Royal Army Chaplains ' Department The Royal Army Chaplains ' Department ( RAChD ) is an all - officer corps that provides ordained clergy to minister to the British Army . As of 2007 , there are about 150 serving regular chaplains ( commonly known as " padres " ) in the British Army ; these can belong to one of several Christian churches , or to the Jewish faith , although currently all active chaplains are Christian . Uniquely within the British Army , the Royal Army Chaplains ' Department has different cap badges for its Christian and Jewish officers . There are also chaplains in the Territorial Army and the Army Cadet Force . Army chaplains , although they are all commissioned officer s of the British Army and wear uniform , do not have executive authority . They are unique within the British Army in that they do not carry arms . At services on formal occasions , chaplains wear their medals and decorations on their clerical robes ( many chaplains have been decorated for bravery in action , including three Victoria Cross es ) . The RAChD ' s motto is " In this Sign Conquer " . As seen in the sky before the battle of Milvian bridge by the Roman Emperor Constantine . Its regimental march , both quick and slow , is the " Prince of Denmark ' s March " , erroneously known as the " Trumpet Voluntary " . From 1946 until 1996 , the RAChD ' s Headquarters , Depot and Training Centre were at Bagshot Park in Surrey , now the home of The Earl and Countess of Wessex . In 1996 , they moved to the joint service Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Amport House near Andover , formerly the home of the Royal Air Force Chaplain Branch . History . The Army Chaplains ' Department ( AChD ) was formed by Royal Warrant of 23 September 1796 . Previously chaplains had been part of individual regiment s , but not on the central establishment . Only Anglican chaplains were recruited until 1827 , when Presbyterians were recognised . Roman Catholic chaplains were recruited from 1836 , Methodist chaplains from 1881 , and Jewish chaplains from 1892 . The Department received the " Royal " prefix in February 1919 for its services during World War I . Some 4 , 400 Army Chaplains were recruited between 1914 and 1918 ; 179 lost their lives on active service and three were awarded the Victoria Cross . The RAChD is the only branch of the Army to perpetuate the tradition of dividing supporting troops into " departments " ( officers only ) and " corps " ( other ranks only ) . Museum . The Museum of Army Chaplaincy is located at Amport House near Andover , Hampshire . Representative denominations in the RAChD . Chaplains are either classified as Jewish ( currently only in the Territorial Army ) or as a member of one of the following seven Christian denominational groups : However , an Army chaplain is expected to minister to and provide pastoral care to any soldier who needs it , no matter their denomination or faith or lack of it . Most large stations have an Anglican chaplain , a Roman Catholic chaplain , and a third chaplain from a Presbyterian or Nonconformist denomination . Most battalion s or regiment s have their own chaplain . Ranks . Chaplains are the only British Army officers who do not carry standard officer ranks . They are officially designated Chaplain to the Forces ( CF ) ( e . g . " The Reverend John Smith CF " ) . They do , however , have grades which equate to the standard ranks and wear the insignia of the equivalent rank . Chaplains are usually addressed as " Padre " , never by their nominal military rank . The senior Church of England Chaplain is ranked within the church hierarchy as an Archdeacon – he or she holds the appointment of Archdeacon for the Army whether or not he or she is also the Chaplain - General . The Senior Roman Catholic Chaplain ( usually a CF1 ) is sometimes ranked as a monsignor .