The King’s and the Queen’s Gold Medals
By John Perryman
His Majesty the King’s Gold Medal
In 1916 the award of the King’s Gold Medal to Australian Naval Cadets was instituted at the Royal Australian Naval College, Jervis Bay as an incentive to young naval officers. At that time His Majesty King George V was the reigning British monarch.
The medal was awarded annually to the Cadet Midshipman who, in the opinion of the captain of the college, was most deserving of the honour and displayed "gentlemanly bearing, character, good influence among his fellows and officer-like qualities". The first Cadet to receive the coveted honour was Winn Lockyer Reilly in 1916.
Each recipient of the award had their name enrolled on a board which, at Jervis Bay, was displayed in the gymnasium. Later, when the college relocated to Flinders Naval Depot, it was displayed in the Cadet’s Gunroom. As a further mark of prestige the letters KM appeared following a recipients name in the Navy List.
The medal, produced by the Royal Mint in the UK, depicted on the obverse the effigy of King George V surrounded by a legend in Latin evenly spaced around the face of the medal.
The obverse and reverse of the King's Gold Medal.
The reverse of the medal depicted a backdrop of a sprig of wattle and oak leaves with the central shield of the Australian coat of arms in the foreground. The words ‘His Majesty the King’s Medal’ appeared in raised lettering in an arch at the top of the medal while the inscription ‘Royal Australian Naval College’ was added to the face of the reverse. After the death of King George V in 1936 the obverse of the King’s Medal was altered to reflect the bust and legend of King George VI.
The King's Medal awarded to TA Dadswell in 1949 showing the effigy of King George VI on the obverse.
Her Majesty the Queen’s Gold Medal
Following the ascension of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne in 1952 the award was retitled the Queen’s Medal. Both the obverse and reverse of the medal were altered to reflect this change. An effigy of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a wreath was adopted on the obverse along with the legend: ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FD, meaning: Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith.
The obverse and reverse of the Queen's Gold Medal.
In keeping in step with society the provisions concerning the award of the medal have changed over the years and today the medal is presented annually to the officer who has exhibited exemplary conduct, performance of duty and a high level of achievement while undergoing initial training and application courses.
RAN College King’s and Queen’s Gold Medal Recipients
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King’s Medallists
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Queen’s Medallists
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| 1916 WL Reilly | 1952 PJ Hocker | 1988 GM Hornbuckle |
| 1917 HML Waller | 1953 JS Dickson | 1989 RC Stone |
| 1918 RR Dowling | 1954 JM Yates | 1990 LJ Goddard |
| 1919 RP Middleton | 1955 MR Ward | 1991 AL Ladner |
| 1920 CH Brooks | 1956 J Selby | 1992 In Abeyance |
| 1921 WEJ Eames | 1957 RG Taylor | 1993 In Abeyance |
| 1922 JC Morrow | 1958 GR Stiles | 1994 L Ricciardone |
| 1923 NA Mackinnon | 1959 MR Pate | 1995 AS MacDonald |
| 1924 KG Whitford | 1960 MB Forrest | 1996 MJ Turner |
| 1925 PE Carr | 1961 In Abeyance | 1997 SI Chen |
| 1926 AS Storey | 1962 SJ Youll | 1998 PK Andrews |
| 1927 CJ Stephenson | 1963 RW Maunder | 1999 JM Kirk |
| 1928 WS Bracegirdle | 1964 DJ Campbell | 2000 JS Hutchinson |
| 1929 JK Menary | 1965 GL Purcell | 2001 GR McGinley |
| 1930 PSF Hancox | 1966 GF McLennan | 2002 AL Hudson |
| 1931 S St Vincent Welch | 1967 RJ Nelligan | 2003 DM Murphy |
| 1932 IH McDonald | 1968 JR Lord | 2004 EW Tielens |
| 1933 TM Synnot | 1969 In Abeyance | 2005 JA Thrupp |
| 1934 In Abeyance | 1970 GW Sproule | 2006 KJ Stevenson |
| 1935 GJB Crabb | 1971 SN Howlett | 2007 M Quintieri |
| 1936 DC Wells | 1972 AJ Graham | 2008 RG Classon |
| 1937 WG Wright | 1973 JC Stanbury | 2009 AG Davies |
| 1938 GV Gladstone | 1974 MA Hudson | 2010 CG Marchant |
| 1939 D Nicholls | 1975 J Purnell-Webb | 2011 BR Trezise |
| 1940 JCW Kennedy | 1976 K Malpress | 2012 M Rayner |
| 1941 GH McIntosh | 1977 GD James | 2013 L Ruse |
| 1942 AJ Robertson | 1978 PD Leschen | 2014 S Martin |
| 1943 R Brokenshire | 1979 NS Coates | 2015 J Stahlhut |
| 1944 AF Sallman | 1980 RG Morrison | 2016 M Dowd |
| 1945 DW Leach | 1981 RJ Ingram | 2017 D Harradine |
| 1946 RB Nunn | 1982 PL Lipsett | 2018 M Burns |
| 1947 PM Cumming | 1983 MA Harling | 2019 L Whitfeld |
| 1948 FO Eliason | 1984 CJ Gaudie | 2020 L Binder |
| 1949 TA Dadswell | 1985 MC Warren | 2021 |
| 1950 MW Hudson | 1986 JF Blake | 2022 |
| 1951 RM Baird | 1987 JR Simpson | 2023 |
The inaugural winner of the King's Gold Medal, Midshipman WL Reilly, RAN.
