From a very early date many navies awarded a unique badge or insignia to denote service in submarines. Several of the designs feature the dolphin and it has become common to refer to the device as the submariners' "dolphins". In the USN, RN, RAN and RCN/CAF, the award of his "dolphins" is a mark of the submariner having successfully passed his qualifications. 

    Two dozen RCNVR officers had served in RN submarines during World War two. In 1950 Canadians once again resumed serving in British submarines. In 1955 the RCN hired three RN A-class boats to provide anti-submarine training services out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. As part of the deal Canada agreed to supply the equivalent of three crews and a 30 man support party to the RN. 

    Between then and 1965, when Canada instituted its own Submarine Service, over 400 Canadians served aboard Royal Navy boats. On the West Coast another group of Canadian submariners took their training in the USN preparatory to manning a USN fleet boat leased from the Americans in 1961. Canadian submariners were permitted to wear the host countries speciality badges only while serving in their navies but were obliged to take them down when back aboard Canadian bases and ships. 

     The Royal Navy did not have a submarine badge until April 1958. Prior to that time the only distinguishing piece of uniform kit was the cap ribbon of ratings in "square rig" which was embroidered with "HM SUBMARINES" in place of the usual ship's name. Officers, and ratings dressed in the "fore and aft rig", bore no outward symbol denoting their special service. 

The original RN submarine badge, which could be worn by qualified Canadian personnel,  was for ratings only. It was not popular. The typical embroidered cloth badge was produced in gold wire or red thread on a navy background and blue thread on white for tropical kit. It looked most peculiar and the men quickly dubbed it "the sausage on a stick". This badge was intended to be worn on the right sleeve, just above the cuff, or directly above a chief's centre button. Wearing of this badge was optional. It was never officially issued and had to be purchased from slops by the individual. It was officially withdrawn in 1964. The present day RN submariners' badge made its first appearance in July 1971.

    The first Canadian submariners' badge was introduced on the West Coast in 1961. It was the invention of, then, LCDR E. G. Gigg, RCN, commanding officer of HMCS Grilse. He commissioned a graphic artist to create the design and submitted it to the authorities in Ottawa for approval. Originally authorized for ratings only it was extended to officers within a few months of its adoption. The badge consisted of a single, symbolic, diving bottle-nose dolphin and was worn on the left sleeve. It was mounted on a navy blue rectangular backing and was embroidered in gold wire for officers and ratings' best uniforms, red for everyday ratings' uniforms and royal blue on a white ground for white rigs. It was worn 3 inches above the cuff or directly above a Chief Petty Officer's centre button, or crown, and above the loop (so called "executive curl") of an officer's upper rank stripe. An unofficial, full size,  brass pin on brooch was also produced. Originally intended as a  ladies keepsake it was also adopted for wear on the left breast of officers' tropical whites.

    At the same time, ratings in seaman's "square rig" wore cap ribbons bearing the names of the individual submarines. These were produced for all of the boats including Rainbow, which must have been the last HMC Ship to receive them. Cap ribbons were not part of the new CAF kit. 

    When the CAF green uniform was adopted in 1968 it was determined that the single dolphin badge would be worn centred over the left breast pocket leaving a space below it for ribbons or medal mounting bars. An embroidered, deep yellow on dark green cloth, single dolphin badge was produced for wear on the CAF greens. The backing for this badge was contoured in the shape of the dolphin device. The brooch type badge became particularly popular for wear with the short sleeve CF green summer shirts and optional tropical whites. 

    In order to provide a badge of a style in keeping with the CAF range of specialty badges, a new submariner's badge was designed.  This badge received Royal approval in April 1972. The device is officially described as "a crimson garnet wreath of laurel between two swimming dolphins in gold, above the wreath a crown, within the centre of the wreath a gold coloured maple leaf." This badge superseded the single dolphin for wear by all ranks and was worn in the same position as the single dolphin badge.

   A full coloured embroidered cloth badge with a black background was provided for dress uniform. A badge of old gold thread on a dark green background was produced for operational orders of dress and naval working dress. By 1975 a contoured, full colour, enamelled metal badge secured by clutch pins, was produced for wear on launderable items such as the CF green short sleeved shirt, which was worn in summer without a jacket, and the optional tropical whites. 

    With the adoption of navy blue (really black) cloth for full dress naval uniforms and dark blue for working dress in 1986, the positioning of the badge reverted to the pre-unification position on the left sleeve. Where the backing had been dark green it was now also available in black. The badges with green backing have been retained for wear by qualified members of the other elements. 

    In 1994 the badge was moved to a position on the left chest mid-way between the top of the pocket and the shoulder seam. This was unsatisfactory as the badge was easily covered by the jacket lapel. Within a few months it was re-sited to the same position it had occupied on the CAF greens, centred directly above, and parallel to, the top of the pocket leaving a space for medal ribbons and mounting bars to be mounted between it and the top pocket seam.
 

    People outside of the service often do not realize the significance of "dolphins" worn by submariners around the world or more importantly the work that goes into earning them. 

   Submarine qualification programs vary from navy to navy, however, although varying in degree of difficulty, complexity and duration they all are basically the same consisting of formal training of some kind and learning the systems of the submarine in varying degrees of detail once on board a submarine.

    The length of the qualification program and the degree of knowledge required of the individual is not put in place as a matter "pride" or to make submarines distinct from other areas of the Navy. It is in place purely as a result of safety and to maximize the submarine's fighting efficiency. The systems are learned so that whatever happens in the submarine everyone knows instinctively what to do when things get rough so that the survival of the boat isn't compromised. 

