Glossary entry

Norwegian term or phrase:

skipssersjant

English translation:

Senior rating (enlisted sailor) onboard

Added to glossary by Neil Crockford
Aug 29, 2020 20:16
3 yrs ago
12 viewers *
Norwegian term

skipssersjant

Norwegian to English Other Military / Defense Naval ranks
"51 av besetningsmedlemmene ble i følge skipssersjanten tilført..."

In a naval report.

What is the equivalent rank in the UK navy of a skipssersjant? Master at arms?

Proposed translations

16 hrs
Selected

Senior rating (enlisted sailor) onboard

This is difficult because of different cultures between navies and changes in titles over time.
If you look at my 1st ref, you will see that flotiljemester (Chief Petty Officer) Erichsen is the senior rating in KNM Otto Sverdrup with title 'skipssersjant'.
In the Royal Navy, the Senior Non-commissioned Rank in big ships is called the 'Executive Warrant Officer'(see ref 2). In smaller ships s/he is called the Executive Chief Petty Officer, or Executive Petty Officer, depending on her/is substantive rating. (This probably holds true for the Canadian, Australian and NZ navies). The title 'Master-at-Arms' is no longer used.
In the USN the Senior Non-commissioned Rank onboard is called the Command Master Chief Petty Officer. A Master at-Arms is a speciality responsible for security in ships and shore establishments (https://www.cool.navy.mil/usn/enlisted/ma.htm).
As duties between the navies vary, I think "Senior Rating onboard" would be the safest translation ('senior enlisted sailor onboard' for US English).

I suspect the Norwegian-English Military Dictionary was compiled when the senior rating onboard RN ships was indeed the Master-at-Arms, but this rating was superceded in 2006.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks for a very helpful explanation"
+1
7 hrs

master-at-arms

This is what the NO-EN military dictionary is suggesting. Probably the same source you're looking at.
Peer comment(s):

agree Vedis Bjørndal : Norwegian-English Military Dictionary, Cappelen Damm 2009
5 hrs
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