March 1 proved to be a big occasion at HMAS Creswell, with the New Entry Officers pausing in their training to mark the heritage and traditions of the naval college on its 105th birthday and commemorate the 117th birthday of the Royal Australian Navy.
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Use of a commercial grade drone, with assistance from the Fleet Air Arm based at HMAS Albatross, provided the opportunity to mark the occasion.
New Entry Officers paraded a huge Australian White Ensign on Creswell's historic Quarterdeck, in front of heritage listed buildings such as the clock tower, library and chapel.
The early morning sun rising over Jervis Bay framed HMA Ships including Canberra and Sirius undertaking Exercise Ocean Explorer off the south east coast of Australia.
Executive Officer HMAS Creswell, Commander Nyree Cornelius, said while acknowledging the past, it was fitting that the image was captured via an unmanned aircraft system.
“The Australian White Ensign depicted in the image is normally suspended from a Navy MH-60R helicopter and is much too large to fly on a daily basis,” Commander Cornelius said.
“Fifty-one years ago, on March 1, 1967, HMAS Boonaroo was the first vessel commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy under the Australian White Ensign.
“Today, every commissioned navy ship and establishment raises the Australian White Ensign at 0800 daily, along with the Australian National Flag and as part of their training. Navy's newest officers are taught the traditions of flag ceremonies."
Read more: Royal visit leads the Nowra News
In February 1913, 28 13 and 14-year-old boys arrived at the newly established Royal Australian Naval College as the first intake of cadet-midshipmen.
Captain's Point in Jervis Bay had been chosen as the permanent site for the college but as facilities were still being prepared, an interim college was established at Osborne House in Geelong.
On March 1, 1913, his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Denman, officially opened the Naval College, accompanied by Prime Minister Andrew Fisher and Rear Admiral Creswell whose name would eventually be given to the base where the naval college is located, HMAS Creswell.
Since 1913, the naval college has educated the RAN Officer Corps, from initial entry through to promotion to Lieutenant Commander.
The latest generation of navy officers currently undertaking the new entry officer course arrived on January 25, 2018 and will remain at the college until graduation in June this year.
They are undertaking training similar to that of their predecessors, but necessarily contemporised as the navy has embraced emergent technology and become a more diverse workforce.