1932 winner Lieutenant IH McDonald and 1957 winner Midshipman RG Taylor.
The Governor-General, Sir Paul Hasluck, speaking with Sub-Lieutenant SN Howlett after presenting him with the 1971 Queen's Gold Medal. L-R: SBLT J Young, SBLT S Howlett, Governor-General, SBLT R Shalders, SBLT R Sharpe, SBLT B Cook, SBLT R Swinnerton.
Rear Admiral GJB Crabb (right) the then Flag Officer Commanding East Australia Area, congratulates Lieutenant David Ramsay of the destroyer HMAS Brisbane on receiving a Royal Navy Queen's gold medal in Sydney on the 24th of October 1971. Lieutenant Ramsay was the son of the then Naval Officer Commanding West Australia, Commodore JM Ramsay (centre). He entered the Navy in January, 1963. During his time in the United Kingdom he obtained best overall marks in his final year of initial training for seaman and supply officers in 1968.
Vice Admiral Sir Victor Smith admires a Queen's Gold Medal awrded to Midshipman Alan John Graham following a promotion parade in 1972.
Cadet Midshipman MA Hudson receiving the Queen's Gold Medal from Sir John Kerr in 1974.
1977 Queen's Gold Medal winner Midshipman Guy James accepts his award from the Governor-General Sir John Kerr.
Left: 1973 winner Lieutenant Commander JC Stanbury. Right: 1984 winner Lieutenant CJ Gaudie, RAN.
Queen's Gold Medal winner and Dux of the Creswell course, Midshipman Robert Morrison, with Governor-General Sir Zelman Cowen and Lady Cowen in 1980.
Lieutenant Arno Tielens receives the Queen's Gold Medal for Trainee Officer of the Year 2004 from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Also pictured is the Commanding Officer of HMAS Anzac, Captain Richard Menhinick (centre), the Australian Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Chris Ritchie and his wife Julia.
Commodore Training, Commodore Michael Noonan AM, RAN, with the Queen’s Medal recipient for 2012, Lieutenant Michelle Rayner, at HMAS Waterhen. The Queen’s Medal for 2012 was awarded to Lieutenant Michelle Rayner for her outstanding achievements and performance during the Supply Officer Application Course.
Vice Admiral Ray Griggs AO, CSC, RAN, Chief of Navy presents Sub Lieutenant Boman Trezise RAN, with Her Majesty the Queen's Gold Medal for his outstanding performance during Junior Warfare Application Course Phase III.
Left: Vice Admiral Russell Crane, AO, CSM, RAN, presents Lieutenant Andrew Davies, the 2009 Queens Gold Medal winner, with his award onboard HMAS Sydney. Right: The 2013 Queen’s Gold Medal recipient, Lieutenant Lauren Ruse, with her medal in the grounds of HMAS Creswell.
Commanding Officer HMAS Kuttabul Commander Rebecca Jeffcoat, RAN, congratulates Lieutenant James Stahlhut on becoming a Queen’s Gold Medal winner 2015.
Left: Vice Admiral RH Crane, AO, CSM, RAN, the then Chief of Navy, looks on following the presentation of a replacement King's Gold Medal to the 1937 recipient, Captain Graham Wright, RAN (Ret'd) by the former Governor-General of Australia, Dame Quentin Bryce, AD, CVO in December 2008. Right: Commodore TA Dadswell, AM, RAN (Ret'd) with the King's Medal he was awarded in 1949.
In recognition of his outstanding performance during Maritime Warfare Officer Course 03, Sub Lieutenant Liam Whitfeld was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for 2019.
