, earned for successful candidates a near fortune, increasing their pay by a shilling a day (five whole pence) = £18-5-0d pa (I took my course in 1969) before our currency changed in February 1971 when it became £18.25, oh, and an extra star below one’s branch badge if a scale ‘A’ CPO on starting the course, and for all other CPO’s and PO’s, two stars. However the ever mean MOD(N) stopped that payment when they stopped the instructor courses in 1974!

  The following is my payslip 1970/71 - Note on the top section under my pay of CRS (A) and LSP there is an entry of ‘IP 1/-‘ . My wages in 1970 as a CPO were 112 shillings per day (£5-12-00) and after decimalisation in February 1971 (£5.60). Will £5 buy a pint of beer in central tourist London?

  1974 was the last year in which these once a year courses were run, indeed all instructor course’s no matter what branch of the SMOPS (School of Maritime Operations) organisation one belonged to and in addition to those shown above were the Radar, Torpedo, Anti Submarine, Gunnery, Mine Warfare and Diving, Submarine Service branches.

	The image on the left is the badge of a scale ‘A’ CPO (CRS) (crown above and one star below) and the image on the right is the badge worn by him if he successfully passed the course (crown above and two stars below). Badge worn on the jacket lapels on each side.
	The image on the left is the badge of a scale ‘B’ CPO (CRS) (crown above and no star below) and the image on the right is the badge worn by him if he successfully passed the course (crown above and two stars below). Badge worn on the jacket lapels on each side. The scale differences A to B were about seniority and pay as a CPO.
	The image on the left is the badge of a PO (RS) (crown above and no star below) and the image on the right is the badge worn by him if he successfully passed the course (crown above and two stars below). This is the same as a scale B (CPO) but larger badges and one only worn on the right sleeve of the jacket.

  Those two stars were the entry fee into the Communications Branch COTERIE. They were hard earned and men were very proud of them. I well remember the uniform changes brought about by costly replacement to items of uniform, worse for officers than for junior rates but in most ways similar to senior rates. For example losing a senior officers cap overboard was costly whereas a beret was a very cheap item. The same applied to costly uniform jackets versus a wooley pully, and these uniforms denied the ‘swank’ factor of badges except for rank and rate badges, and I recall it taking the spring out of my step. In truth the same went for medal ribbons which were no longer visible, except at bed times when sewn onto pyjama tops.

  Those of us who underwent these tough courses still retain that pride and longed for ceremonial divisions when we could bare all as it were, standing unnecessarily over long in front of our squadron/divisions to make sure that they knew of the zenith reached which would forever be denied to them, which was a shame.

  Thanks for bothering to read about this very short period of our esteemed history. The Coterie still lives on in our hearts and minds, even though that pyjama jacket has been washed to death and with it that precious well earned badge of glory now in tatters!

Jeff Dykes, Member of the elite Coterie Club.