Jack tar serves to highlight the achievements and qualities of our Defence personnel in an accessible way.   

As with Digger Bear™, Jack tar was developed to recognise and perpetuate the contributions of Australian Defence Force personnel, Servicemen and Women alike.  Considerable time was spent to ensure a highly quality collectable product eventuated, and research into the detail of the Royal Australian Navy uniform was conducted at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, with the kind assistance of Senior Curator, Nick Fletcher.  Thanks for your time and efforts Nick!

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Jack tar comes complete with the following historic ear-tag wording:

The Royal Australian Navy – R.A.N.

Naval defence of Australia from settlement in 1788, until the early 1900’s remained the responsibility of the British Navy.  After a 1909 Imperial Conference, the establishment of an Australian Fleet Unit was approved, and on 10^th July, 1911, King George V granted the title Royal Australian Navy to the existing Fleet Unit.  Although comparatively small in size, the R.A.N. played a large part in WW1, capturing German colonies in the Pacific, and as an integral part of the British Navy saw service in most theatres of naval Warfare - including a supporting role in the Gallipoli campaign -  being the last Australians to leave Gallipoli.  In WW11 the R.A.N. distinguished itself by conspicuous service in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Mediterranean (Scrap Iron Flotilla) Persian Gulf & Red Sea. 

Upon Japan’s attack, the R.A.N. was Australia’s first line of defence, facing directly into the Japanese threat to Australia.   R.A.N. personnel fought bravely through the epic battles of the Pacific, Java Sea, Coral Sea, and up to Japan, and many heroic sailors were lost in the defence of their homeland.  Since WW11, R.A.N. units have continued to serve and maintain the highest qualities of Australian Servicemen in Korea, Malaya, Indonesia, Vietnam and Middle Eastern conflicts.  Responsibilities allocated to the R.A.N. in these theatres reflect the extremely high regard in which R.A.N. personnel are held by our allies. The R.A.N. has, in its relatively short period of establishment, earned recognition as an elite fighting force, with ever-increasing modes of operation including the use of aircraft & support of ground troops and involvement in various peacekeeping missions.