A Little Bit of My Life - My Navy Time

I never really got settled after I moved home to Mum's place. So I joined the Royal Australian Navy as a Junior Musician at age 15 years, 9 months and 2 weeks, on 27th August 1962, which was 2 weeks past the minimum age to join which was 15 3/4 years old. It was daunting, to say the least, to leave home and travel to the pits of Victoria - HMAS Cerberus at Crib Point. Stinking hot in summer and freezing in winter. Sandflies and mozzies galore.

I AM NOT GOING TO PUBLISH ANY OF THE BAD TIMES.

 This could have been the entrance sight reading exam for Junior Musicians in the 1960's. But it is really a bit fanciful to think that way I suppose. But it is a well written bit of music, don't you think????

 What a fine looking young sailor!!!! This was at Launceston airport after my first leave in December 1962, so it was January 1963 and I was 16. With me are Kay - my brother David's wife (now Ex), my sister Dianne and my Mum. The fashions in those days were really something to behold, weren't they?
It was while on this first leave that I joined the Naval Association of Tasmania (as it was then but later the Naval Association of Australia). I went to have my hair cut at Peter Ritchie's barber shop. Peter was ex-Navy, so it was a  natural place to go. Of course, in those days, we had to wear uniform at all times. Peter cut one side of my hair and then told me that I had to join the Association, if I didn't, he wouldn't do the other side, so what choice did I have. So next year, in 2012, I have been a member for 50 years!!!! My how time flies.
I didn't really have any regrets about returning on board to HMAS Cerberus even though the place was really bad. As a Junior Musician we all had to spend an average of 17 months in Recruit School because there was not a facility to house Junior Muso's, so we all sort of grew up very fast, living with adult Recruits for so long.
Summer rig in 1964 outside the Recruit School blocks. I even had a full head of hair in those days complete with a well developed "bow-wave". I spent 2 years and 4 months in Cerberus before I drafted to HMAS Melbourne in 1965.

December 1964 - Not 18 yet.

That year was a real eye-opener!!! We sailed North to visit Port Moresby, Manus Island, Rabaul, Hong Kong and Singapore, but on the way to Singapore, which was our first port of call in the Far East, we were accosted by Indonesian Patrol Boats (which Australia sold to them a couple of years previous) and told we couldn't travel through the Sunda Straits but had to take the long way, which we did to save an "International Incident". Then we were involved with patrolling Malayan and Singapore waters during the Malayan Emergency and the Indonesian Confrontation.

During this time the ship took time off to visit Hong Kong, Bangkok, Manila, Subic Bay and Singapore again. When we left Manila for the second time, we were informed by the Skipper that we were to travel to the South China Sea and "steam around in ever-decreasing circles until we either meet HMAS Sydney or disappear up our own quarterdeck". We duly met Sydney and escorted her to Vietnam. Action stations for nearly 6 weeks was a great adventure for the first couple of days and then it became a little tiresome. Reports made showed that everyone was a bit toey - like submarines (they were actually there even if the Government denies the fact) and some subs were found to be coconut palms floating upright!! Aircraft were albatrosses and so on. Showed a great deal of boredom but also the eagerness of everyone on board to "report to be safe".

After Vietnam we returned to Australia via a day stop over at the Malayan island of Lankawi, which is now a tremendous resort island, had a spot of leave in Sydney and then returned to sea to participate in exercises. This was only a short trip and at the end of the year of 1965 when we returned once more to Australia, I was drafted off Melbourne to HMAS Penguin at Middle Head in Sydney where the Naval Hospital is based. It was also Headquarters for the Clearance Diving Teams and the Band Branch and the Royal Navy Australian Submarine Squadron. 

I was in Penguin from 1966 to 1970 and during that time was rarely home as the band was forever traveling on recruiting tours around Australia. Sometimes for a couple of months at a time. We also regularly cut record albums of music to suit all tastes, so if you find an RAN Band record, have a look for me in the cornet section!! Around about 1969 the RSL finally allowed me to join as in those days, you had to be a returned ex-serviceman. I received my General Service Medal one pay day so I went straight to the RSL after work and demanded to join. That was that!!! It took over 4 years to be recognised by the Government of the day.

I got married in 1968 and our daughter, Katrina was born in 1970. Katrina was not well when she was born and my Bandmaster at the time, Lieutenant Don Coxon, was extremely considerate and arranged for me to have leave whenever it was needed. 

In January 1971 I was drafted to HMAS Melbourne again but she was dry docked for a refit and the band was transferred to HMAS Sydney for a trip to the USA to collect Skyhawk aircraft. We visited Hawaii, California, where we picked up the aircraft, Canada then back to Australia via Hawaii. In California we spent some time in San Francisco and Del Mar. It was at the Del Mar racecourse that we celebrated American Independence Day. The Navy Band performed a concert and as per tradition, we played Waltzing Matilda to open the programme. All the audience stood up because they thought it was our National Anthem!!

In Canada we spent most of our time in Vancouver and later moved to the Canadian Navy base at Esquimalt. We had a great time there a guests of the Canadian Navy. We left there for Australia via Hawaii.

I was discharged "Enlistment Expired" on 26th August 1971. So the trip to America was a great farewell trip for me.

Katrina is now grown up and married and has 3 children of her own, so she has overcome the obstacle with "honours".

I'll leave this one here and let you wait with bated breath (a mouth full of worms) for the next thrilling (????) installment - A Little Bit of My Life -After the Navy.