A 1909 Gift from the Good People of New Zealand

Specially prepared for Neal Catley Esq

A prominent Kiwi

Written by Godfrey Dykes

© RN Communications Branch Museum/Library

  This is a production about the gift of the people of New Zealand to the British Empire.

  In the middle of the first decade of the 20th century, Britain had suggested to it colonies and dominions that they should contribute towards funding the activities of the Royal Navy globally, the undoubted rulers of the oceans and seas, for the good of all His Majesty’s subjects and the protection of their welfare.

  New Zealand went one better! They decided that they would gift a capital warship on the loose understanding that it would be stationed in the Pacific Ocean, there to protect many British interest in the area particularly the antipodes.

  In 1913 the New Zealand Government passed the Naval Act for the establishment of a navy in New Zealand. The RN agreed to provide a vessel. In July 1914 the cruiser HMS Philomel arrived at Wellington to serve as the flagship for the NZ navy, but before she could be christened HMNZS Philomel, WW1 had started, and two weeks after arriving she returned to Admiralty control to fight as a unit of the RN.

New Zealand and the First World War

  HMS New Zealand fought at all three major engagements in the North Sea and suffered only minor damage at Jutland – she was known as a lucky ship.

  Over 1,000 New Zealanders served in the Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy and in such units as the Royal Naval Air Service, RNAS Armoured Cars, RN Coastal Forces. Many New Zealanders fought at Zeebrugge and a few were awarded gallantry decorations. It is estimated that 150 NZers were killed on naval service.

  The first NZer killed in the war died on HMAS AE1 (a submarine) when it went missing on patrol in September 1914.

  NZ’s only naval VC was awarded in 1917 to LT CDR William Sanders commanding Q-ships.

  HMS Philomel after escorting troopships (with Japanese naval vessels an ally in that war) served in the Red Sea 1914-1917. She returned to NZ in 1917 to become a depot ship at the naval base at Devonport, Auckland.

  The German raider SMS Wolf laid mines in NZ waters claiming two merchant vessels – minesweepers were taken up for service in 1918-1919.

  In 1909 Sir Joseph Ward made the singular decision to purchase a battleship for the Royal Navy with a view to forming a Pacific Fleet. Unlike Australia, NZ sought protection from the RN and did not think to form their own navy. At a cost of 2 pounds & 3 shillings for every man, woman and child in NZ they purchased a capital warship from the UK. The ship chosen was to be a battlecruiser downsized from the original battleship thought possible, to be named HMS Zealandia, note, not HMNZS, whereas Australia prefixed their ship(s) HMAS. In 1909, the Russian-Japanese war had been over for four years, and there was no indication that in five years time all hell would be let loose in Europe.

  The design chosen was that of the Indefatigable-Class a very slightly improved aging Invincible-Class, and as such out of date the day they laid the keel which was in 1910. Intelligence had shown that the Germans were building battlecruisers which by all standards were far superior to the New Zealand in all departments which mattered the most, namely armaments and armour protecting all the vulnerable parts of the ship.

  In 1905 the Admiralty had named a British battleship HMS New Zealand and as such, this new vessel could not be named the same. The Australians had named their ship HMAS Australia so it was desirable that New Zealand should have one named after their nation. The Admiralty offered to rename the current HMS New Zealand if the New Zealanders would drop the name Zealandia. This they did and so the battlecruiser became HMS New Zealand.

  In 1911 the 1905 battleship HMS New Zealand was renamed HMS Zealandia - Radio Callsign GVPC (George Vinegar Pudding Charlie) see below.

ZEALANDIA, pre-dreadnought battleship, King Edward VII-class, ex-NEW ZEALAND renamed 1.11.11, 73 (1914), 2C (1.18), 19 (4.18), N.89 (6.18). Launched 4.2.04 Portsmouth DY. 16,350 tons, 457(oa), 425(pp)x78x26ft. TE 18000ihp, 19kts. Armament: 4-12in, 4-9.2in, 10-6in, 12-12pdr, 5-18in tt. Armour: 9in sides, 2in deck, 12in guns. 3rd BS Grand Fleet 8.14, four of class still with Grand Fleet in 1918. Sold 8.11.21 Stanlee, resold Slough T.C. BU in Germany.

