Naval Traditions

Crossing the Line Ceremony

According to the ancient tradition, the ship’s company of a Royal Navy vessel is required to pay homage to King Neptune and his Royal Court as the ship crosses Lattitude Zero from the Northern into the Southern Hemisphere.

Uckers

Uckers is a two or four player board game traditionally played in the Royal Navy. It is believed to have originated in the 18th/19th centuries from the Indian game “Pachisi” although the first reference to it in print does not appear until 1946.

Splice the Mainbrace

A ration of rum a day was standard issue in the Royal Navy until 1970, when concerns over crew members operating machinery under the influence led to the rum ration being abolished.

Pussers Rum

Rum was issued to sailors of the Royal Navy for over 300 years, going back before Lord Nelson’s time. That rum was Pusser’s Rum blended to the specification laid down by the Admiralty. Pusser’s is a corruption of the word ‘Purser’ who was responsible for issuing the daily rum tot.

The Rum Fanny

There are a number of stories regarding the origin of the name ‘Rum Fanny’ in Royal Navy slang. The most authentic one is substantiated by records of the brutal murder of an eight year old girl, Fanny Adams.

Blue Nose Certificates

For centuries sailors have marked their first crossing of the Arctic Circle. In the Royal Navy there is an elaborate ceremony and certificates are given to recognise the event. The wording on a typical Blue Nose Certificate is often as follows:

Naval Ensigns

An ensign in British maritime law and custom, is the identifying flag flown to designate a British ship, either military or civilian. Such flags display the United Kingdom Union Flag in the canton (the upper corner next to the staff), with either a red, white or blue field, dependent on whether the vessel is civilian, naval, or in a special category.

Heart of Oak

“Heart of Oak” is the official march of the Royal Navy. It is also the official march of several Commonwealth navies including the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Loyal Toast

The privilege accorded to the Royal Navy of remaining seated while drinking the Sovereign’s health is of long standing but obscure in origin. There are different beliefs about this.