The Navy Vol_22_Part2 1960 - Navy League of Australia

WRANSPart in NavalCommunicationsToday, many young women,from all over Australia, arctaking their stand alongsidemen of the Navy in maintainingvital communication!) withships and naval establishmentsof the British Commonwealth.Typical of these youngwomen is W.R.A.N P.O. BarbaraCobcroft. of Mega. NewSouth Wales, who has .servedat the Naval W/T Stations atCanberra and Darwin.During the five years she hasbeen in the W.R.A.N.S., Barbaraestimates that she wouldhave sent, or received, over theair, a million words.England. United States. Canada,South Africa. India, arebut a few of the countries shehas talked to, while ships inSingapore. Hong Kong. Honoluluand the Antarctic are buta few who have been glad torecord her words.Barbara makes no secret e'.the fact that she enjoys workingat H.M.A.S. HARMAN. thelargest self-containeed W/TStation in the British Commonwealth,which, although builtin 1939, was not commissioneduntil 19+3. It was here that,early in the last war. the firstW.RA.N. Telegraphists cameto serve. Hire for 365 daysa year, 24 hours a day,thev built up a tradition, whichthe*W.R.A.N.S. today, not onlythe Telegraphists, but theirsupport train nf Supply Assistants.Sick Berth Attendants,Writers. Cooks and Stewards,are very proud to continue.Vice Admiral Sir Henry BurrellInspecting the Apprentice Guard.10Vital NAVY APPRENTICESPASS OUTBefore a large gathering, which included the First, Secondand Third Naval Members, the 38 apprentices who have completedtheir training passed out officially at a ceremony inH.M.A.S. '' NIRIMBA'' on Wednesday, June 15.The original intake of 50 youths began their training on JulyI, 1956, and Commodore F. L. George, at that time Captain ofH.M.A.S. "NIBIMBA", was present at the graduation ceremony.HE 38 young men are theT first of a steady How ofhighly skilled tradesmen whowill do much to meet thetechnical needs of the Service.To date 39"> apprentices havebeen entered, anil from now onthere will be a six-monthly outputof apprentices.Three of the apprentices alreadyentered were selectedduring their course for trainingas Cadet Midshipmen atthe Roval Australian NavalCollege.The impressive ceremonywas attended by many of theparents of the apprentices andby representatives of theN.S.W. Dept. of TechnicalKducatiou, the ApprenticeshipCommissioner, the Departmentof Supply and various organisationsand firms, all of whomassisted materially in the developmentof the ApprenticeTraining Scheme.THE NAVYVisual Signalling is Not a Modern Art\7ISl'.VL Signalling is by uo* means a modern art. It maybe said that it is the developmentof a natural instinct.Long before coherent speechbegan, primitive man had feltthe want of some method ofcommunicating with his fellowsin those circumstances whichprecluded the use of the voice,such as the proximity of theenemy or game in the huntingfield, or great distance.The well-known beckoninggesture, meaning "come on,"the waving back motion, meaning"go back." and the placingof the fingers on the lips toenjoin silence, are all primitivesignals which persist even untothe present day.The nature of visual signallingvaries considerably and isas widely divergent as theraces of the earth.The smoke signal is almostuniversal, but this art was de-July,i960By Lieutenant Commander C. H. NICHOLLS,veloped to its highest degreeof efficiency by the NorthAmerica! Red Indian.Today, in Central Africa, thesignal drum is widely used,and passes intelligible messagesover vast distances with astonishingrapidity and accuracy.Julius Caesar, when crossingthe English Channel to the conquestof Britain, marshalled hisships by means of trumpetcalls;'and it is thought possiblethat these calls were identicalwith those used in manoeuvringhis army ashore.William of Normandy useddrums for the same purpose insimilar circumstances.THE EARLIEST FLAGSIGNALS.Turning to the Naval side ofsignalling, wc find that Blake,in his instructions to his captains.ordered: "If I hoist abucket at my mainyard arm,close and I will speak withyou."Krom such a simple beginningsprang the elaborate and efficientsystem of visual signallingas used in Her Majesty's Fleetat the present time.Naturally, this was not donein one stride, but is the resultof a gradual building upthrough the centuries.One of the earliest Hag signals.which was used to the endof World War II in a slightlyaltered form, wasthe "Enemv"Hag.In its original form it wasthe French ensign, and hoistedat the Main by any ship indicated"Enemy in sight."Hoisted at the foremast bythe Admiral it meant "chasethe enemy." If, however, theAdmiral wished the chase discontinued.he hoisted this flagat the mizzen mast. This isnow flag T (for Tango).THE CODE OF LORD HOWE.The oldest Signal Klag ill theworld is the British ChurchPennant, and it is still used forits original purpose, that is, todenote that the ship's companyis at Divine Service.It originated when the Britishand Dutch were enemies,and both sides being RomanCatholic, it was decided thata truce should be observedwhenever the Mass was beingcelebrated by either side.The ensigns of the two countrieswere sewn together, andthe Flag of Britain, a red St.(ieorge's Cross on a white field,occupies the part of the Pennantnext to the Mast, whilethe Dutch Colours, red andRAN.white and blue horizontal bars,is at the "Fly" or part farthestfrom the mast.Flag signalling developed butslowly, until the middle of the18th century, when severalcodes were designed, notablyby Kempenfeldt and LordHowe. It was the latter's systemof signalling which wasused so successfully by our belovedNelson.This code included a smallEnglish dictionary, where eachword was allotted a combinationof figures; a phrase section.where each of the variousorders in common use, such as"Makesail." "Tack together,"etc., were also indicated bygroups of figures, and a Geographicalsection wherebynames of phices could be signalledill the same manner.Lord Howe's code consistedof only 12 flags, which representedthe numbers one tonought and two substitutes, sonaturally enough it was notvery comprehensive.As an illustration of the evolutionof flag signalling, it mayhere be mentioned that theBritish Naval code in use to theand of the last World War consistedof no fewer than 80flags, each having its own severalmeanings in different circumstances,and yet again differentmeanings when used inconjunction with one another.In fact, it may be said thatlearning of flag signalling is ascomplex as the learning of aforeign language. This is themain system of visual signallingfrom a "war" point ofview, and the speed at whichorders can be issued by an Admiralby this means is reallyamazing.II