Letters – Cradle of the RAN

Author

Letter Writer

Subjects

History - general

Tags

Flinders Naval Depot, Cradle of the RAN, Williamstown Naval Depot

RAN Ships

HMAS Tingira

Publication

June 1983 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

Williamstown may have been the cradle of the Victorian Naval Forces and the Commonwealth Naval Forces, but there seems little doubt that from the inception of Australia’s own Naval Forces – the RAN – the title “Cradle of the RAN” belongs to HMAS Tingira, commissioned on the 25th April, 1912. All Seaman Branch Writer and Supply Branch – Communication Branch came from Tingira for the next fourteen years, that is all ratings with the exception of tradesmen and Engine Room Branch, Cooks and O.Ss.

Williamstown and FND were merely depots where sailors went later on to [advance] their naval education.

Today the RAN doesn’t need a cradle. It will be 72 this year.

John Apthorp