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On Monday 24 August 2026 at Fleet Headquarters, HMAS Kuttabul, Rear Admiral Chris Smith presented a Gold Level Group Commendation Certificate to the Naval Graves Project on behalf of the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Matthew Buckley.
The commendation recognises the work of all members of the Naval Graves Project.
The certificate, pictured below, acknowledges the contribution made by the Naval Graves Project and the importance of its work in preserving and sharing naval history.
Image: Gold Level Group Commendation Certificate presented in recognition of the Naval Graves Project.
During his address, RADM Smith said the work of the Naval Graves Project is helping to establish the foundation story of the Royal Australian Navy. He noted that the project is of great interest and value to Navy. The NGP extend our thanks to the Naval Historical Society of Australia for its efforts in arranging the presentation, and to the few Naval Graves Project members who had knowledge of the presentation beforehand.
To VADM Buckley and RADM Smith, thank you. Your belief in our efforts and achievements to date inspires the members of the Naval Graves Project to continue this important work. On behalf of all concerned, thank you.
Mark Fleming
The launch was held as part of a well-attended double-header event hosted by the Naval Historical Society of Australia. The occasion also included the launch of naval author Ross Gillett’s book, Serving the Nation 1948 to 1972: Always Underway.
Speakers and representatives for the Naval Graves Project launch included:
Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Chris Ritchie attended as guest of honour and spoke with sincerity about naval service, remembrance and the enduring importance of preserving Australia’s naval history.
Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Chris Smith
The launch marked an important milestone for the Naval Graves Project as it continues its work to identify, honour and preserve the stories of those connected with Australia’s naval graves.
Through research, remembrance and public access to information, the project aims to help families, researchers and the wider community better understand the people and service represented by these graves.
Founder of the Naval Graves Project, Mark Fleming, joined Suzanne Hill on ABC Podcast, Nightlife to share his mission to “research, record and remember” forgotten naval graves in Australia.
Isabella Michie and Suzanne Hill of 702 ABC Sydney caught up with Mark Fleming about the Naval Graves Project…
Gary and Jenne Walters make a habit of visiting cemeteries when they travel, inspired by their involvement with the Naval Graves Project (NGP) — a volunteer group dedicated to researching, recording and remembering forgotten naval graves across Australia.
The couple became connected to the project after Gary, a former navy serviceman, reconnected with his naval community online. Through the NGP, Jenne discovered detailed information about her grandfather, Charles Richard Holt, who served in the Royal Navy and helped recover the bodies of fellow sailors after the 1909 HMS Encounter disaster in Sydney Harbour — then the worst maritime tragedy at Port Jackson. The discovery helped fill gaps in her family history and gave her a deeper understanding of the kind of man he was.
The NGP was founded in 2014 by former navy member Mark Fleming, who began documenting neglected naval graves while researching his own family history. Over the past decade, the group has recorded more than 5,300 graves. Many of these sites are unmarked and not maintained, often because naval families moved frequently and descendants live far away.
Beyond documentation, the project has helped reconnect families with lost relatives. In one case, Helen Cook was able to visit her brother’s grave for the first time decades after he died in the HMAS Voyager disaster. In another, Tony Bambury discovered his great-grandfather’s unmarked grave at Rookwood Cemetery and now hopes to secure a headstone in his honour.
Founder Mark Fleming says he sees cemeteries not as places of sadness, but as places where lives are remembered — and where forgotten service can finally be acknowledged.
