HM Customs and Excise - Customs and Excise Ranks

Customs and Excise Ranks

There were no HM Customs Waterguard grades of Senior Preventive Officer or Asst Chief Preventive Officer. The full title of the Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent grades was Assistant Waterguard Superintendent and Waterguard Superintendent.

Prior to the mid-1950s Chief Preventive Officers wore two and a half gold rings on their uniform. After that date they wore 3 rings. Higher grades were the Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent, neither of whom wore uniform. In the early years of the first decade of the second millennium, special dispensation was given to the Head and Deputy Head of the HMC&E Overseas Training Branch (1999–2005) to wear uniform abroad when on official duties; the Head (a Principal/Grade 7) wore a Commodore's wide band with a Navy Curl above; the Deputy Head (Senior Executive Officer grade) 4 stripes with a Navy Curl above.