Royal Navy promotion mixed time, tests, and merit

How did the Royal Navy advance enlisted members between the world wars?

Advancement could be time based, service based, and test based, while the Navy also rewarded aptitude and intelligence, especially during expansion.

The normal promotion route combined courses, time in service, and relevant tests. The Royal Navy also had a meaningful merit element. Ratings who showed aptitude, intelligence, and usefulness could move faster. That flexibility mattered particularly during rapid force expansion, when the Navy needed capable people in higher positions.