Koninklijke Vermelding bij Dagorder

The Royal Mention in Dispatches is a bravery decoration awarded for outstanding deeds, bestowed from 1948 on ships sailing under the Dutch flag of the Royal Netherlands Navy and the merchant marine during the Second World War. The decoration was instituted by Royal Decree No. 5 on 16 December 1947. It concerned deeds performed after 10 May 1940 or in connection with the conduct of the war, and could also be awarded to ships that were lost during or after the action.

Along with the papers for this dispatch, the ship received a bronze plaque stating the reason for the award. It was prescribed that, when the decorated ship was taken out of service, the bronze plaque was to be displayed at a designated location at the Royal Netherlands Naval College (for Royal Netherlands Navy ships) or at a location designated by the management of the relevant shipping company (for merchant ships).

All crew members of a ship to which the decoration was awarded who had been on board during the action described also received a certificate bearing the date and text of the dispatch.