What British honour is this?

Factual Questions
1

In Clive Cussler’s farfetched but enjoyable novel Raise the Titanic! (1976), the last surviving officer of the RMS Titanic is said to be Commodore Sir John L. Bigalow, KBE, RD, RNR (Retired). KBE is “Knight of the British Empire,” I suppose, and RNR is “Royal Navy Reserve,” but what is “RD”?

2

Reserve Decoration, according to Wikipedia, which “is an award for service in the Royal Navy Reserve of the United Kingdom.”

3

Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

4

[Micro nitpick]

And KBE is Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire

[/mn]

Hence OBE = Officer of the Order of the British Empire

eta

:smack:

5

Thanks, everyone!

6

The Order of the British Empire is divided into civil and military divisions. The “RD” is acknowledging that he was made a Knight Commander in the military division, while in the Royal Navy Reserve. (As opposed to Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John, recognized for their contributions to British music and economy and their charitable acts in the civil division.)

7

No. The Royal Naval Reserve Decoration was the long service medal for officers in the Royal Naval Reserve and, as such, was completely separate from the Order of the British Empire.

http://www.royal-naval-reserve.co.uk/medals/rd.htm