Commissioning scroll

A commissioning scroll or commission parchment is a formal document traditionally given to commissioned officers confirming their authority and setting out their responsibilities.

Commissioning scrolls are typically signed by the Head of State or other Commander-in-Chief. In Commonwealth Realms other than the United Kingdom, they are signed by the Governor-General who is also Commander-in-Chief in and over that Realm.

United Kingdom

The following is typical of the wording of a British commissioning scroll, and comes from the Royal Naval Reserve:fact|date=April 2008

:"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, Lord High Admiral.

:"To our Trusty and Well Beloved ....... ....... Greeting:

:"We, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage, and good Conduct, do by these Presents Constitute and Appoint you to be an Officer in Our Royal Naval Reserve from the .... day of ........ ...... You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge your Duty as such in the Rank of .............. or in such other Rank as We may from time to time hereafter be pleased to promote you to, of which a notification will be made in the London Gazette, and you are in such manner on on such occasions as may be prescribed by Us to exercise and well discipline in their duties such officers, men and women as may be placed under your orders from time to time and use your best endeavours to keep them in good order and discipline.

:"And We do hereby Command them to Obey you as their superior Officer and you to observe and follow such Orders and Directions as from time to time you shall receive from Us, or any superior Officer, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, in pursuance of the Trust hereby reposed in you.

:"Given at Our Court, at Saint James's the .... day of ........ .... in the ..... Year of Our Reign

:"By Her Majesty's Command

The above scroll would be signed by the Queen (although a facsimile signature may be used) and countersigned by two members of the Admiralty Board.

Royal Navy pre-1964

Before the Board of Admiralty were merged into the Ministry of Defence in 1964, with the title of Lord High Admiral reverting to the Crown, the naval officer's commission was signed not by the Sovereign but by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, executing the office of Lord High Admiral. The naval officer's commission was worded as follows:fact|date=April 2008

:"By the Commissioners for Executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom.

:"To ......... ..........

:"hereby appointed a ............... in Her Majesty's Fleet.

:"By Virtue of the Power of Authority to us given by Her Majesty's Letters Patent under the Great Seal, We do hereby constitute and appoint you a .......... in Her Majesty's Fleet. Charging and Commanding you in that rank or in any higher rank to which you may be promoted to observe and execute the Queen's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions for the Government of Her Majesty's Naval Service and all such Orders and Instructions as you shall from time to time receive from Us or from your Superior Officers for Her Majesty's Service. And likewise Charging and Commanding all Officers and Men subordinate to you according to the said Regulations Instructions or Orders to behave themselves with all due Respect and Obedience to you their Superior Officer. Given under our hands and the Seal of the Office of Admiralty this .... day of ......... .... in the .... Year of Her Majesty's Reign.

:"By Command

:"With Seniority of ..............

It was signed by two Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and a Secretary, i.e. a quorum of the Board of Admiralty.

Canada

Here is an example from Canada:fact|date=April 2008

:"ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, Canada and Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith

:"To ........ .........

:"hereby appointed an Officer in Her Majesty’s Canadian Armed Forces

:"With Seniority of the .... day of ......... ....

:"WE reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and Integrity do by these Presents Constitute and Appoint you to be an Officer in our Canadian Armed Forces. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge your Duty as such in the Rank of .............. or in such other Rank as We may from time to time hereafter be pleased to promote or appoint you to, and you are in such manner and on such occasions as may be prescribed by us to exercise and well discipline both the Inferior Officers and Non-Commissioned Members serving under you and use your best endeavor to keep them in good Order and Discipline, and We do hereby Command them to Obey you as their Superior Officer, and you to observe and follow such Orders and Directions as from time to time you shall receive from Us, or any other your Superior Officer according to Law, in pursuance of the Trust hereby Reposed in you.

:"IN WITNESS Whereof our Governor General of Canada hath hereunto set his hand and Seal at Our Government House in the City of Ottawa this .... day of .......... in the Year of our Lord ................... and in the .... Year of Our Reign.

:"By Command of Her Excellency the Governor General

Canadian Commissioning Scripts, as they are properly called by NDHQ, are normally signed by the Governor General of Canada and countersigned by the Minister of National Defence.

References

* [http://www.lancing.org.uk/rafcadets/the_commission.htm Scanned image of a RAFVR commission]
* [http://army.ca/info/junior_officers_guide.php Army.ca Junior Officer's Guide]
* [http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.3807 Covey Crump (naval information)]