Ranks in the French Navy
Encyclopedia : R : RA : RAN : Ranks in the French Navy
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The rank insignia of the French Navy are worn on epaulettes of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels.
Until 2005, only officers had an anchor on their insigna, but warrant officers are now receiving them as well.
Unlike the French Army, officers are not called Mon Commandant, but only Commandant; this custom dates back to the Battle of Trafalgar, when Napoleon decided that French Navy officers did not deserve to be called "monsieur" (the "mon" in mon Commandant does not mean "my", but "sir").
Commanding officers have titles of capitaine, but are called commandant (in the army, both capitaine and commandant are ranks, which tends to stir some confusion among the public).
The two highest ranks, vice-amiral d'escadre and amiral, are functions, rather than ranks. They are assumed by officers ranking vice-amiral. The only Amiral de la Flotte was François Darlan after he was refused the dignity of Amiral de France. Equivalent to Maréchal de France, the dignity of Amiral de France remains theoretical, as it was last granted in 1869, during the Second Empire, but retained during the Third Republic until the death of its bearer in 1873.
| Officiers généraux - General officers | ||||
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| Contre-Amiral | Vice-Amiral | Vice-Amiral d'escadre | Amiral | Amiral de la Flotte |
| Rear-Admiral | Vice-Admiral | Squadron Vice-Admiral | Admiral | Admiral of the Fleet |
| Officiers supérieurs - Senior officers | ||||
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| Capitaine de corvette | Capitaine de frégate | Capitaine de vaisseau | ||
| Corvette Captain | Frigate Captain | Ship of the Line Captain | ||
| Officiers subalternes - Junior officers | ||||
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| Aspirant | Enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe | Enseigne de vaisseau de première classe | Lieutenant de vaisseau | |
| Midshipman | Ship of the Line ensign second class | Ship of the Line ensign first class | Ship of the line lieutenant | |
| Officiers mariniers - Warrant Officers | ||||
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| Second-maître | Maître | Premier-maître | Maître-principal | Major |
| Second-master | Master | First master | Main master | Major |
| Matelots et quartiers-maîtres - Sailors and quarter-masters | ||||
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| Matelot | Matelot breveté | Quartier-maître de 2ème classe | Quartier-maître de 1ère classe | |
| Sailor | Diplomed sailor | Quarter-master second class | Quarter-master first class | |
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