Commodore (Royal Navy) Commodore (Royal Navy) Commodore (Cdre) is a rank of the Royal Navy above captain and below rear admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to air commodore in the Royal Air Force. The rank of commodore was introduced during the 17th century in November 1674 (though not legally established until 1806). In 1684 the navy introduced two classes of commodore, the first known as a "Commodore Distinction" and the other a "Commodore Ordinary"; these would later evolve into commodores first and second class. In
William Kerr (Royal Navy officer) William Kerr (Royal Navy officer) Commodore The Hon. William Kerr was a Royal Navy officer who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station. Born a younger son of the Earl of Lothian, Kerr was promoted to post captain on 14 May 1690 on appointment to the command of the fourth-rate HMS "Deptford". He transferred to the command of the fourth-rate HMS "Burlington" in 1696, of the third-rate HMS "Lenox" later the same year and of the third-rate HMS "Eagle" in 1700. He went on to receive the command the third-rate HMS "Revenge" in 1702. Promoted to Commodore, Kerr became Commander-in-Chief