Sons of the Sea – 1947 RAN College Entry

Author

Zammitt, Alan

Subjects

Biographies and personal histories

Tags

None noted.

RAN Ships

None noted.

Publication

June 1988 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

‘Who’s Who’ from the Flinders year:

Vice-Admiral Hudson, AC, RAN, upon graduation received the King’s Medal – a Gold Medal awarded periodically by the Sovereign to the Cadet Midshipman who, during his period of training, exhibited the most gentleman-like bearing and good influence among the Cadet Midshipmen – and the Governor General’s Cup as best all- round sportsman. In 1951-52 he saw active service in HMAS Sydney in Korean waters, and was Executive Officer of Vendetta during the Malaysian confrontation. Between 1970 and 1982 he was Commanding Officer of HMA Ships Vendetta, Brisbane, Stalwart and Melbourne. He attained the rank of Rear Admiral in 1982, and commanded the Australian Fleet during 1982-83. He was appointed to the highest naval position as the chief of Naval Staff in 1985 at the relatively youthful age of 52. His son is Lt. Matthew Hudson, RAN.

Vice-Admiral Ian Knox, AO, RAN, is Vice Chief of the Defence Force. He was the Fleet Commander from May 1985 until January 1987, and led the Fleet in the magnificent Naval Review in October 1986. As a young officer, Admiral Knox had operational service with the Royal Navy off Iceland and Cyprus between 1959 and 1960. He specialised in torpedo and anti-submarine warfare, and participated with Lt. Waller in the invention and development of the Ikara Guided Missile System from 1960 to 1963. He was Executive Officer of HMAS Perth during that ship’s first deployment to Vietnam in 1967-68. Between 1971 and 1981 he commanded HMA Ships Torrens, Hobart and Melbourne. Admiral Knox’s elder son, Lt. Guy Knox, is a helicopter pilot in the Fleet Air Arm married to WRAN Lieutenant Kathryn Knox.

Rear Admiral David Martin, AO, RAN, Rtd., also served in HMAS Sydney during the Korean War. He became a gunnery specialist and served in the Mediterranean and Home Fleets in the destroyer HMS Battleaxe, participating in the Cyprus emergency and the Iceland Fishing Dispute. Between 1969 and 1980, he has commanded HMA Ships Queenborough, Torrens, Supply and Melbourne, and as Commander of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron. While Flag Officer Naval Support Command, he became a familiar and popular figure to the Sydney public. He was responsible for the land part of the RAN’s 75th Birthday Celebrations. Rear Admiral Martin’s father, the late Commander W.H. Martin, RAN, lost his life in action when HMAS Perth was sunk in 1942. His mother was a descendant of Lieutenant George Johnston (Royal Marines) and convict Esther Abrahams who arrived in the First Fleet. An ancestor, Robert Johnston, joined the Royal Navy in 1805, the first Australian born person to do so. Admiral Martin’s son, William, is a Lieutenant in the RAN, and his elder daughter, Sandy, is married to Lieutenant Vince Di Pietro, RAN, who is serving in the Fleet Air Arm as a helicopter pilot and instructor.

Commodore Peter James, AM, qualified as a Torpedo Anti-Submarine Officer, has commanded HMA Ships Curlew, Stuart, Torrens and Supply. He was Commander of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron. He has been followed into the Navy by Midshipman Richard James, presently under training at the Defence Academy.

Commodore Mike Rayment, AM, Rtd., has commanded on active service K.D. Langka Suka when on loan to the Malaysian Navy during Indonesian confrontation. He served in HMAS Hobart off Vietnam in 1968 and again as Executive Officer during the 1970 deployment in Vietnam waters when he was awarded a naval board commendation for skill and leadership. His first command was HMAS Emu in October, 1958 around his 25th birthday followed by Commands of HMA Ships Snipe, Swan and Torrens, and was Commander of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron. Commodore Rayment’s father, the late Commander John Rayment, DSC, died of wounds aboard HMAS Australia at Leyte in the Philippines in 1944, after a Japanese suicide aircraft dived into the cruiser. The late Commander John Rayment had spent 5 years of war as Navigating Officer of Australia during thirteen actions. The Rayment father and son who both specialised as Navigators have been part of the RAN for all but 5 years of its 77 years.