  ZEALANDIA, hired screw tug. Built 1882, 128grt. In service 17.11.14-24.11.14. Most hired screw tugs over 70grt used as expeditionary force tugs during part of the war; most of vessels released from naval service 1917-18 carried out similar duties. Nearly all were chartered as naval tugs and flew red ensign.

  She was a small vessel when compared to new build German vessels, having a displacement of just 18500 to 22130 long tons, the light to fully loaded extremes. Long tons are measures of displacement when every thing on board is included. Merchant ships on the other hand use GRT (Gross Registered Tonnage) where every 100 cubic feet used for cargo, for passengers and their spaces is equal to a ton. All other spaces are not included in the calculations, so this GRT never alters whether the ship is full or empty of cargo and passengers. A liner having a GRT of 100,000 tons weighs a great deal more when full of cargo and passengers.

  Now please watch the film below by clicking on the picture. Take in as much as you can, as later on we will be dissecting it to point out things of interest for New Zealanders and for Royal Naval personnel. Some of what you will see breaks with tradition but nevertheless it is of great interest.

  This film is a strange production for HM the King arrives in the ship, inspects the ships company (the ratings of the ships complement) then leaves after the traditional ceremony on the quarter deck namely a Royal Marine Guard of Honour and band which we see presenting arms and then sloping arms, when the King salutes the quarterdeck with all officers returning the salute. Although we cannot see it (and there is no sound on the recording from band or naval pipe) he would almost certainly have been piped over the side by a full piping party but not before the band would have struck up with the National Anthem. The King then leaves the ship by the officers gangway and is engaged in conversation on the jetty by senior naval officers. Shortly afterwards we see the King sitting with the ships officers (of the ships complement) plus VIP visitors one of who is the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill. The king was an officer in the navy and visits like this must take him back to his days in the service.

  I have stated that she was a small battlecruiser, under-gunned and light in armour terms. Normally a battlecruiser and a battleship have the same propulsion system and power and the same armament, but a battlecruiser is not over encumbered with heavy amour, so is lighter and thus can travel more quickly through the water.

  Her main surface guns were 12-inch, too big for a heavy cruiser and too small for a battlecruiser, and 4-inch both being LA = low angle for shooting at surface targets. Her armour was sparse especially her ‘belt’ which protected things like boilers, engine rooms and ammunition chambers.

  As a comparison with five years on in 1916, within weeks after Jutland, HMS Hood was laid down and she too was a battlecruiser. Her long ton displacement was 46800 at full load, she had 15-inch and 5.5-inch guns both LA with added 4-inch guns HA = high angle, for shooting at aircraft. Despite her fate, she was a fearsome beast when one combined her speed and sheer hitting power. Her weakness was said to be lack of deck armour and unbelievable ill luck!

  The ship was built at Govan on the River Clyde in Scotland and commissioned on the 19th November 1912 by her commanding officer Captain Lionel Halsey CMG RN (later a famous admiral and also a captain of HMAS Australia) who was appointed to his command on the 21st September 1912, as custom has it, a week or so after his executive officer joined who was Commander Henry E Grace RN. Earlier she had been launched by Teresa, Lady Ward, wife of the Prime Minister of New Zealand. Rather astonishingly, bearing in mind that she left the Clyde early on the 20th and the distance south and into the Channel into her base port of Devonport, she was completed and had a full peacetime complement, ready in all respects for her sea trials and work-up and all by the 23rd November 1912. The New Zealand Government, graciously agreed that the capital ship which they had borrowed money to pay for in full, could and should serve with the Royal Navy in home waters as directed by the British Admiralty in London, and not in the Pacific Ocean which had been the original New Zealand wish.

  He was also famous for being sacked by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, for refusing to accept Wallis Simpson as his Queen. Later, the new King, George VI re-employed him as a courtier in the Palace, so all was well, and my, what a lovely King and Queen George and Elizabeth were, the best possible, especially after his dreadful brother and his soon to be hag of a wife!

  HMS New Zealand delighted all concerned with her work ethic rapidly completing her trials with success after success, before she started her gruelling work-up in the English Channel which was also completed on time and with flying colours. All things augured well for the ship and moreover she was a happy ship, some even going as far as to say she was a lucky ship? She gave leave in Devonport Christmas 1912, and come the beginning of February 1913 she was alongside in Portsmouth, there to welcome their King who would travel the short distance from London by train to bid them farewell on a ten months world cruise, with emphasis on showing the good and faithful New Zealanders their ship, and what their hard earned cash had purchased.

