Letters – HMAS Pioneer as a Midshipman

Author

Letter Writer

Subjects

History - general, Letter to the Editor

Tags

Osborne House

RAN Ships

HMAS Pioneer

Publication

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

Early in 1914 1 did an extended period of training in HMAS Pioneer, as a Midshipman RANR.

One Saturday in April, 1914, when Pioneer was in Corio Bay to give weekend leave, a whaler’s crew of cadet midshipmen from the RAN College at Osborne House came on board for a “look see”. It was then that I first met “Essy” Esdaile, “Joey” Burnett, John Collins, “Sadie” Sadleir, “Jarge” Armstrong, “Tusky” Calder, “Cocky” Long, “Hal” Farncombe and “Circus” Showers. Any of them, still living, probably do not remember that momentous occasion!

R.S. Veale, Commander RANR, Rtd.

[Ed. Thank you Commander Veale for another memory of the days when the RAN was in its infancy. Many of the later generation will recall most, or all of those names, but not, of course, by the nicknames.]