Take a little walk back in time. Take time to learn about our History as it is important to know where we have come from and where we are going.
- Unofficial RNZN Communications History
- Chapter 1 – Start of an Era
- Chapter 2 – Auckland Radio’s Shaky Beginnings (New)
- Chapter 3 – Wartime Expansion
- Chapter 4 – Southern Activity
- Chapter 5 – Shore Expansion
- Chapter 6 – Shore Signal Offices
- Chapter 7 – Electronic Warfare
- Chapter 8 – History of Comms Security in NZ
- Chapter 9 – WRNZNS
- Chapter 10 – Waiouru W/T
- Chapter 11 – Hands on to Hands Free
- Chapter 12 – Commanding Officers – Waiouru
- Chapter 13 – Visual Communications
- Chapter 14 – The Training Register (Updated 16 Feb 12)
- History of Naval Ships Wireless Systems by Jim Dell
- Part I - 1890 – 1920
- Part II - 1914 – 1945
- Part III - Post World War II Cruisers and Frigates Pre COMIST
- Part IV - Post WWII and Murphy Equipment
- Part V – Post WWII Research and Survey – The Early Years
- Part VI – Post WWII Antarctic Support
- Part VII – Shore to Ship and Ship to Shore
- Part VIII – Post WWII Communications in the Short Term
- Part IX – Post WWII Patrol and Training Vessels
- Part X – Post WWII Research and Survey – the Later Years
- Part XI – Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
- Part XII(A) Integrated Communications Systems (New)
- RNZN RF Hazards (New)
- Part XII(B) ICS Aerials and Equipment Update (New)
- Acknowledgements (New)
- Memorial to HMS Puriri – Dave Wistrand
- What happened on this day in History
- The Navy and Waitangi Relationship
- Reveille – 1970
- Exeter Kiwi – Mystery Solved
- Leading Signalman Campbell Buchanan
- History behind Service Numbers
- Historic footage of Japanese Surrender
- Papers Past – A scan through the Newspapers
Pingback: 2010 in review | RNZN Communicators Association
I refer to chapter 14- training register.
I forwarded, a number of months back, and at one time saw it published in the Training register, the details of the 36th Visual Communicators training class. This class was taken from the 36th Boys entry, signed on on the 19th Jan 56. Commenced communications training as Boy Sigs on 14th Aug 56. I am quite certain of these dates as I still have my Certificate of Service in the RNZN.
The W/T class shown as commencing in Jan 56 was I believe from memory taken from the 37th boys intake. The visual signals class immediately before us was , again from memory, the 34th intake. The names I remember are Mike Humphries, Rev Bennet and Russel Hockley.
Our class, the 36th , comprised of Lindsay Guilford, Jim Harper, Cecil? Tucker, George Kerr, Desmond Foote, and myself Owen Stuart.
The full details of this classes progress were forwarded to Pete Smith some months ago, and I did see them entered somewhere on the site.
Regards
Owen Stuart.
In Part IV under History of Naval Ships Wireless Systems, I may not have made it clear that arcing is a form of RF radiation normally caused by a breakdown in a component or tuning into some part of an aerial whose physical characteristics have changed. For example – on Taranaki in 1970, the porcelain insulator above the Base Tuner of the Port whip, had a crack in it. Every time the transmitter was keyed, a blue arc materialised through the crack and formed a connection with the guardrail some metres away. The crack had formed as a result of salt spray build up on the insulator. Similarly, trying to tune into an aerial that has corroded through soot or salt buildup can cause high voltages to occur across the plates of the tuning capacitor. This results in unwanted RF energy seeking another path and in some cases has been known to arc from the Type 89 across to the nearest receiver.
I will amend Part IV accordingly.
Appears on the training page there are some mix ups with dates…I did my basic radio cse in 1972 and in my class was Gutsell, Kingi, Ward, Wright, Still, Monk and one other…Our instructor was PRD Roly White and WRDI Pat Green. I did not do an LRO cse as I was one of the last to just do the exams without the cse.
