Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANVR) was a reserve force of the Royal Australian Navy. The current Royal Australian Naval Reserve was formed in June 1973, from a merger of the RANVR and the RANR (Seagoing).
During World War II, most Australian coastwatchers were commissioned as officers in the RANVR. Some RANVR's also served in the Royal Navy.
HMS Lady Shirley was a fishing trawler requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1940 and converted for anti-submarine warfare. It went into service in January 1941 and served with the 31st Anti-Submarine Group based at Gibraltar under the command of Lieutenant Commander Arthur Henry Callaway DSO RANVR, sinking the German submarine U-111.
HMS Alisma was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Navy officered and crewed by RANVR personnel. She was commanded by Acting Lieutenant Commander Maurice George Rose, RANVR from 2 May 1941 to 1 May 1943, succeeded by Lieutenant George Lanning, RANVR until 11 June 1945. She was part of Escort Group B7, one of seven such British naval groups which served with the Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF). It provided convoy protection in the most dangerous midsection of the North Atlantic route.