Royal Army Chaplains' Department
Encyclopedia
The Royal Army Chaplains' Department (RAChD) is an all-officer corps that provides ordained clergy
to minister to the British Army
.
As of 2007, there are about 280 serving regular chaplains (commonly known as "padre
s") in the British Army; these can belong to either one of several Christian
churches, or to the Jewish
faith, although currently all chaplains are Christian. Uniquely within the British Army, the Royal Army Chaplains' Department has two cap badges, for its Christian and Jewish officers. There are also chaplains in the Territorial Army and the Army Cadet Force
.
Army chaplains, although they are all commissioned officers of the British Army and wear uniform, do not carry arms (and are the only officers not to carry swords on parade). At services on formal occasions, chaplains wear their medals and decorations on their clerical robes (many chaplains have been decorated for bravery in action, including three Victoria Cross
es).
The RAChD's motto
is "In Hoc Signo Vinces" "In this Sign You will Conquer". As seen in the sky before the battle of Milvian bridge by the Roman Emperor Constantine. Its regimental march
, both quick and slow, is the Prince of Denmark's March
, erroneously known as the Trumpet Voluntary.
From 1946 until 1996, the RAChD's Headquarters, Depot and Training Centre were at Bagshot Park
in Surrey
, now the home of The Earl
and Countess of Wessex. In 1996, they moved to the joint service Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Amport House
near Andover
, formerly the home of the Royal Air Force
Chaplain Branch.
of 23 September 1796. Previously chaplains had been part of individual regiment
s, but not on the central establishment. Only Anglican
chaplains were recruited until 1827, when Presbyterians were recognised. Roman Catholic chaplains were recruited from 1836, Methodist chaplains from 1881, and Jewish
chaplains from 1892. The Department received the "Royal" prefix in February 1919 for its services during World War I
. Some 4,400 Army Chaplains were recruited between 1914 and 1918; 179 lost their lives on active service and three were awarded the Victoria Cross.
The RAChD is the only branch of the Army to perpetuate the tradition of dividing supporting troops into "departments" (officers only) and "corps" (other ranks
only).
However, an Army chaplain is expected to minister to and provide pastoral care to any soldier who needs it, no matter their denomination or faith or lack of it.
Most large stations have an Anglican chaplain, a Roman Catholic chaplain, and a third chaplain from a Protestant denomination. Every battalion
or regiment
also has its own chaplain.
The senior Church of England Chaplain is ranked within the church hierarchy as an Archdeacon
. The Senior Roman Catholic Chaplain (usually a CF1
) is normally ranked as a monsignor
.
Some notable Army chaplains
Internet
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
to minister to the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
As of 2007, there are about 280 serving regular chaplains (commonly known as "padre
Padre
Padre may refer to:* Partnership for Acid Drainage Remediation in Europe PADRE* An IDE for the Perl programming language, see Padre * A Military Chaplain* A member of the San Diego Padres baseball team...
s") in the British Army; these can belong to either one of several Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
churches, or to the Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
faith, although currently all chaplains are Christian. Uniquely within the British Army, the Royal Army Chaplains' Department has two cap badges, for its Christian and Jewish officers. There are also chaplains in the Territorial Army and the Army Cadet Force
Army Cadet Force
The Army Cadet Force is a British youth organisation that offers progressive training in a multitude of the subjects from military training to adventurous training and first aid, at the same time as promoting achievement, discipline, and good citizenship, to boys and girls aged 12 to 18 and 9...
.
Army chaplains, although they are all commissioned officers of the British Army and wear uniform, do not carry arms (and are the only officers not to carry swords on parade). At services on formal occasions, chaplains wear their medals and decorations on their clerical robes (many chaplains have been decorated for bravery in action, including three Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
es).
The RAChD's motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
is "In Hoc Signo Vinces" "In this Sign You will Conquer". As seen in the sky before the battle of Milvian bridge by the Roman Emperor Constantine. Its regimental march
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
, both quick and slow, is the Prince of Denmark's March
Prince of Denmark's March
The Prince of Denmark's March, commonly but erroneously called the Trumpet Voluntary, is a musical composition written circa. 1700, by English baroque composer Jeremiah Clarke .-Composition:For many years the piece was attributed incorrectly to Clarke's elder and more widely known contemporary Henry...
