740. Number and Date of Award.-Badges for good conduct not exceeding three in number are to be conferred on men entitled by their ratings to hold them.

All men granted badges are entitled to the good conduct pay attached to them except in the case of honorary badge ratings. [Note: This paragraph appears to have been cancelled at some date].

Badges are to be granted when they become clue, whether the man applies for the award or not.

For the details of badge ratings, see Appendix XV., Part I. (index and column 3).

741. Qualifying Service.-The following periods of service will be required to qualify for the award of a badge :

For one badge - - - - - - - 3 years.

For two badges - - - - - - 8 years.

For three badges - - - - - 13 years.

[NB: The qualification period for badges varies through the years. Transcriber]

2. The whole of a man's service in the Royal Navy may be counted as qualifying service, with the following exceptions :

1. Time served in the rating of Boy of any class or before attaining the age of 18 years.
2. Time in the second class for conduct.
3. Time for which the character of " Indifferent " has been awarded.
4. Time prior to desertion unless the R. or R.Q. is removed.
5. Time prior to absence from the Service for five years or more, except as provided by Article 368 in the case of men invalided.
6. Time for which pay is not allowed ; for example, time lost through imprisonment, detention, cells, or civil custody, on account of D.S.Q., or during which a man has been out of the Service for any cause.

3. Two years' "Very Good" Conduct.-During the two years of actual service in receipt of wages immediately preceding the award of a badge, a man's conduct, in the opinion of his Captain, must have been uninterruptedly " Very Good " ; he must have conducted himself with sobriety, activity, and attention, and have been in the first class for conduct. Conviction by the civil power, or an order under the Probation of Offenders Act, may be regarded as breaking the continuity of this " Very Good " conduct if this is recommended by the Captain and approved by the Commander-in-Chief or other Flag Officer whose flag is flying to whom reference can most conveniently be made. See 1187, clause 5 (Royal Marines).

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A second or third badge is not to be awarded unless during the same period as above the man's conduct has been uninterruptedly " Very Good," and the preceding badge has been in his possession continuously; except in the cases of awards made on account of service in non-badge ratings allowed to count under Article 742, or on the removal of R. or R.Q. under Article 744 ; in these cases two or more badges may be awarded together or at less intervals than two years.

4. Method of Reckoning.-The period of two years of " Very Good " time required by clause 3 is to be reckoned without reference to " V.G." or other assessed character on the service certificate, except " Indifferent." For example, the latter part of a year for which " Good " or " Fair " is awarded may be counted; but although a man may have been given " V.G." character for two years, it is within the discretion of the Captain to disallow any part of this time served under his command, a higher standard of conduct being required for good conduct badges than for the " V.G." character.

5. In the case of a man who joins from another ship, " Very Good " time for badge purposes is to be reckoned from the date entered on his conduct sheet.

NOTE.-In reckoning service towards badges, care should be taken that the same period of time forfeited is not deducted more than once ; for example, under " Cells " and 2nd class for conduct or 2nd class for conduct and "Indifferent " character.

742. Time in Non-badge Ratings.-Subject to the foregoing conditions, time served in other than badge ratings is to count towards badges when men attain badge ratings, provided that their character has been " Very Good '=

1. For the last two years, if claiming one badge.
2. For the last four years, if claiming two badges.
3. For the last six years, if claiming three badges.

743. Men Rejoining within Five Years.-Men within five years of their discharge who rejoin the Navy in badge ratings or in non-badge ratings are to resume the good conduct badges and the position, in regard to further badges, which they held when they quitted the Service. But those re-entering in non-badge ratings are not entitled to further badges until they attain badge ratings.

744. Deserters and Others.-Recovered deserters, unless the R. or R.Q. is removed, men who rejoin after an absence of five years, and men allowed to re-enter after dismissal as warrant officers, are to be considered in respect of badges as fresh entries from the date of their return to the Service. See 368 (Re-entry after Invaliding).

On removal of R. or R.Q.-In the case of a recovered deserter, on the R. or R.Q. being removed, the number of badges previously worn, and any further badges for which the man may be eligible according to his total service, may be granted from the date of the order for the removal as though the notation had never stood against his name.

745. Pensioners, when allowed to serve, are to resume their badges and position, on rejoining within five years, provided they do not receive their pensions. When allowed to receive their pensions they may wear the badges they had earned, but they will not receive the pay for them.

746. Pensioners, when called out, may wear the same number of badges and receive the same good conduct pay as when pensioned, without reference to the time that may have elapsed since they last served.

2. Should any such pensioner not have been in possession of three good conduct badges when pensioned, his previous service towards a further badge,

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as well as his service as pensioner, including any service under Article 745, will be allowed to reckon towards further badges, in accordance with the foregoing Articles.

3. Payment for badges awarded after being pensioned depends on whether the rating held by the Pensioner is one that entitles the holder to be paid good conduct pay.

747. Marines entering as Seamen.-Men who have served in the Marines and who enter the Navy in badge ratings, or in non-badge ratings, within five years of their discharge from the Marines, are to resume the badges which they held on discharge, provided that the maximum number of badges resumed does not exceed three. Such men as are not entitled to that number are to count their marine time towards the restoration of forfeited badges, and towards fresh naval badges, as though it had been naval time ; but those entering in non-badge ratings are not entitled to further badges until they attain badge ratings.

748. Army Service.-Men, whether Army pensioners or not, who join the Navy within five years of their discharge from the Army, and acknowledge their former service, will be allowed to reckon towards the acquisition of naval badges any " Very Good " time, not exceeding four years, which may have been served in the Army, provided that such service was continuous and immediately preceded their discharge.

2. Men invalided from the Army who are allowed to enter the Navy may reckon their army service without limitation as to its length or as to the break between the two services.

749. Time in Colonial or Merchant Vessels.-A man who has served in British or colonial government or merchant vessels, before entering the Royal Navy, will be allowed to count any such time towards badges up to but not exceeding two years, provided that:-

1. His conduct from first entry in the Navy, to the date of receiving his first badge, has been " Very Good " ;
2. The said British or colonial ships have been duly registered ;
3. Had the service been rendered in the Royal Navy m a similar capacity, it could be so counted.

2. Service rendered in such government or merchant vessels before the man attained the age of 18 will not be counted towards badges, and should he have been awarded a character inferior to " V.G." during his service the time prior to such award will not be reckoned.

3. A man shall not receive his first badge until a detailed statement on form S. 1329 of the service claimed by him has been sent to the Accountant-General of the Navy, and verified in office.

4. If, owing to misconduct in the Royal Navy, a man shall have obtained no advantage from his non-naval service in regard to the date of the award of his first badge, he will not be allowed to derive any subsequent benefit from such service.

5. Time served in British or colonial merchant vessels after discharge from the Navy is not to count on re-entry into the Navy.

6. Time served in foreign vessels is not to count towards badges.

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