    When things go wrong in a submarine they can rapidly escalate into a life or death situation. There isn't time to wait for "someone in the know" to appear on the scene and take corrective action. Consequently whatever a submariner's background or occupation may be he must be aware of his surroundings and be capable of taking quick action in the event of an emergency situation. 

   The Canadian qualification program evolved from both the Royal Navy Submarine Service and United States Navy Submarine Service adopting the British approach of the three month "part III's" however extending it into a 7 month program by increasing the content and complexity of knowledge required similar to that of the U.S.N.

    A tentative submariner first attends a 6 week basic submarine course in Fleet School Halifax. Course content is a comprehensive study of submarine theory of operation, submarine systems covering all aspects of submarine equipment such as air systems, hydraulic systems, electrical systems, weapons systems, sensors and so on; in other words virtually every system in the submarine is addressed.

    On completion of the basic submarine course the novice submariner joins a submarine and commences his on board qualification program. Now the hard work really begins, what may have been quite apparent on a classroom blackboard is not quite the same when it is in place on the submarine itself!

    At first the process is intimidating with the overwhelming amount of pipes, wires, switches, button, valves and a myriad of gizmos that are all over the place. On top of this is an apparently different language being spoken in this new environment to further confuse the issue! (A "personal" learning process, high on the agenda, is learning as fast as you can how to get through the submarine, in darkness as well as light, without bashing your head, knees, elbows and other protruding parts in the process!)

    As challenging and daunting as the process seems it can be accomplished when approached in a systematic matter, learning system by system over a 7 month period and tying it all together at the end. For example the first month consists mainly of items, systems and procedures vital to submarine safety such as location and use of all fire fighting, life support, first aid equipment, submarine escape systems, mainline and trimline, casing fittings and knowledge of all major onboard safety evolutions.

    The second month consists of learning the complete hydraulic system layout, all control valves and the equipment operated by hydraulics, the third month is all air systems and so on. Over the seven month period all systems are covered which includes "chasing" each system through, (viewing each pipe, switch, valve etc. in each system) and drawing detailed, functionally correct diagrams of each system. The qualifier must be able to not only describe the theory of operation of all the equipment learned during this process, he must also demonstrate the ability to use it in most cases.

    As the qualifier progresses through the various systems and procedures in any given month he must demonstrate his knowledge of the particular item, what its purpose is and how to operate it to a qualified member of the crew who will "sign off" the item in the qualifier's book as completed once the qualifier has demonstrated the correct knowledge. 

    Once the qualifier has completed all items for that month he is given a walk through by a senior rate who is expert in the area being covered for that month who examines the qualifier in all aspects of what he has learned. On successful completion of the senior rate's walk through the qualifier does an officer's walk through and on successful completion moves on to the next month.

     On completion of the 7 month program the qualifier must do a final walk through of the submarine first with the Engineering Officer and then the Executive Officer. This walk through combines all he has  learned during the qualifying process and he is is examined in all aspects of what he has learned both in theory and "hands on" operation. 

    The final walk through is quite lengthy and includes open up for dive in all compartments which requires the qualifier to know virtually every piece of equipment in the submarine, what position, function or mode of operation it should be in and how it operates. A final walk through normally takes 8 to 10 hours to complete and is done over two or three days.

    Rarely does the qualifier complete the qualification process in 7 months. The qualifier while completing his submarine qualification is also at the same time learning his own trade related items and equipment, standing watches and carrying out all other submarine day to day requirements. There are also many variables such as equipment availability, docking and leave periods, availability of walk through personnel and so on which tend to slow the process down somewhat. On average it is closer to a year before all is said and done. In addition the qualification process is done during the individual's "off" time, not while he is on watch nor while he is turned to working which makes for a pretty weary lad at times.

    On successful completion of the qualification program the qualifier is awarded his "dolphins" with much ado and great fanfare. Traditions vary from navy to navy on the "initiation" process; in Canada the newly qualified submariner is thrown in the harbour. (The smart qualifier tries to time his qualification to finish while the boat is south in warmer waters!) In the U.S.N. the newly qualified  individual had to "drink" his dolphins a process where the dolphins were put in the bottom of a large glass, the glass filled with various types of alcohol and the qualifier had to quaff this concoction back and catch the dolphins with his teeth. This practice was largely discontinued after the death of a young lad in a U.S. submarine visiting Halifax many years ago.

     Sailors in ships (with the exception of safety items) are not required to have a great deal of knowledge of their ship outside their immediate area of employment. e.g. a stoker has a great deal of "stoker stuff" knowledge but doesn't know a whole lot about what goes on in the torpedo loading room or a cook who knows his galley inside out doesn't know much about the main switchboard. It was with great pride a submariner, whatever his trade, can take an individual through his boat and explain, in great detail, what everything in the boat does and how to operate it. 

     The qualification program in many nations has changed over the years, particularly in nuclear submarines where there are many areas that can only be accessed on a "need to know" basis. This combined with the sheer size and complexity of the nuclear submarine precludes an all encompassing, in depth qualification program. The nuclear submariner certainly knows his boat but not to the degree submariner in a diesel submarines does.

    And so the newly qualified submariner heaves a sigh of relief! He has finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel, he now proudly sports his new dolphins on all of his kit and his off time is his own to do as he pleases....... not really, he will continue on helping new submariners through their qualification program in a never ending process of learning and teaching. 

    All in all, a great deal of work goes into earning your dolphins and submariners around the word wear them with a great deal of pride and a sense of accomplishment. The next time you see a set of dolphins on a sailor's uniform give him a "well done" 

.....He will appreciate the acknowledgement    ......and it may even get you a tour of his boat!