The paying-off pendant (colour photo)

The paying-off pendant. The very long, narrow pendant sometimes seen flying from a ship of the Royal Navy as she steams into harbour is of special significance to the crew, for it means that the ship has come to the close of her commission. The pendant, which has a gilded bladder at its end, is normally the length of the ship, plus a proportionate increase for the period her commission has exceeded two years. It is known that this custom was observed at the time of the Napoleonic Wars. In those days, of course, the crew were not paid until the end of the commission, and had therefore excellent reason to welcome the occasion. Illustration for one of a set of 50 cigarette cards on the subject of Interesting Customs and Traditions of the Navy, Army and Airforce issued by Lambert & Butler in 1939.