, erroneously known as the Trumpet Voluntary.
From 1946 until 1996, the RAChD's Headquarters, Depot and Training Centre were at Bagshot Park
Bagshot Park
Bagshot Park is a royal residence located near Bagshot, a village south west of Windsor and approximately north east of Guildford . It is the current home of The Earl and Countess of Wessex. Bagshot Park is on Bagshot Heath, a fifty square-mile tract of formerly open land in Surrey and Berkshire...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, now the home of The Earl
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
and Countess of Wessex. In 1996, they moved to the joint service Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Amport House
Amport House
Amport House, currently the British Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre , is a manor house in the village of Amport, near Andover, Hampshire....
near Andover
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
, formerly the home of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Chaplain Branch.
History
The Army Chaplains' Department (AChD) was formed by Royal WarrantRoyal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
of 23 September 1796. Previously chaplains had been part of individual regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s, but not on the central establishment. Only Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
chaplains were recruited until 1827, when Presbyterians were recognised. Roman Catholic chaplains were recruited from 1836, Methodist chaplains from 1881, and Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
chaplains from 1892. The Department received the "Royal" prefix in February 1919 for its services during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Some 4,400 Army Chaplains were recruited between 1914 and 1918; 179 lost their lives on active service and three were awarded the Victoria Cross.
The RAChD is the only branch of the Army to perpetuate the tradition of dividing supporting troops into "departments" (officers only) and "corps" (other ranks
Other Ranks
Other Ranks in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force are those personnel who are not commissioned officers. In the Royal Navy, these personnel are called ratings...
only).
Representative denominations in the RAChD
Chaplains are either classified as Jewish (currently only in the Territorial Army) or as a member of one of the following seven Christian denominational groups:- Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
(including the Church of IrelandChurch of IrelandThe Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, Church in WalesChurch in WalesThe Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
and Scottish Episcopal ChurchScottish Episcopal ChurchThe Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....
) - Church of ScotlandChurch of ScotlandThe Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
(including the Presbyterian Church in IrelandPresbyterian Church in IrelandThe Presbyterian Church in Ireland , is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Ireland, and the largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland...
) - Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
- Methodist Church
- United Board, incorporating the Baptist Church, United Reformed ChurchUnited Reformed ChurchThe United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
and Congregational ChurchCongregational churchCongregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs.... - Elim Pentecostal ChurchElim Pentecostal ChurchThe Elim Pentecostal Church is a UK-based Pentecostal Christian denomination.-History:George Jeffreys , a Welshman, founded the Elim Pentecostal Church in Monaghan, Ireland in 1915. Jeffreys was an evangelist with a Welsh Congregational church background. He was converted at age 15 during the...
- Assemblies of GodAssemblies of GodThe Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
However, an Army chaplain is expected to minister to and provide pastoral care to any soldier who needs it, no matter their denomination or faith or lack of it.
Most large stations have an Anglican chaplain, a Roman Catholic chaplain, and a third chaplain from a Protestant denomination. Every battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
or regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
also has its own chaplain.
Ranks
Chaplains are the only British Army officers who do not carry standard officer ranks. They are officially designated Chaplain to the Forces (CF) (e.g. "The Reverend John Smith CF"). They do, however, have grades which equate to the standard ranks and wear the insignia of the equivalent rank. Chaplains are usually addressed as "Padre" (icon), never by their nominal military rank.- Chaplain-General (CG) = Major-GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
- Deputy Chaplain-General (DCG) = BrigadierBrigadierBrigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
- Chaplain to the Forces 1st Class (CF1) = ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
- Chaplain to the Forces 2nd Class (CF2) = Lieutenant-ColonelLieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
- Chaplain to the Forces 3rd Class (CF3) = MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
- Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class (CF4) = CaptainCaptain (British Army and Royal Marines)Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
The senior Church of England Chaplain is ranked within the church hierarchy as an Archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
. The Senior Roman Catholic Chaplain (usually a CF1
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
) is normally ranked as a monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
.
Order of precedence
See also
- Royal Air Force Chaplains BranchRoyal Air Force Chaplains BranchThe Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch provides military chaplains for the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom.-Training:RAF chaplains and candidates receive training at the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre, which is located at Amport House....
