History

The Royal Naval Reserve Decoration was established in 1908 and awarded to sub-lieutenants and above of the Royal Naval Reserve in recognition of 15 years of commissioned service. Clasps were awarded to denote an additional 15 years of service. A rosette may have been worn on the ribbon to denote the award of a clasp when the ribbon was worn alone. The Royal Naval Reserve Decoration was superseded by the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal in 2000.

Recipients of the Silver Medal were entitled to use the post-nominal letters "RD".

There are multiple versions of the Medal which vary by the ruling monarch's cypher.