In late 1920, the Navy Board proposed the creation of an Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve scheme, with approaches made to yachting and rowing clubs, starting in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania.[1][2][3][4] Men who were undergoing or liable to compulsory training under the Defence Act (Cwlth) were ineligible for enrolment.[5] For the volunteers, a period of five years of service was proposed with parading twice a month, training occur outside of business hours, entry as an able seaman rating, and officer appointments not based on social or other positions.[6][7] Requirements later included fourteen days training every alternate year, and 'seven days out of this period should be spent afloat'.[8]
By 1925, following mufti attire on parades, the uniform was determined to be the same as the regular forces, with 'RANVR' replacing 'RANR' on the cap band, and the uniform to be supplied by the government instead of the individual as had been the case in the past.[9] Members, unless former ratings of the Royal Navy or Royal Australian Navy, had to be more than 21 years-of-age.[4]
World War II actions
During World War II, most Australian coastwatchers were commissioned as officers in the RANVR. Some RANVR officers also served in the Royal Navy, and with the Royal Canadian Navy.[10][11] One officer also served as the Royal Navy liaison officer to the Soviet Navy.[12]
HMS Lady Shirley was a fishing trawler requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1940 and converted for anti-submarine warfare.[13] It went into service in January 1941 and served with the 31st Anti-Submarine Group based at Gibraltar under the command of Lieutenant Commander Arthur Henry Callaway DSO RANVR, sinking the U-111.[14][15]
HMS Alisma was a Flower-classcorvette of the Royal Navy. She was commanded by Acting Lieutenant Commander Maurice George Rose, RANVR from 2 May 1941 to 1 May 1943, succeeded by Lieutenant George Lanning, RANVR until 11 June 1945. She was part of Escort Group B7, one of seven such British naval groups which served with the Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF). It provided convoy protection in the most dangerous midsection of the North Atlantic route.[16]
In June 1945, the starting contingent of 12 RAAF pilots were transferred to the RANVR, to undergo training and service with the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy.[17]
It was confirmed members could receive promotion in exceptional circumstances if they had the special qualifications.[18] Members demobilising at the end of the war were entitled to a discharge certificate.[19]
1946–1973
In August 1948, with just 948 members on Royal Australian Navy's reserve list, the RANVR was reestablished, seeking 30000 former reservists with wartime service rejoin for a four-year term.[20][21] By December, 1300 former navy members had applied.[22] Youth and men with no naval experience would be sought later. The Women's Royal Australian Naval Reserve was also created. RANVR personnel were different to the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. The former could be called up for hostilities, whereas the latter group could be mobilised at any time.[23] The minimum recruiting age was seventeen years.[24]
With the onset of the Korean War in 1950, those persons unable to join the Royal Australian Naval Reserve due to an inability to perform training or distance were able to be accepted into the RANVR.[25] A submission was also made at this time to have all service payments to members tax-free.[26] Reservists continued to be used in various capacities such as additional staffing for the 1962 Exercise Seascape, part of a South-East Asia Treaty Organisation operation.[27]
The current Royal Australian Naval Reserve was formed in June 1973, from a merger of the RANVR and the RANR (Seagoing), formed in 1921 and 1913 respectively.[28]
Individual honours
Various members of the RANVR received acknowledgement for their service. By May 1944, fifty-six RANVR personnel had received 71 decorations or awards;[29] and by August 1944, RANVR personnel had been included two George Crosses, two DSOs, two OBEs, two MBEs, sixteen DSCs, one Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, two DSMs, and ten George Medals.[30][31] Due to wartime security, the reasons for the awards were not always released at the time of awarding.
A person's presence in the below list does not suggest their award was more notable than any other award; ranks and existing citations are as of the time of the awarding; and the list is incomplete. Person may be listed for more than one entry. List ranked by 'order of wear'.
References
^"Naval Reserve". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 October 1920. p. 8. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Naval Volunteer Reserve". Evening News. Sydney. 5 March 1921. p. 4. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve". Port Adelaide News. South Australia. 6 May 1921. p. 9. Retrieved 13 June 2020 – via Trove.
