- Author
- Smith, John, Cmdr, RAN (RTD)
- Subjects
- History - general
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- February 2009 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
At the time of writing, John Smith was Vice President of the Naval Historical Society of Australia.
Most of the members of the Naval Historical Society of Australia would presume its activities were confined to:
- publishing the Review (this publication)
- publishing the BUZZ newsletter
- publishing the Journal of Australian Naval History
- holding an Annual General Meeting.
The Victorian and Western Australian Chapters additionally produce their own newsletters and organise members’ meetings.
However, amongst the dedicated group of volunteers at the Boatshed, there is a small group who are kept busy answering queries and conducting research. This article will attempt to cover the tasks of this group.
From its early days the Society handled many queries received by telephone or mail. In recent years, with the spread of the internet and the development of the Society’s website, practically all requests are now received by email, averaging about twenty per week and originating from all over Australia, and increasingly from overseas. Indeed, if you Google ‘Navy History’ searching world-wide, the very first entry to appear is ‘The Naval Historical Society of Australia’.
Not all queries are from the public. In recent years, we have received specific requests from the Chief of Navy, from the Commanding Officer, HMAS Kuttabul, from the Navy’s Seapower Centre, and from newly commissioning ships. Handling these issues encourages us to believe that we are repaying some of the support provided by the Navy.
Not all queries can be answered from our own resources. For example, RAN personnel service records are held by the National Archives of Australia, and have been scanned and placed on their website, to which we refer queries.
Similarly, because the Australian War Memorial holds most ships’ deck logs and reports of proceedings, queries on ship movements and operations are often referred to the Memorial.
However, in the Society we have our extensive library facilities, catalogued archival material and a large collection of photographs, all of which help our research including answering some very obscure questions.
Most importantly, we have amongst our volunteers a large store of institutional memory. A lead to the source of most answers can be provided from our ex-naval and dockyard volunteers and their many contacts.
Another area for investigations, but with reservations, is the internet. The National Archive site, referred to earlier, is regarded as a primary source because they have scanned and display the original documents. However, many other unofficial websites contain information which should be treated with discretion.
So, what range of subjects on naval history do we get asked about? The following is a collection of interesting (?) queries received in the last few years. How would you answer them? I will not be providing the staff answers, although if you are particularly stumped by one of them, I will consider providing our answer in exchange for a beer at the next Annual General Meeting.
Sample Questions
- What is the origin of the aboriginal boomerang and tools on the RAN standard badges and crests?
- When was the style ‘His Majesty’s Ship’ introduced into the Royal Navy?
- Information is requested on an RN fencing (foils) master serving onboard HMAS Australia I, during a visit to Brisbane.
- Information is requested on Marine Private John Assell serving onboard HMS Sirius in the First Fleet. He was reputedly given land on Garden Island.
- When did the Southern Cross go on the Australian White Ensign and what prompted it?
- The DDG class destroyers’ hull numbers were D38, D39 and D41. What happened to D40?
- My great grandfather, a marine engineer was reputedly the engineer of the Gayundah. Can you confirm this?
- A retired warrant officer has the title ‘WOSC’. What does it mean?
- The 1820 semaphore telegraph between Sydney and Parramatta, how was it constructed? What were the locations of the telegraph masts and what was the visual code used?
- How was it that tombola came to be the only form of legal gambling in the Navy? What was the origin of the word?
- Could you please send me details of the uniforms worn by the marines in the ships of the First Fleet?
- Would it be possible for you to send me information on the RAN’s past, present and future? This would be greatly appreciated in the next day or two.
- Do you have any information on the power of the steam catapult fitted in HMAS Melbourne?
- We are trying to find a poem called ‘Ode to the Navy Diver’. Can you help?
- Can you explain what ‘Discharged PUNS’ means?
- I am seeking comprehensive information regarding ships and personnel that were serving in the British East Indies and Pacific Fleets in WWII.
- I have heard many times in Defence that the Chief of Navy always signs in green pen. Could you tell me the importance of the first use of the green pen, who started the tradition and under what circumstances?
- Can you find out how much the old Maryborough (HMAS Maryborough I) cost?
- Where can I get a set of drawings/plans of AE1/AE2?
- Searching for any records of British destroyers docked in Sydney during March to June 1946. I am searching for details of my birth father, have only his first name (—–), possibly in Sydney on R & R or recovering from injuries.
- I am trying to find out information about which ships first served in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. I would assume they were RN Tall Ships on long patrol.
- Would it be possible to advise me where I could find some information on the battleship Waroonga?
- Where could I read the speech by Edward St John (Federal Member for Warringah) on 16 May, 1967 in relation to the Melbourne/Voyager Collision?
And still the queries keep pouring in!