NAVAL COLLEGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 4 December 1940, Page 9

NAVAL COLLEGE

A QUICK TRAINING MEN FROM NEW ZEALAND “WILL BE USEFUL’’ “They're an excellent type. We: could do with a lot m ore like them. I am sure they will do well.” said the Commander of a Naval training “ship"—a shore establishment—concerning 19 young New Zealand ratings who arrived recently in England to train for commissions (writes the Lon-; don correspondent of “The Post” under date Ist November). Ranging in ages: from 20 to 25. they have now embarked on an initial course of seamanship. Ten weeks are to be spent at the “ship.” after which they will go to sea for three months. At the end of that time those recommended finally for commissions will be sent, to a naval cadet college. The experiences of these men will j be similar to those of a number of i other New Zealanders who have been arriving in a steady stream in recent j months to train for service in the I Royal Navy. All were enthusiastic about their new life when a visit was paid to the! station. “We consider ourselves very lucky to have been selected to come here,” said Ordinary Seaman P. C. Stannard (Wellington). “It’s a grand life and; everyone’s settled down very well. The food is first class, too, much better than we expected it to be!” THE QUARTER DECK The training ship resembles a ship! only in the fact that it has a mast and a yard arm, and a quarter deck. The latter is actually a strip of roadway marked with a white line at either end, but it is nevertheless saluted as rigidly as though it were part of a ship. Buildings are spreadeagled in every direction, and one officer keeps a small motor-cycle to save time in visiting the vjarious sections. There are several picturesque touches to the station. There are brightly-coloured figureheads from old ships, including one of Lord Nelson. While working the ratings wear long white canvas trousers and blue jer- j seys which recall, when seen for the! first time, scenes of old naval paint- j ings. Bomb scars can be seen in various i sections of the station. The Germans I actually claimed that they had sunk this "ship” but as the bomb fell on land, and did not do the slightest damage, it was felt that the German claim was “just another exaggeration.” THE DAILY ROUTINE The New Zealanders, in common with the other men being trained, have their days mapped out for them from the time they get up at 5.45 a.m. until they turn in at 10.20 p.m. They are together in one big mess, together with a number of other men from all parts of the United Kingdom Included among them is a Cambridge don. The mess is referred to as a “class,” and this particular class is regarded as one of the best now being trained. The routine of the day begins with a mug of cocoa before parade at 6.15 a.m. The mess then 1 as to be swept cleaned and tidied before breakfast at 7.20. Just over an hour later there is assembly for “divisions.” Each mess is inspected by the officer of the various divisions, and his assistants, and the parade is finally taken over by the commander. There is a short service, before instruction begins at 9 a.m. With short breaks the classes continue until dinner at 1 p.m. There is a further parade at 2 p.m. before the early afternoon is devoted to sport and recreation. Evening quarters begin at 4.25 after tea. and there is further instruction until shortly before 6 p.m. Until 8 p.m. there are further facilities for recreation —the station has a cinema and the W.R.N.S. arrange dances in aid of various funds. The course includes physical training, field training, instruction on ammunition, sea boats, anchors, splicing boat pulling, sounding (known as “heaving the lead”), compass and gunnery, and other subjects which will give them a good grounding in seamanship. “It’s impossible to make a seaman of anyone in ten weeks. It takes years to do that,” said one of the officers i ‘But we are able to turn them out sc - that they will be at home, and able • to do a job of work when they gel I at sea. These New Zealand boys are i getting on very well. They take tc • it easily, for most of them were yachtsi men at home.” I Several of the New Zealanders plaj r for the station’s Rugby fifteen. Every- - one has opportunity of playing ir - one team or another. The New Zealanders being trainee - at this station are: Ordinary Seamar ; T. W. Bush, W. C. Drake. P. C. Stan . nard, R. J. Parsonson. E. F. Evans. B > D. Jukes, D. R. Wallace, K Coveny - R. T. Arkley, K. D. Gerard, J. W j Ballinger, E. L. Staples < all of Wei - lington), W. A. Bourke (Auckland) 1 K. H. McKenzie and L. Holmes-Edgt - (Christchurch). W. E. Knewstuff (Dun ; edin), G. K. S. Monk (Gisborne), anc R. T. Mclndop (Waneannil