- Bishop to the ForcesBishop to the ForcesThe Anglican church in the British Armed Forces falls under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury, however for all practical purposes the function is performed by the Bishop to the Forces. His full title is "The Archbishop of Canterbury's Episcopal Representative to the Armed Forces"...
(Anglican) - Bishopric of the ForcesBishopric of the ForcesThe Bishopric of the Forces is the Latin-rite Catholic military ordinariate which provides chaplains to the British Armed Forces across the United Kingdom and overseas. The chaplains are drawn from the dioceses of England, Wales and Scotland, and from some religious orders...
(Roman Catholic) - Military chaplain#United Kingdom
- Military chaplain#Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference
- Religion in the United KingdomReligion in the United KingdomReligion in the United Kingdom and the states that pre-dated the UK, was dominated by forms of Christianity for over 1,400 years. Although a majority of citizens still identify with Christianity in many surveys, regular church attendance has fallen dramatically since the middle of the 20th century,...
- TocHTochToch may refer to:* Toc H, a charitable Christian service club* Ernst Toch , a Jewish Austrian composer of Czech descent* Hans Toch , Ausrrian-US social psychologist and criminologist...
- :Category:Royal Army Chaplains' Department officers
Some notable Army chaplains
- The Revd William Addison VC
- The Very Revd Harry Blackburne DSO MCHarry William BlackburneThe Very Rev Harry William Blackburne DSO, MC was an Anglican clergyman, Dean of Bristol from 1934 to 1951.He was born on 25 January 1878 and educated at Tonbridge School and Clare College, Cambridge. After service as a trooper in the Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry during the Boer War he was...
- The Revd Philip Clayton, "Tubby" Clayton of TocHPhilip ClaytonThe Reverend Philip Thomas Byard Clayton CH was an Anglican clergyman and the founder of Toc H....
- The Revd David Cooper
- The Revd John Cox EdghillJohn Cox EdghillRev. John Cox Edghill DD was a British Anglican priest, senior chaplain at Aldershot from 1861, then followed chaplain to the forces at Chatham, Halifax , again at Aldershot, Gibraltar, and, finally, at Portsmouth , and then Chaplain-General to Her Majesty's Forces...
- Father Willie Doyle MC
- The Revd Samuel Leighton Green MC
- Bishop Llewellyn GwynneLlewellyn Henry GwynneLlewellyn Henry Gwynne CMG CBE was the first Anglican Bishop of Egypt and Sudan.- Early life :Gwynne was born in Swansea, Wales, in 1863. While at the Swansea Grammar School, the headmaster encouraged him to follow the example of his beloved brother Charlie by working hard and pursuing his...
- The Revd Theodore Bayley Hardy VC
- The Very Revd Dr James Harkness
- The Revd Hugh Leycaster Hornby MCHugh Leycester HornbyHugh Leycester Hornby was an Anglican clergyman.He was educated at Rugby School and Balliol College, Oxford. He was curate of St. Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire before the First World War, and in 1910 joined up as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th Battalion, K.O.R. Lancaster Regiment, T.A...
- The Revd Rupert Inglis, former England rugby international
- The Revd Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy, "Woodbine Willie"Geoffrey Anketell Studdert KennedyGeoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy, MC , was an Anglican priest and poet. He was nicknamed 'Woodbine Willie' during World War I for giving Woodbine cigarettes along with spiritual aid to injured and dying soldiers.-Early Life:...
- The Revd Edward Noel Mellish VC
- Padre George Smith of Rorke's Drift
- Bishop Neville TalbotNeville Stuart TalbotNeville Stuart Talbot was born at Keble College, Oxford on 21 August 1879 and died on 3 April 1943. He was a bishop in the Church of England.-Family:He was the third child and second son of his parents...
Further reading
Books- See: Military chaplain#Further reading
Internet
- Padres at war: Army chaplains bring comfort to the front line. Royal Army Chaplains' Department webpage. British Army official website.
External links
- Royal Army Chaplains' Department official webpage. British Army official website.
- Museum of Army Chaplaincy webpage. British Army official website.
- The Role of Army Chaplains. British Army official website.
- Army Chaplains' History. British Army official website.