Killick is a Royal Navy nickname for a leading seaman, leading sailor, or leading rating, depending on the period. It comes from the killick anchor used as the rank badge. The informal name therefore refers directly to the insignia worn by that grade.
Notable Point · 1:09-1:53
How an anchor badge gave leading ratings the nickname killick
The Royal Navy nickname killick connects a leading rating's spoken title to the anchor worn as rank insignia.