  In the four days since the arrival at Portsmouth’s South Railway Jetty, originally known as ‘Troopship Jetty’ and now used for large and important ships including the now erstwhile Royal Yacht, the crew busied themselves in making the ship suitable for a King!

  On the 5th of February 1913 the King arrived with scores of dignitaries chief of whom where the New Zealand VVIP’s, the proud owners of the ship, followed by Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty and then the many Sea Lords with other admirals with flag commands and those without, by the score.

  His Majesty came to the throne on the 6th May 1910 so was still really finding his feet and with such a huge demand for his time, patronage and personal appearances. The distance between London and Devonport Devon (New Zealand’s base) was too demanding for him necessitating an over night accommodation, so the ship came to Portsmouth from where he would return that same day back home remembering that it was dark at 4pm in February, and the nearest naval port of Chatham Kent, at the end of the River Thames, being too small to accommodate a battlecruiser. He came simply to wish the ship bon voyage on its journey of visiting many British territories en-route to and from New Zealand whose tax payers paid for the vessel.

  Now back to the video which is copyright in all respects to the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth, London S.E. The ship is port side to the jetty with the officers gangway leading onto to it.

To save you having to restart the video I have trimmed the film into seperate sections to accompany the relevant text below. Once the clip has finished just click on the back button to return here.

  The ships company is fallen in three deep from almost the stem to the quarterdeck along the port side, facing inboard to the ships superstructure, and at the start of the film, the three inspecting officers viz the King, followed by the CO and then the First Lord Winston Churchill have arrived at the end of the centre rank with just the front rank left to inspect. Here the King has stepped aside, the CO is guiding the King and Mr Churchill just sneaks on through before the parade commander orders the front and centre ranks one-pace step back march leaving just enough room for the King etc to walk back for’ard to the end of the front rank and thus the end of now close order divisions. Note that the division part-on the quarterdeck is the communications division and we see signalmen wearing the badge of crossed flags with a star above and two stars below, the badge of a qualified signalman higher standard class 1 extant from 1909 to 1932. They were ordered to take their caps off (called sennets which are made out of straw), a common order originally to check on length of hair with an offender getting a kit muster – and a haircut! The turreted gun you see is a 12-inch surface weapon with a 170 degree arc of fire.

  Note that as the King leaves the ship, the ships company have been turned about to face outboard overlooking the dockyard towards Semaphore Tower. That the officers have gathered on the quarterdeck. The Royal Marines are presenting arms then sloping them.

  The next scene is of some interest? It is a gathering of His Majesty and VIP’s with the ships officers, juniors of which sat crossed legged in the front. Note the VIP sitting next to HM on his left hand side as we view. He is continuously playing with his hat and doing what we used to do with our black hats in the winter months, namely to brush them port up and starboard down so that the pile sticks up quite separately on each side of the cap with a straight dividing line dead centre, running for’ard and aft, nose to back of head.

  It is Winston Churchill. Now have a good look at the superstructure of the ship, to where it stops growing upwards as the planked quarterdeck becomes more generous and moves away from it moving ever further aft.

  On the bulkhead you will see a badge, and it’s three dimensional. It is the official coat of arms of the New Zealand government used widely throughout both Islands.

  On the left side of the arms is a European woman from England (of course). She is holding the New Zealand Flag. The image on top is the British Lion holding our Flag. The ships motto on the bottom reads “ONWARD”. On the right side of the arms is a Maori Chief dressed in native dress and carrying a fighting weapon called a Taiaha. This is a one dimension flat screen drawing but the arms on the New Zealand were carved out of hard wood with a pronounced depth dimension. The quartered shield has five symbols reflecting upon New Zealand life. The stars the Southern Cross Constellation – the Wheat Sheaf agriculture – the Golden Fleece farming - two crossed hammers mining and industry – the three ships commerce and the 19th century settling of the Country by Europeans. This coat of arms dates from 1911 to 1956 when Queen Elizabeth II approved a new one but very similar. It was approved by King George V on 26th August 1911.

  Above the coat of arms you will see the date 1840, to the left TASMAN 1642 and to the right COOK 1769.