His Honor Commodore Eric Johnston, AM, OBE, has been the Administrator of the Northern Territory since 1981. He commanded HMAS Vendetta in 1969-70, including the Destroyer’s deployment to Vietnam, and was Commanding Officer of HMAS Perth in 1976-77. He retired early to take up his current position at Government House, Darwin. His father, Lt. V.V. Johnston, RANR, the navigator of HMAS Parramatta lost his life when his ship escorting a convoy to Tobruk was torpedoed and sank in November, 1941. Commander Halley said Commodore (Big E) Johnston in many ways was the term’s greatest character. He is a big man with a big heart who gains the respect of all who meet him. He is something like Lord Curzon the famous Viceroy of India.

Captain Richard Arundel retired in February, 1987. He specialised in Communications, and during 1985-86 was Defence Attaché in Paris. As a Midshipman he saw active service in Korean waters in HMAS Sydney. His father, Lt. Arthur Arundel, entered the RAN College in 1916, resigning in 1923, and became a prosperous farmer in southeast Queensland.

Captain Brian Read, RAN, Rtd. He specialised in Marine Engineering, and is a well-known inter-service skier.

Other Flinders Year Cadet-Midshipmen of 1947 are:

• Charles (Styx) Barton – Hydrographic surveyor – retired as Lt., now clergyman in USA.
• Keith Callins – Aviator and communicator, commanded HMAS Derwent, retired as Commander, now a safety consultant in South Australia.
• Alun (T.G.) Evans – Air crew then torpedo anti-submarine branch (commanded 817 Squadron and HMAS Yarra). Now author, TV consultant, etc. Selected for promotion to Captain but retired as Commander.
• Scott (Griff) Griffith – Navigator – retired as LCDR – now in real estate.
• George Halley – during the 1956 Monte Bello Atomic Weapons Tests George Halley as a young 22 year old Lieutenant, commanded two ships at once. The 355 ton motor refrigeration lighter 252 nicknamed ‘Fridgit Midget’ and the 392 ton motor water lighter 251 nicknamed ‘Gunga Din’. At 34 years of age he was the first of his term to command a major warship, the 2,000 ton Queenborough. When George’s father visited the ship for the first time he said, ‘It is much bigger than I thought it would be.’ Norman O’Neil the cricketer said ‘It is much smaller than I thought it would be’. Commander George Halley replied, ‘Mr. O’Neil, sometimes your score was much smaller than I expected it would be.’ Retired as Commander, now a Consultant.
• Ron (Ossie) Osborn – Supply Specialist. Selected for promotion to Captain but retired as Commander. Now Secretary of the Australian Club, Sydney.
• Mike (Sammy) Scale – Retired as Cadet Midshipman, became Captain in the Merchant Navy and is now Harbour Superintendent at Hong Kong.
• Mike (Boobies) Varley – Hydrographic surveyor. Commanded five ships including HMAS Diamantina and Moresby. An expert silversmith, retired 1987.
• John (Snoz) Waller – Weapons electrical engineer. Reached rank of Commander before becoming Navy scientist. Now Principal Research Scientist at RAN Research Laboratory. His father, the late Captain H.M.L. Waller, DSO and Bar, was the wartime Captain of HMA Ships Stuart and Perth.
• During the reunion at HMAS Creswell, the RANC now at Jervis Bay, the old Flinders Year Cadets of 1947 saw how conditions have improved – Midshipmen with single cabins instead of six to a cabin, and no longer the same strict discipline and punishments. They received for the first year l/6d (15 cents) a week, while Midshipmen under training now receive over $200 per week. Females share the same accommodation building. There have been so many more improvements that the present day Midshipmen do not realise how fortunate they are by comparison, but when a young Officer at the RANC was told about the old days he said ‘They did not have the distractions and temptations we had to overcome.’
• Acknowledgements: Grateful assistance was received especially from Commander George Halley and the Flinders Year Officers John Bastock, Phil Belbin, Carol Butler, Captain Bill Cook, L.V.O., RAN, Rtd., CPO Steve Dent OAM, C.P.O. Bob Farrel, Captain Max Hinchliffe, DSC, RAN, Rtd., Sub. Lieut. Keith McCarron, RAN, Captain Ian McDonald, RAN, Rtd., Iris Nesdale, Mrs. Plunkett-Cole, Lieut. John Shevlin, RAN and Commander Ken Swain, A.M., RAN.