▁ 1 8 2 6 . ▁The ▁previous ▁broad ▁red ▁and ▁blue ▁p enn ants ▁were ▁abol ished ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁col oured ▁squad rons , ▁the ▁comm odore ▁of ▁the ▁white ' s ▁broad ▁p enn ant ▁with ▁the ▁Cross ▁of ▁St ▁George ▁remained ▁as ▁the ▁command ▁flag ▁for ▁comm od ores ▁first ▁class , ▁who ▁wore ▁the ▁same ▁sle e ve ▁la ce ▁as ▁rear ▁adm ir als . ▁The ▁white ▁broad ▁p enn ant ▁with ▁a ▁red ▁ball ▁was ▁introduced ▁as ▁the ▁command ▁flag ▁for ▁comm od ores ▁second ▁class . ▁The ▁appointment ▁of ▁comm odore ▁first ▁class ▁has ▁been ▁in ▁ab ey ance ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁leaving ▁the ▁p enn ant ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁red ▁ball ▁to ▁cover ▁all ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁comm od ores . ▁ ▁Modern ▁comm od ores ▁wear ▁the ▁sle e ve ▁la ce ▁previously ▁worn ▁by ▁comm od ores ▁second ▁class . ▁Com mod ore ▁has ▁only ▁been ▁a ▁substant ive ▁rank ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁Before ▁then ▁it ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁appointment ▁con ferred ▁on ▁senior ▁capt ains ▁holding ▁certain ▁positions . ▁For ▁example , ▁the ▁senior ▁commander ▁of ▁destroy ers ▁within ▁a ▁fleet ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁could ▁carry ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁" Com mod ore ▁( D )", ▁while ▁the ▁fleet ' s ▁senior ▁commander ▁of ▁sub mar ines ▁could ▁carry ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁" Com mod ore ▁( S )", ▁although ▁in ▁both