FIRST RECRUIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 205, 31 August 1933, Page 8

FIRST RECRUIT.

AUSTRALIAN NAVY. RATING ON CHALLENGER. Thousands of men have passed through tho Royal Australian Navy since its inception, but in Auckland to-day is the first Australian to enlist, when the old H.M.s. Challenger first came into the Australian waters, in July, 1904. He is Mr. Lawrence J. Taylor, of 46, Auckland Road, Royal Oak, and he produced his discharge to prove his statement. "Yes," he said, "I was the first Australian to join the Australian Navy. I was a dashing young porter at Fremantle at the time, and I thought it would be a good chance to see the world in comfort. When the old Challenger came alongside the wharf at Fremantle, and called for recruits', I just went down and enlisted for a term of five years. That was on July 6, 1904." The Challenger was a 6econd-class cruiser. Some 50 recruits were taken on at Fremantle, and about the same number at other ports of call, Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart.

Mr., Taylor spent five years on the Challenger, and then ten years in the Royal New Zealand Naval Reserve. Then he saw 44 years' war service under Captain Hall-Thompson, of the H.M.s. Philomel.