The photo shows a group portrait of Cadet Midshipmen at Flinders Naval Depot, Victoria, 1939.
The Cadets who were the third year class in 1939 and who originally joined the Royal Australian Naval College in 1937.
The average age of the cadets in this group is 15 years. In keeping with RAN policy at the time when this group graduated they were posted to continue their training in Royal Australian Naval and Royal Navy ships.
Midshipmen John Austin, Robert Davies, Bruce Dowling, Guy Griffiths and Peter Gyllies all served in the British battle cruiser HMS Repulse and were on board when Repulse and the British battleship HMS Prince of Wales were sunk by Japanese aircraft in the South China Sea west of Malaya on 10 December 1941. Cadet Midshipman Robert Davies was killed in action during this attack. Disregarding the order to “abandon ship”, he was last seen strapped into one of the ship’s anti-aircraft guns, for which he was responsible, firing at Japanese aircraft as the ship went down. He was posthumously awarded a Mention in Despatches for his bravery. The other four midshipmen survived and were rescued.
Left to right, back row: Thrum, Molony, Willis, John Austin, Robert Davies.
Centre row: Bruce Dowling, Guy Griffiths, Bodman, Hamer, Tatham.
Front row: Peter Gyllies, Parker, Russell, Kennedy, Thompson.