^ a b"Naval and military". News (Home ed.). South Australia. 6 June 1927. p. 9. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Narrow Waters Corps". The Argus. Melbourne. 30 December 1922. p. 13. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve". The Daily Telegraph (Launceston). Tasmania, Australia. 25 June 1921. p. 8. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"R. A. N. V. R." The Sun (Sydney). New South Wales, Australia. 5 March 1921. p. 8 (Final Sporting). Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Naval Volunteer Reserve". Geelong Advertiser. Victoria, Australia. 3 June 1924. p. 2. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Uniforms for Naval Volunteers". Geelong Advertiser. Victoria, Australia. 20 March 1925. p. 4. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"DID A D-DAY JOB". Smith's Weekly. New South Wales, Australia. 29 July 1944. p. 9. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"SIDELIGHTS ON THE RED NAVY". Kalgoorlie Miner. Western Australia. 19 January 1944. p. 4. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Lady Shirley". German U-boats of World War II – uboat.net. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
^"AUSTRALIAN COMMANDER RECEIVES D.S.O." The Proserpine Guardian. Queensland, Australia. 11 October 1941. p. 2. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Lieutenant Commander Arthur Callaway, DSO, RANVR and the courage of HM Trawler Lady Shirley". Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Alisma (K 185)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
^"JOINING FLEET AIR ARM". Daily Mercury. Queensland, Australia. 7 June 1945. p. 4. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Promotion Possible For RAN Volunteer Reserve". The Herald. Victoria, Australia. 9 February 1944. p. 6. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"IN PARLIAMENT". The Canberra Times. 28 June 1946. p. 4. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Navy". The Age. Victoria, Australia. 5 August 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Volunteer Navy Force". Daily Mercury. Queensland, Australia. 30 October 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Enrolment in R.A.N.V.R." The West Australian (1st ed.). Western Australia. 7 December 1948. p. 9. Retrieved 13 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"QUERIES". The Daily News (HOME ed.). Western Australia. 7 January 1947. p. 4. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"HERE'S THE ANSWER". The World's News. New South Wales, Australia. 26 May 1945. p. 20. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Naval recruiting". Cairns Post. Queensland, Australia. 29 August 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^ a b c d e"R.A.N.V.R. ON HAZARDOUS ENTERPRISES". The Age. Victoria, Australia. 13 June 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"George Cross For Australian". The Mercury. Tasmania, Australia. 21 September 1944. p. 14. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Australian "Frogman" Wins George Cross". The Argus. Melbourne. 30 April 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"WON GEORGE CROSS & MEDAL". Guinea Gold (Australian ed.). International, Australia. 26 March 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^ a b"Double George Medallist Awarded George Cross LIEUT. HUGH SYME, OF MELBOURNE". The Herald. Victoria, Australia. 4 August 1943. p. 3. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^ a b"GEORGE MEDAL FOR RANVR MAN". The Argus. Melbourne. 28 April 1942. p. 2. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"WON O.B.E." The West Australian. Western Australia. 27 May 1943. p. 2. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via Trove.
^ a b"Much Decorated Man Did Not Tell Dad About It". Goulburn Evening Post. New South Wales, Australia. 31 July 1945. p. 3 (Daily and Evening). Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Perth DSO On Midget Submarine". The Daily News (FIRST ed.). Western Australia. 10 February 1945. p. 7. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"No. 37232". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 August 1945. p. 4219.
^"Our people. Biographies. Captain Stanley Darling". Royal Australian Navy. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
^"GALLANTRY DURING NORMANDY LANDING". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 8 December 1944. p. 12. Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"Nine Leading Heroes Of The RAN". The Herald. Victoria, Australia. 29 August 1945. p. 4. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"No. 36794". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 November 1944. p. 5226.
^"Tasmanian Pilot's Awards". Kalgoorlie Miner. Western Australia. 30 November 1944. p. 3. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"INVESTITURE IN PERTH". The West Australian. Western Australia. 22 June 1950. p. 10. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^Hill, Robert (21 August 1996). "Condolences: Osborne, Hon. Frederick Meares, CMG, DSC and Bar, VRD". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^"No. 37260". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 September 1945. p. 4525.
^"HEROISM IN NEW GUINEA". The Age. Victoria, Australia. 30 December 1943. p. 2. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^ a b c d"No. 37119". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 1945. p. 2969.
^ a b c d"D.S.C. Awarded To Sydney Naval Man". The Daily Telegraph. New South Wales, Australia. 30 June 1945. p. 15. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"No. 36561". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 June 1944. p. 1253.
^ a b c"No. 36544". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 1944. p. 2601.
^ a b"GEORGE MEDAL FOR THREE YACHTSMEN". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane. 13 June 1941. p. 1. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"BRAVE DEEDS THAT WON GEORGE CROSS & MEDAL". The Age. Victoria, Australia. 17 July 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"DSM FOR SEAMAN". The Argus. Melbourne. 28 May 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"No. 35805". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 December 1942. p. 5226.
^"DSM To Brisbane Man". The Telegraph (Brisbane). Queensland, Australia. 1 December 1942. p. 2 (City final last minute news). Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"NINE R.A.N. MEN DECORATED". The Advocate. Tasmania, Australia. 14 July 1944. p. 5 (DAILY). Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^ a b"No. 37299". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 October 1945. p. 4953.
^"New Awards For 32 N.S.W. Men". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. 11 October 1945. p. 6. Retrieved 20 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES". Queensland Times. 8 December 1944. p. 2 (DAILY). Retrieved 6 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"No. 35449". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 February 1942. p. 653.
^"HE SAVED THE MALTA CONVOY". The Argus. Melbourne. 23 September 1944. p. 5 (The Argus Week-end Magazine). Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Trove.
^"No. 36825". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 December 1944. p. 5572.
^"No. 34943". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 September 1940. p. 5470.
^"Honours and Awards (Recommendation). Ronald Alexander Denovan". Australian War Memorial. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 7 June 2020.