The Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, post-nominal letters VD until c. 1947 and VRD thereafter, was instituted in 1908.

[1][2] The decoration could also be awarded to part-time commissioned officers in the Naval Volunteer Reserves of Colonial Auxiliary Forces throughout the British Empire.

In any event, a minimum of seven years had to have been served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in any capacity before becoming eligible for the award of the decoration.

[21] Officers serving on the active list on or after 1 June 1954, became eligible for the award of a clasp to the decoration after completing ten years of additional reckonable service, provided that no service could under any circumstances count double for the assessment of the additional ten years.

[21] The decoration is an oval skeletal design and was struck in silver, with parts of the obverse in silver-gilt.

In undress uniform, a recipient of a clasp would wear a silver rosette on the ribbon bar.

[12] On 6 April 1952 the Union of South Africa instituted its own range of military decorations and medals.

Of the official British medals applicable to South Africans, the Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve takes precedence as shown.