Reserve Forces Act 1980

General provisions as to the naval and marine reserves U.K.

47 False answers on enlistment. U.K.

If a person offering himself to be entered for service in any of the naval reserve forces—

(a) knowingly makes a false answer in connection with his entry into such service, and

(b) that answer is to a question put to him in that connection by, or by the direction of, any officer or other person authorised by regulations made by the Defence Council to enter persons for such service,

he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine not exceeding [F1 level 1 on the standard scale].

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss. 38, 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), ss. 289F, 289G and (N.I.) S.I. 1984/703 (N.I. 3), arts. 5, 6

48 Void enlistment in regular forces. U.K.

Where any officer or other person enlists a man to serve in Her Majesty’s regular forces who at the time of such enlisting is entered to serve as a man of the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Fleet Reserve or Royal Marines Reserve that enlisting shall be null and void.

49 Enlistment outside British Islands. U.K.

The powers under this Act to enter men to serve in the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Fleet Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve may, subject to the Secretary of State’s regulations, be exercised outside the British Islands, but only in the case of a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.

50 Term of service in Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Fleet Reserve. U.K.

(1) Every man joining the Royal Naval Reserve shall be entered for a term of 5 years, and shall continue subject to this Act as a man of that reserve during and for no longer than that term, except as otherwise provided by this Act.

(2) A man entitled to claim his discharge under subsection (1) above shall continue subject to the provisions of this Act as a man of the Royal Naval Reserve until actually discharged from that reserve by the Defence Council, or by some officer duly appointed by the defence Council to give such discharges.

(3) The term of service of a man joining the Royal Fleet Reserve shall be regulated—

(a) in the case of a pensioner entitled to his pension subject to a condition of service in the Royal Fleet Reserve, by the conditions attached to the pension; and

(b) in any other case, by the terms of his enlistment.

51 Naval and marine reserves called into permanent service. U.K.

Every man of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Fleet Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve called out for permanent service—

(a) shall be placed under the command of such officers as the Defence Council may direct;

(b) shall be liable to serve on shore or on board any ship or vessel, or partly on shore and partly on board any ship or vessel, as the Defence Council may direct.

52 Marines serving in Royal Fleet Reserve. U.K.

Men who have served in the Royal Marines and who have enlisted in the Royal Fleet Reserve shall—

(a) when called out for permanent service, and

(b) when being trained or exercised,

be liable to serve, subject to the same conditions, as other non-commissioned officers and men of the marines and not as petty officers and seamen.

53 Billeting. U.K.

(1) All provisions for the time being in force in relation to the billeting of the Royal Marines shall be applicable to the men of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Fleet Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve during such time as they attend training, or be in permanent service.

(2) All powers and authorities in relation to the billeting of the Royal Marines which may be exercised by any colonel, commandant, or commanding officer of any division of Royal Marines, may, for the purpose of billeting the men of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Fleet Reserve or the Royal Marines Reserve, be exercised by any officer in the Royal Navy holding the rank of commander, or any higher rank authorised in his behalf by the regulations made under section 56 below.

54 Discharge. U.K.

(1) The Defence Council may in their discretion at any time discharge any man of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Fleet Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve.

(2) The enactments concerning the discharge of ratings (which in this subsection means a member of the Royal Navy of or below the rank of warrant officer) becoming entitled to be discharged shall be applicable to and for the discharge of men of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Fleet Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve where those men are in permanent service.

55 Admission to Greenwich Hospital. U.K.

(1) Every man of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Fleet Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve, under such regulations as may be made by the secretary of State, shall be—

(a) eligible for admission to the Royal Hospital at Greenwich; and

(b) thereupon entitled to the same privileges and advantages as those who are or have been in Her Majesty’s navy.

(2) The Greenwich Hospital Acts 1865 to 1967 have effect as if references in those Acts to any naval reserve force included references to the Royal Marines Reserve.

56 Regulations for naval and marine reserves. U.K.

The Secretary of State may—

(a) in relation to the Royal Marines Reserve, make regulations for the purpose of carrying section 3 above into effect, and

(b) in relation to the Royal Naval Reserve amd the Royal Fleet Reserve, and (without prejudice to the power conferred by paragraph (a) above) the Royal Marines Reserve, make regulations—

(i) as to the manner or form in which men of those reserves shall be entered to serve, and generally as to the entry and re-entry of such persons;

(ii) as to the arms, clothing and accoutrements with which such men are to be provided;

(iii) for forming such men into divisions or classes, or other bodies, and assigning numbers to them;

(iv) for the purpose of calling out such men for permanent service under this Act;

(v) for securing and enforcing the attendance, good conduct and discipline of and among such men;

(vi) for imposing fines or forfeitures of pay, allowances or pensions for misconduct and breach of discipline or of any of the regulations made under this section and section 37(4) above; and

(vii) generally as to all other matters and proceedings.