Not all heroes wear capes. The Royal Australian Navy received applause sending one of its ships on an emergency beer run to resupply a pub whose town had been hit hard by the bushfires.

More than a thousand people have been evacuated from the small town of Mallacoota in the state of Victoria. The military had sent landing craft to collect families that had been trapped there since New Year’s Eve.

HMAS Choules delivered more people and pets, including evacuees and @CFA_members, from #Mallacoota yesterday – this time handing them over to the care of @VictoriaPolice and @RedCrossAU at HMAS Cerberus.#AusNavy #OpBushfireAssist #OurCommunity #MallacootaEvacuation #VicFires pic.twitter.com/d2IVBduZlv

— Royal Australian Navy (@Australian_Navy) January 9, 2020

Mallacoota is a small coastal town in the state of Victoria and was isolated from the rest of the country when a devastating bushfire ripped through it on New Year’s Eve, destroying homes and cars, and cutting off the one road in and out.

HMAS Choules in the smoky conditions off the coast of Mallacoota, Victoria during Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20.

Due to the lack of road access, residents have been receiving supplies through emergency shipments from HMAS Choules — and now beer has been added to the manifest of important items.

The 16,000-tonne UK-built relief ship HMAS Choules has been a steady presence off the Australian coast since the bushfires started last November. The ship was recently positioned in the smoky coast of Mallacoota, Victoria, during Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20.

Once several shuttle runs had been completed and the dire situation begun to subside, the Navy delivered some much-needed supplies. A Defense spokesperson told the AFP that those supplies also included a beer run to quench thirsty survivors and bushfire responders.

Sailors aboard the HMAS Choules have been assisting humans in need but has also been happy to help rescue pets and wildlife.

“The beer is not occupying unnecessary space on HMAS Choules and essential supplies were not offloaded to accommodate the beer,” the spokesperson said.

The emergency resupply included 20 kegs and four pallets of beer and cider for a town whose population is around 1,000 persons.

“A pub with no beer is bad enough at the best of times,” said Carlton and United Breweries CEO Peter Filipovic. “After what Mallacoota residents and firies have been through the least we could do is make sure they could enjoy a beer.”

“We’re not sure if the Navy has ever shipped beer to civilians before but these fires are an extraordinary disaster,” he added.

Obviously the Royal Australian Navy officers and sailors empathized with anyone facing the prospect of running out of a fresh supply of beer.