1. Royal Navy personnel in the Hydrographic and Meteorological Service, including civilian staff directly supporting this Service.
2. Royal Artillery personnel involved in surveying activities such as targeting and locating, including civilian staff directly supporting these activities.
3. Royal Engineer (Geographic) personnel, including civilian staff directly supporting this specialisation.
4. Staff and students in the Royal School of Military Survey, including personnel from all three Services and civilian staff working within the School.
5. RAF personnel in the Air Cartography specialisation, including civilian staff directly supporting this specialisation at No 1 Air Information Documents Unit.
6. All staff at the Defence Geographic Centre (DGC), and all Mapping & Charting officers employed elsewhere but managed by DGC.
7. All staff at the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), and all Mapping & Charting officers employed elsewhere but managed by UKHO.

The DSA Ernest Ramus Award for Outstanding Service

Criteria

The DSA Ernest Ramus Award for Outstanding Service will only be made to recognise the achievements of particular member of the Defence Surveying Community who have given exceptional service over a long and highly distinguished career in the profession. It is stressed that this award will only be granted on an exceptional basis, normally linked to the end of the full-time service of the nominee within the profession.

Background

The award is named after Major Ernest Ramus RA who served during the Second World War in 1st Survey Regiment RA, commanding this unit during the latter stages of the War. After the War for many years he was the Auditor of the Field Survey Association, the forerunner of the Defence Surveyors’ Association. During this time he advised the Association to invest a significant part of the charity’s funds in Charibonds. This extremely sound piece of financial advice means that the Association now has sufficient capital to provide for this award. Major Ramus died in 1999; a copy of his obituary is set out here.

Nominations

Any member of the Association may nominate an individual for this award at any time. The member who makes the recommendation is to provide the Chairman with a citation which sets out the key achievements of the nominee, along with supporting references from a least two other members of the Association.

Evaluation of Nominations

The Chairman will seek the views of the Council on the suitability of nominees for the award, a two-thirds majority being required within the Council for any nominations to be accepted. Citations which do not fully meet the criteria for this award, or which are considered by the Council not to be strong enough, might be added to those considered for the Association’s annual prizes. Any member who proposes a nominee will be informed by the Chairman of the Council’s decision.

Award

Each award will be a prize of £500, accompanied by an award certificate and some form of memento to mark the occasion. Examples of possible memento might be a silver plate or glass bowl suitably engraved, or book which records a part of the Association’s history.