  Now normally we would be looking at ‘Battle Honours’ for the ship from the first so named to every ship bearing that name since. But not here, as New Zealand didn’t have warships. So what do they mean? Well 1840 is the date when New Zealand became a proud state a country of its own. It is their National Day, the 6th February which is called Waitangi Day, and I am told a national day of pride. In 1840 Captain William Hobson R.N., became the first lieutenant-governor, acting in a vice-regal role representing Queen Victoria.

  Tasman was a Dutch explorer; Abel Tasman who in 1642 was the founder of New Zealand finding the west coast of South Island which he called Murders Bay after a violent altercation with a Maori Chief.

  Captain James Cook. Our very own and a Yorkie, landed on New Zealand at Poverty Bay in October 1769 on the east coast of North Island. You will have seen on the film the 'bluejackets' (sailors) carrying what appeared to be a long sausage! It's not even the lashed-up hammock of a giant, so what’s going on? They have just stood underneath it while being inspected in case it rained!

  Well, they are actually carrying an awning, which, since they are sailing at 0930 tomorrow morning for New Zealand (eventually) it will not be re-rigged for some time to come until hot climates are reached!

  Back to the movie. It beggars belief as to why the hinged davits are turned out with a seaboat dangling below, especially on the port side, when there’s nothing but concrete and tarmacadam below? So my friends – PASS ! and if one didn’t known what this vessel was, it’s rather surprising that the camera man or the director has not pointed the camera Lenz to its name – stern, superstructure, lifebelts, perriline whatever.

  You have now watched the video a few times so have you seen its name? Was that a no? OK, I’ll tell you how. Have another look at those two sailors sitting on the gun, laughing and clapping. They are stokers and it is probable that they are not aware of my text below - poor things! Look at the end of the gun barrel. You will see a Tampion, a wooden bung pushed into the barrel and on the outside of the bung is a metal plate on which it shows a Crown and the letters NZ. It is usually well painted for cosmetic and decorative reasons.

  Sad to say that I don’t know what the semaphore was saying, and I’m a communicator; a proper one though, a sparker! Only a tease fella’s.

  Well the ship got away from Portsmouth on time and to many cheers and much clapping especially from the Round Tower, although no doubt there were a few hung-over sailors enjoying their last decent pint for the next ten months.

  She did the people of New Zealand proud showing them their lovely new ship, with several I would think at the end of WW1 choosing to emigrate to that lovely country, having experienced the kind and welcoming people in Kiwi Land during this trip.

  She arrived back at her home base, Devonport, nestling on the outskirt of the lovely City of Plymouth Devon, known to the navy as GUZZ, just in time to give the crew Christmas 1913 long leave. It was their last real restful leave, for 1914 dawned with the knowledge that war would be inevitable and before it started, life was non stop evolutions testing’s, exercises and unremitting preparations ready for aggressive combat!

  HMS New Zealand during a 1919 visit to Australia (Adelaide). She certainly looks the part and oozes the concept of power - a bruiser!

  She had an excellent wireless telegraphy equipment fit and her International Signal Letters (Callsign) were/was GSRQ. Back then is was phoneticised as George Sugar Robert Queenie. Pennant numbers changed frequently during WW1 and these are the ones used by HMS New Zealand - Zero eight (08) for most of the war (1914 to January 1918) then Nine Zero (90) until April 1918 then finally Fifty Three (53).

  At this point I cut to the Quarterdeck of the New Zealand after WW1 in 1919, when the former commander of Jutland, Admiral Jellicoe is embarked ready to sail to New Zealand for naval discussions but also to take up his appointment as the governor-general, an appointment he kept for four years (1920-24).

  Regrettably a very poor quality picture which now shows the battle honours proudly won and displayed. They displaced the former historic dates of New Zealand’s development but didn’t remove them from view. You will readily see that the former scrolls of ‘1840’ – Tasman 1642 – Cook 1769 are now re-scrolled into a smaller less prominent space, immediately below the honours of ‘Jutland’ top – ‘Heligoland’ left and ‘Dogger Bank’ right. The New Zealand Coat of Arms remains the same.

