Order of Lifesaving

Commander

Minimum qualification: Any person who has given extraordinary service to the ILS and/or its Regions over a period of years in a voluntary capacity as an officer, a Member of the Board of Directors, or a Member of a Commission/Committee. Such a person must, at a minimum, have served ILS, WLS or FIS in such a capacity for a period of no less than twenty (20) years and must have served as a Member of an ILS member organisation/federation for no less than thirty (30) years.

The following persons have been conferred awards in the Order of Lifesaving:

  • 2023
    • Dr Harald VERVAECKE PhD (Belgium)
    • John MARTIN MBE (Great Britain – Surf) (deceased)
    • Jelle MEINTSMA (South Africa)
    • B. Chris BREWSTER (USA – USLA)
    • Greg ALLUM AM (Australia – Surf)
  • 2024
    • Peter GEORGE AM (Australia – Surf)
  • 2025
    • Norman FARMER AM ESM (Australia – Royal and Surf)

Grand Knight

Minimum qualification: Any person who has given extraordinary service to the ILS and/or its Regions over a period of years in a voluntary capacity as an officer, a Member of the Board of Directors, or a Member of a Commission/Committee. Such a person must, at a minimum, have served ILS, WLS or FIS in such a capacity for a period of no less than fifteen (15) years and must have served as a Member of an ILS member organisation/federation for no less than twenty-five (25) years.

The following persons have been conferred awards in the Order of Lifesaving:

  • 1994
    • Hugo ALBERGA (Netherlands – KNBRD) (deceased)
    • Klaus BARTNITZKE (Germany – DLRG) (deceased)
    • Melvin (Max) BOWMAN (United States – USLA)
    • Doug D’ARNALL (United States – USLA) (deceased)
    • Jack DEARLOVE MBE (Australia – Surf) (deceased)
    • Dr Ian MACKIE MD (Australia Surf and Royal) (deceased)
    • Dr Achille MARCHETTI, MD (Italy – FINS) (deceased)
    • Vincent MOOREHOUSE (United States – USLA) (deceased)
    • Frank NOLAN (Ireland – IWS)
    • Denis OSBORNE (South Africa – LSA) (deceased)
    • Maria Teresa PAREDES FARGAS (Spain)
    • Wojciech PLOCIENNIK (Poland) (deceased)
    • Warren RENNIE AM (Australia – Surf)
    • Michael SOMERS (Ireland – IWS) (deceased)
    • Gerhard STIPANI (Austria) (deceased)
    • Prof. Dr. Stoyan SAEV MD (Bulgaria) (deceased)
    • Paul SMITH, OAM (Australia – Surf) (deceased)
    • Gus B. STAUNTON MBE (Australia – Surf) (deceased)
    • Cdr Charles THOMSON MBE O. ST. J (Great Britain – Surf) (deceased)
    • Kevin WELDON AM (Australia – Surf) (deceased)
    • Bertil WERNER (Sweden) (deceased)
    • Alan WHELPTON AO (Australia – Surf)
    • Derrick WHITTING (South Africa – LSA) (deceased)
    • Dr Klaus WILKENS PhD (Germany – DLRG) (deceased)
    • Prof. Dr Mieczyslaw WITKOWSKI PhD (Poland) (deceased)
  • 1996
    • Gabriel Petrus BOTHA (South Africa – LSA) (deceased)
    • Michael Gifford MORTIMER (South Africa – LSA) (posthumus) (deceased)
  • 2004
    • Dr Anthony HANDLEY MD (United Kingdom – Royal)
    • Dr Harald VERVAECKE PhD (Belgium – BRF)
  • 2008
    • Jelle MEINTSMA (South Africa – LSA)
    • John MARTIN MBE (Great Britain – Surf) (deceased)
    • Norman FARMER ESM (Australia – Royal and Surf)
  • 2009
    • Martin O’SULLIVAN (Ireland – IWS)
  • 2011
    • B. Chris BREWSTER (United States – USLA)
    • Robert BRADLEY (Australia – Royal)
    2012
    • Brian VELVIN (New-Zealand – Surf)
  • 2013
    • Greg ALLUM AM (Australia – Surf)
  • 2014
    • Dr Detlev MOHR PhD (Germany – DLRG)
  • 2022
    • Peter GEORGE AM (Australia – Surf)
  • 2023
    • Dave THOMPSON AM (Australia – Surf)
    • Justin SCARR (Australia – Royal)
    • Dr Mohamed SALEH MD (Egypt)
    • Prof Dr Joost BIERENS MD, PhD (The Netherlands)
    • Perry SMITH (Canada)
  • 2024
    • Graham FORD AO (Australia – Surf)
  • 2025
    • Jolanda VAN DALEN (Netherlands)
    • Peter DAVIS (USA – USLA)

Knight

Minimum qualification: Any person who, in a voluntary capacity, has given extraordinary service to ILS and/or its Regions over a period of at least ten (10) years as an officer, a member of the Board of Directors, or a member of a Commission/Committee. Such a person must, at a minimum, have served as a member of an ILS member federation/organisation for no less than twenty (20) years.

