those who must be clearly recognisable as non-combatant under the Geneva Convention. The residual use of distinction cloth for non-combatants is therefore: Scarlet – medical Orange – dental Salmon pink – wardmasters (to 1993) Silver grey - civilian officers from Royal Corps of Naval Constructors (RCNC) Dark green – civilian officers when required to wear uniform From 1955 to 1993 there was a rank of acting sub-lieutenant, with the same rank insignia as a sub-lieutenant. Naval pilots in the Fleet Air Arm (and earlier the Royal Naval Air Service) have wings above the curl on the left hand sleeve. Other Fleet Air Arm officers had a letter 'A' inside the curl. From 1795 rank badges could also be shown on epaulettes. The system changed several times, but after 1864 was as follows: Sub-lieutenants and commissioned warrant officers wore scales (epaulettes without fringes, officially termed "shoulder straps") and the same device as a lieutenant. Epaulettes of the military branch were gold throughout with silver devices, while those of the civil branches had a silver edging and gold devices. Instead of the baton and sword or foul anchor, civil branch epaulettes substituted a star. Navigating branch epaulettes were the same as the military branch, but with crossed plain anchors in place of the foul anchor. The epaulette stars had eight points, quite unlike the Order of the Bath stars worn by army officers. In 1891 the admiral of the fleet changed to a crown above two crossed batons within a wreath, similar to the badge of a field marshal. Also in 1891 shoulder-straps were introduced for use on white uniforms and on the greatcoat, and more recently in "shirt sleeve order". For these commodores first class and above used the same badge as on their epaulettes, and commodores second class and below used their rank rings. From 1926 only commodores had two stars, other captains one. Epaulettes were not worn after 1939. In 2001, the shoulder boards on dress uniforms were changed and are currently: Warrant officers Warrant officers first received their uniforms in 1787. The navigators, surgeons and pursers were commissioned in 1843 and their insignia are described above. In 1865 chief (later commissioned) gunners, boatswains, and carpenters were given a single in ring, with the curl, though the carpenters lost the curl in 1879. In 1891 ordinary warrant officers of 10 years' standing were given a half-ring of in, with