  Jutland on top (pre-eminent) Heligoland left 1st and 2nd battle of, although she never fired her guns in anger in the second, and Dogger Bank right with the original historic dates now minimised and re-scrolled underneath each of the battle honours. A diminutive Admiral Jellicoe sits centre seated amongst the ships officers of HMS New Zealand in 1919 just before sailing for New Zealand. Like Lord Nelson he was small and of slight build. He was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet whilst New Zealand had a six week stop over in Bombay on 3rd April 1919.

  HMS New Zealand had a very busy war being present at many of the battles of WW1 fought against the Germany High Seas Fleet in what the Germans called the ‘German Sea’ and which we called the ‘North Sea’. She was in the thick of it at Heligoland, at Dogger Bank and during Jutland, but the saying “lucky New Zealand” brought her through unscathed although she spoilt the day for many German's with her gunnery.

  At one stage during Jutland, New Zealand was following the battlecruiser Queen Mary (the only vessel in her class) when she suddenly exploded after being hit several times by German surface gunnery. New Zealand and the Tiger were showered with debris from the exploding Queen Mary which sank with terrible losses, some of the fallout now exhibited in various museums.

  New Zealand Navy between the world wars - copied with thanks from the website New Zealand Navy History

  In 1919 HMS New Zealand made a second and final visit to NZ with Admiral Jellicoe to discuss post-war naval plans. The proposed fleet was beyond the government’s budget but some thought was given to what was possible.

  In 1921 the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy was established and would be based at the naval base in Devonport, a suburb of Auckland North Island The cruiser HMS Chatham was sent out to act as the first ship for the Division

  In 1924-25 Chatham was replaced by two cruisers Diomede & Dunedin. A RFA tanker was taken over to supply fuel oil and the base was developed to accommodate New Zealanders who wanted to serve in the Navy.

  In 1925 the first Volunteer Reserve unit was formed in Auckland. By 1928 the four major centres had their own units. In 1926 a WW1-era minesweeper was taken up for training.

  1928-1930 The NZ Division was deployed to Western Samoa to assist in the suppression of the Mau Uprising. Royal Marines and Sailors were sent ashore to assist the colonial government. It was also the first time an aircraft was used as a seaplane was taken and operated in 1930.

  1931 Napier Earthquake – the sloop HMS Veronica on station with the NZ Division was alongside in Napier when the earthquake struck and the ship’s company provided immediate relief. This was very fortunate as the town was cut off from the rest of NZ and the ship’s radio was the only link to the outside world.

  By 1937 Diomede & Dunedin were replaced by the Leander-class cruisers HMS Achilles & Leander. These ships carried Walrus seaplanes which were the first naval aircraft to be used by NZ naval vessels.

  New Zealand and the Second World War copied with thanks from the website New Zealand Navy History

  The fleet in 1939 consisted of two cruisers, an armed merchant cruiser, a minesweeper and about 1,300 personnel.

  Achilles won renown at the Battle of River Plate in December 1939 taking on Graf Spee. 300 NZers were serving on the cruiser at the battle and our first naval casualties occurred there

  In 1940 The German raider Orion laid mines in the Hauraki Gulf sinking a merchant ship carrying gold and a minesweeper. Another German raider laid acoustic mines off Wellington and Lyttleton harbours. From 1940 to 1946 RNZN carried out extensive minesweeping operations in NZ waters.

  NZ’s main contribution was trained personnel – many men went to serve with the RN and Fleet Air Arm – in every aspect of the naval war at sea 1939-45 there is an NZer present serving with the RN or RNZN. By 1945 over 12,500 men and women were serving with the RNZN in NZ, overseas or with the RN. Over 550 NZers were killed in naval service during the war.

  In December 1941 150 NZers were KIA when the cruiser HMS Neptune was mined off Libya. This was the single worst loss of life and included two sets of brothers.

  With the outbreak of the Pacific War NZ’s main naval effort was focused in the Solomons from 1942 to 1945 NZ naval vessels served in this theatre of war. It was the only theatre where the RNZN, NZ Army and RNZAF fought together.

  In 1942 the USN arrived in Auckland and began a rapid development of the naval base and leaving a layout that remains to this day. This was also the time that the base was commissioned as HMNZS Philomel after the depot ship that had been tied up there since 1917.

  On 1 October 1941 with the approval of HM King George VI the NZ Division of the RN was granted the title of Royal New Zealand Navy.

  Both Achilles and Leander were badly damaged in operations in the Solomons leaving NZ without any cruisers in August 1943.