The following persons have been conferred awards in the Order of Lifesaving:

  • 1996
    • Gregory BONANN (United States)
    • Phillip Walter COLES AM (Australia – Surf) (deceased)
    • Dr Jean DUCOEUR MD (France) (deceased)
    • Pedro WALCH DEN TUINDER (Spain) (deceased)
  • 1997
    • Umberto TRAMONTANA (Italy – FINS) (deceased)
    • Dr Anthony HANDLEY MD (United Kingdom – Royal)
    • Domenico MAIELLO (Italy – FINS) (deceased)
  • 1998
    • Dr Stefan GLADILOV, MD (Bulgaria)
    • Sigurd BRATTETVEIT (Norway)
  • 2001
    • General Ignazio CORRENTI (Italy – FINS)
    • Volkmar FRIEMEL (Germany – DLRG)
    • Martin O’SULLIVAN (Ireland – IWS)
    • Dr Pietro ROTONDANO MD (Italy – FINS)
    • Cdr Hendrik VOORHELST (Belgium – BRF)
  • 2004
    • Jelle MEINTSMA (South Africa – LSA)
    • John MARTIN MBE (Great Britain – Surf) (deceased)
    • Greg ALLUM AM (Australia – Surf)
    • Norman FARMER AM (Australia – Royal)
    • John LONG (United Kingdom – Royal)
  • 2005
    • Dr Patrick YEUNG CHE-TO PhD (Hong Kong – China)
  • 2006
    • Brian VELVIN (New Zealand – Surf)
    • Walter GRIMM (Austria)
    • Joan DUNCAN (Canada)
    • B. Chris BREWSTER (United States – USLA)
    • Robert BRADLEY (Australia – Royal)
  • 2009
    • Bob DEKKERS (Netherlands – KNBRD)
    • Dr Detlev MOHR PhD (Germany – DLRG)
  • 2010
    • Greg McLENNAN (Australia – Royal)
    • Ortwin KREFT (Germany – DLRG)
    • Helmut STOHR (Germany – DLRG)
  • 2011
    • Kenneth WHITE (United Kingdom – Royal) (deceased)
    • Janet CASTRO (United Kingdom – Royal) (deceased)
  • 2012
    • Frans KENIS (Belgium – BRF)
  • 2014
    • Peter GEORGE, AM (Australia – Surf)
    • David (Dave) THOMPSON AM (Australia – Surf)
  • 2015
    • Justin SCARR (Australia – RLSS)
  • 2016
    • Dr David SZPILMAN MD (Brazil – SOBRASA)
  • 2017
    • Prof. Dr Joost BIERENS MD, PhD (The Netherlands – KMRD)
    • Peter DAVIS (USA – USLA)
    • Graeme CULLEN (New Zealand – Surf) (deceased)
    • Chiharu AIZAWA (Japan)
    • Perry SMITH (Canada)
    • Erik BECH (Denmark)
    • Dr Mohamed SALEH, MD (Egypt – EDLF)
    • Jolanda VAN DALEN (The Netherlands – KNBRD)
    • Clive HOLLAND (United Kingdom – Royal)
  • 2018
    • Anne-Maree GARDINER (Australia – Royal)
  • 2019
    • Graham FORD AM (Australia – Surf)
    • Dr Peter WERNICKI MD (United States – USLA)
    • Doug FERGUSON (Canada)
  • 2020
    • Isabel GARCIA (Spain)
    • Richard Ming Kirk TAN (Singapore)
  • 2021
    • Ian FULLAGAR AM (Australia – Surf)
  • 2022
    • Morrie CHIANG (Chinese Taipei)
    • Cdr Wim NUYENS (Belgium – BRF)
    • Karin OBUS (Belgium – ILS HQ)
    • Allen PEMBROKE (South Africa – LSA)
    • Dr Giorgio QUINTAVALLE PhD (Italy – FINS)
    • Ludger SCHULTE-HÜLSMANN (Germany – DLRG)
  • 2023
    • Joachim KELLERMEIER (Germany – DLRG)
    • Dr Jürgen MAISS PhD (Germany – DLRG)
  • 2024
    • Peter CONNELL (Australia – Surf)
    • Barbara MORGAN (Australia Surf and Royal)
    • Rebecca BOYD (Canada)
    • Leonardo MANINO (Argentina)
    • Adam WEIR (Australia – Surf)
  • 2025
    • Sameh EL SHAZLY (Egypt)
    • Dr Dirk BISSINGER PhD (Germany – DLRG)
    • Dhaya SEWDUTH (South Africa)
    • Helen HERBERT (South Africa)
    • Palema SIMON (Australia – Surf)
    • Dr Shayne BAKER PhD OAM (Australia – Royal)
    • Fernando MARTINHO (Portugal – ASNASA)
    • John BRENNAN (Australia – Surf)
    • Carsten SCHLEPPHORST (Germany – DLRG)
    • Shane DAW ESM (Australia – Surf)