Executive curl

The executive curl, or the "Elliot's Eye", is the name given to the ring above a naval officer's gold lace or braid insignia.

One story is that it is in memory of Captain George Elliot, who, when wounded in the arm in the Crimean War, used the gold on his sleeve as a sling.

Although 19 of 22 Commonwealth of Nations navies use the executive curl, according to Jane's Fighting Ships, 55 of the world's navies use the insignia on officer’s uniform in their naval forces; Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Colombia, Congo (DRC), Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Iceland, India, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Myanmar, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain (except during the 1931-1939 Spanish Republic), Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.

Prior to 1910, the Royal Navy provided maritime defence of British North America and for the Dominion of Canada from 1867.

On March 5, 2010, the House of Commons unanimously passed a private members' motion recommending, "That the government should consider reinstating the navy executive curl on its uniforms."

Guy Lauzon, member of Parliament for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, explained that the insignia is common to most nations that have a monarch as a head of state.

After 42 years absence, the executive curl insignia became effective again for service dress uniforms on June 11, 2010, on the occasion of the Pacific Canadian Naval Centennial International Fleet Review parade of nations in Victoria, British Columbia.