Uniforms of the Royal Canadian Navy
The uniforms of the Royal Canadian Navy are a variety of different official dress worn by members of the Royal Canadian Navy while on duty. Originally, the uniforms of the RCN were modelled after their counterparts from the United Kingdom. However, after the RCN was merged with the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1968 to form the single-service Canadian Armed Forces, the RCN began to wear "Canadian Armed Forces green" uniforms, worn throughout the Canadian Armed Forces
Distinct uniforms for the different environmental branches of the Canadian Armed Forces were not introduced until 1 July 1985, with the roll-out of distinctive environmental uniform. Members of the naval, air, and land forces received uniforms distinct to their service branch or "environment". While the term "DEU" refers to the different environmental uniforms, colloquial usage of the term refers to the service dress uniforms of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Sea element personnel were issued a "navy blue" double-breasted, six-button jacket and trousers, and white peaked cap. For the summer periods, an optional white uniform may be worn; it consists of a white tunic with closed stand-up collar, and with black shoulder boards for officers; white trousers; white web belt for the trousers; and white socks and shoes. In reinstating the uniforms for the sea element personnel, the Canadian Forces deviated from several common conventions in naval/maritime uniforms generally; notably, they largely dispensed with distinctions between officers' and non-commissioned members' uniforms other than in insignia and accoutrements, eliminating the sailor suit and sailor cap formerly worn by junior non-commissioned members in favour of a common service dress uniform for all ranks.
The following are the different categories of naval uniforms as listed in the Canadian Armed Forces Dress Instructions:
No. 1 (Ceremonial) Dress
- No. 1 – Navy blue, double-breasted coat and trousers naval dress uniform worn with a white long-sleeve shirt and black necktie, with full-sized medals, swords, and other accoutrements
- No. 1A – Naval dress uniform with medals only
- No. 1C – White high-collar tunic and white trousers, with medals
- No. 1D – White high-collar uniform, with ribbons only
No. 2 (Mess) Dress
- No. 2 – Navy blue mess uniform consisting of a mess jacket, mess trousers, authorized white evening shirt, hand-tied black bow tie, white vest or black or other branch cummerbund, and black oxford shoes. Miniature medals are worn.
- No. 2A – As per No. 2 but with a white mess jacket.
- No. 2B – Normal service dress, however worn with a black bow tie instead of the neck tie, oxford shoes and ribbons only. Worn without headdress and name tags. Worn by personnel not in possession of mess kit, which is purchased at the member's expense.
- No. 2C – Shipboard mess order. Consists of a short-sleeved shirt and black trousers or skirt, worn with a cummerbund and without ribbons, specialist skill insignia, and name tags. Referred to as "Red Sea rig."
- No. 2D – Canadian Forces Standard which was worn by all members of the CF, during the unified uniform period. It is the same as Air Force No. 2.
No. 3 (Service) Dress
Also called a "walking-out" or "duty uniform", it is the military equivalent of the business suit. It was the standard uniform for appearing in public. The Navy has an optional white summer uniform with a white high-collared tunic.- No. 3 – Like No. 1A, however only ribbons, not medals, are worn.
- No. 3A – White long-sleeve shirt with neck tie and black trousers.
- No. 3B – White, short-sleeve shirt, with ribbons, specialist skill insignias, and name tag, black trousers and black footwear. White trousers and white oxfords may be worn during summer dress months.
- No. 3C – obsolete
No. 4 (Base) Dress
When DEU was introduced, Naval personnel were issued No. 4 Dress, which consisted of a jacket and trousers similar to old CF work dress but in black. It was worn with a white dress shirt — open-necked or with necktie — or with the Naval blue work shirt.This uniform has since been phased out and replaced with the No 5 Dress.
No. 5 (Naval Combat) Dress
Originally specialized uniforms for wear in an operational theatre, they have now superseded No. 4 uniform for comfortable everyday wear in garrison.- No. 5 – Navy combat jacket, with beret, trousers, "high top" sea boots, and naval combat shirt.
- No. 5A – Same as above, without naval combat jacket.
- No. 5B – Same as above, however, with naval combat shirt sleeves rolled.
- No. 5C – Same as above, with navy blue wool sweater.
- No. 5D – Same as above, however, with naval shorts, socks and sandals.