  In 1942 the WRNZS was formed.

  In 1944 Achilles returned to service alongside the cruiser HMNZS Gambia, the largest warship to have served with the RNZN both ships joined the British Pacific Fleet and served until war’s end.

  Like all navies NZ underwent a rapid downsizing and we took over two new cruisers which were joined by six bargain price frigates in 1948.

  The end of the war is also the start of the NZ navy envisioned back in 1913.

  As part of NZ’s gift of the ship, a Maori Chief had quite separately gifted a piu piu and tiki to the captain and all subsequent captains, a Maori device to ward off evil and trouble which they should wear or have to hand in combat. It appears that it was always on the captain’s bridge and what parts could be worn were.

  All capital ships were built with an admiral’s bridge in addition to the captain’s bridge, THE ships bridge. This allowed an embarked flag officer (ergo, the ship became a flag ship) to control his flotilla, squadron or fleet from his own bridge manned by his own staff officers but using the ships communications system to send and receive directives.

  On her return to Devonport UK, she was paid off into reserve in March 1920, she being considered as obsolete. In the Washington Naval Conference of 1922, a reduction in the size and holdings of ships kept by the victors of WW1 was ordered and the New Zealand was one of the ships sacrificed. She was sold for scrap 19th December 1922 and many parts of it were salvaged and shipped back for re-use to New Zealand. Her 4-inch guns were used to protect harbours in many parts of NZ during WW2 and her laundry plant was put to good use.

  Museums the length and breath of the country have exhibits from this dear old lady. Her ships bell plus the Maori Chief’s gift are safely back home. The Australia was also sacrificed and the Australian Government took the decision to keep her by having her scuttled off Sydney. This book, whereabouts unknown tells the story of the concept, the building, and the activities of HMS New Zealand during WW1.

  Captain Leonard HALSEY CMG RN, was New Zealand’s first CO and the CO at the time of the Battles of Heligoland Bight x 2 and Dogger Bank. In 1915 Admiral Jellicoe chose him to be the Captain of the Fleet serving in the Iron Duke in the rank of a commodore 1st class, so he was present at Jutland also, as was New Zealand.

  He became Admiral Sir Leonard HALSEY GCMG GCVO KCIE CB ADC. Born 26th February 1872 and died 26th October 1949. Admiral HALSEY is described as a naval officer and a courtier which few officers could aspire to. He had much to do with Edward the Prince of Wales who upon the death of George V became Edward VIII. He spent long periods away touring with the PoW to many parts of the Empire including to Canada and India: his KCIE reflects his service to India. He was knighted in 1918 but whilst he had several MiD’s, he did not receive a recognition despite being a high profile officer in Jutland’s flagship, the Iron Duke. That seems strange given the list of those who were honoured!

  It leaves me only to tell you that I have first hand experience/knowledge of the RNZN, on three occasions, the first being denied a visit to their sea-space because of nuclear weapons, or should I say, the perception of us carrying these weapons. That was resolved in a most amicable way, and we sailed off shore to a meaningful ASW (anti submarine warfare) exercise involving all units of SEATO (South East Treaty Organisation) but with no customary run-ashore in the host nations port at endex, sadly!

  Then I was involved with the commissioning and work-up (Portland) of the newly acquired HMNZS Canterbury in the early 1970’s, a Leander-class hull built in the UK specifically for the RNZN and there to witness her sail-away occasion to take the boat back home to Kiwi land. Great crew. Good men, and a total pleasure for me personally.

  Finally, my direct involvement with the training of the RNZN when I had the absolute pleasure of having a course member from that navy, on the RN’s highest, once per year only, Radio Communications Instructor Course at the UK Signal School Petersfield. I was the course technical and theory instructor. This was a long and demanding course involving the best and top students from the RN, with a triple mix of academics, technical knowledge and understanding, and world-wide communicating savvy involving the latest commercial and military techniques. Successful students commanded great peer respect and were in demand on senior officers staffs, seagoing or shore jobs, and greatly also respected branch-wise.

  I had the pleasure of having Neal Catley on board, who did more than was required to acquire his badge of excellence and the all important endorsement on his Service Certificate that he was special and a cut above his fellow branch members. Above all else he proved his navy’s confidence in him was just, and he is an undoubted asset to his Service, his Branch, his family and to himself.