The following information has been received from the Australian
Department of Defence and may be of interest if you have family
members who died whilst serving in the RAN.


NAVY BEREAVEMENT PIN


The following information has been received from the Australian
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN ) has commissioned a bereavement pin to
recognize the valued contribution of Navy personnel who lost their
lives while in the service of the RAN, and the nation.

The Navy Bereavement Pin (NBP) is a 20mm gold lapel pin with a
distinctive design incorporating the crest of the Royal Australian
Navy encompassed by wreath 'supporters'.

The NBP was developed to meet an expressed wish by many families, who
have lost a close family member while they served in the Navy, to have
a tangible, yet discrete, memento of the service of their loved one.
In this regard, the NBP is a symbol to help family members to
commemorate the life and service of a relative who was lost while
serving in the Navy.

To date, over two thousand Navy Bereavement Pins have been provided to
descendants and family members of Navy personnel. Of note, Navy
Bereavement Pins have been issued to family members of some of the
earliest RAN war-time casualties which occurred in World War One, as
well as the families of Navy personnel who have died in service more
recently.

It is the Chief of Navy's wish that by prominently wearing the Navy
Bereavement Pin, or having it as a special keepsake, the Pin will
assist relatives to remember proudly a family member who lost their
life while serving in the RAN.

Eligibility

The criteria for a family member to receive the NBP are:

a) the passing of the Sailor or Officer occurred while they were
still a member of the Royal Australian Navy, and,

b) the applicant, and any other persons included in the nomination,
is/are related to that Sailor or Officer.

All family members of Royal Australian Navy personnel who died while
serving in the Navy since Federation, during war or peace, on active
service, or even off-duty, are eligible to receive the Navy
Bereavement Pin. Eligibility extends beyond immediate family and may
include members of an extended family.

Nominations

If you are related to a person who passed away while serving in the
RAN and wish to apply for the Navy Bereavement Pin, the application
form and other information is included on the Royal Australian Navy
website
at:

Website: http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Bereavement_Pin


You should allow up to 5-6 weeks for your nomination form to be
processed.
Your Navy Bereavement Pin will be mailed to you.
If there is insufficient information to verify your nomination, you will be contacted to provide additional detail. Relatives without internet access should call the Navy Bereavement Pin information line, (02) 6265 3383, for an application form.


Philippa McCray
Administrator
Federation of Family History Societies