Cheers
Wings
Thanks Wings, What time of the year did you do your basic course and what information do you have for your advanced course?
Hi Frank
Have checked the records and have the following dates, appears I was a year out.
Basic Radio cse commenced May 71 and finished end of 71.
Advanced cse commenced Apr 82 and finished Aug 82.
Advanced sigs cse ran at same time with Carroll, Ahuriri and Spring and I believe instructor was Nick Nicholson.
Cheers
Wings
I did a JRRO course at North Head in 69, I joined Jan 69, so 3 mths later would have been up the hill. Some names I can remember Hakaria,McNamara,Welch,Rabone,Gentil I think were all RO’s. Neil Catley I think was the instructor and I remember a PO sigs who owned a little dog called Whiskey who used to hunt up the rats.
Hi Glenn, For those who don’t know the JRRO was the Junior Recruit Radio Operator. I think the PO Sig you are remembering was actually PRD Sam Tilton. Others may correct me here. When did you do your EW courses and who was your Instructor and classmates.
Comms titles changed toward the end of 1965 with the three RO specialisations (General, Tactical and Warfare) becoming RDs (Radiomen), SGs (Signalmen) and EWs (Electronic Warfare). So all those joining after the Navy Order came out (sometime in 65), would have been RDs and not ROs. Titles more or less changed back again in the early 80′s with RDs becoming ROs. Funnily enough, only a few trades became Americanised – Radiomen, Signalmen and Sonarmen. Can anyone think of any others?
I know my designation changed many tiems, got quite confusing.
Hi Frank.
1946 10th Seaman Boys joined RNZN 11 July 1946 and from this class of 46 recruits six became Boy Tels: AC Williams, RG Ewers, RJT Irvine, J Ziegler, GG Renwick, KV Brayshaw.
J (John) Ziegler eventually became an REM.
The records for 1st and 2nd Short Service Ordinary Telegraphists have some
anomalies, as do the 1945 “8th Boy Tels”. Will do what I can to give you a revised
list. Cheers, Kel Brayshaw, Levin
HI Kel,
Any help you can provide in sorting out anomalies would be much appreciated.
Frank
Please Add–Jan 1951 HMAS Cerberus L/Tel(Q) AC Williams, RJT Irvine, K Brayshaw, K Begg
Wings – a year out! I hope you’re not like that with your IRD returns……..
One would hope not Warrant, with the amount of damn tax I pay these days…lol..
Hi Frank, I found my “Radio Trade Employment and History Sheet”, appears I completed 1st term basic on 11.8.69 and 2nd term specialisation 8.12.69. Signed off by Officer in Charge comms training D.P.Milton. EW conversion course completed 15.12.72 signature on that one looks like T/lt Trickett, only person I remember on that course was Mohi Takiari, who lives in Canberra.
Glenn,
I am sure that the officer who signed you off in 1972 would have been Minnie Pickett. Training Register updated. Have a look at Our History – Chapter 7 Electronic Warfare.
Regards
Frank
History of Naval Ships Wireless Systems by Jim Dell .
Thanks again Jim so much for a most enjoyable read – such fascinating history coming together for the Comms Association, we are so lucky to have such interesting input from members while they can remember everyting to make this site a success.For the present day communicators to learn of all that preceded them will be a bonus, at least it should be.
Thanks Mike – there’s more to come yet.
Hi Frank
Some further entries for the Training Register
1944 1st Tels Delete entry and add:
1945 Oct HMNZS Tamaki 1st Tels: Batchelor W, Brendon W, Codd B, Christianson W,
Durham J, De Latour, Murch B, Smith A, Timlin J. Instructor: Spence.
!944 2nd Tels Delete entry and add:
1946 July HMNZS Tamaki 2nd Tels: Giddens DF, Geange J, Keith, Muir R, Veale BF,
Stuart-StClair VJ, McNeil T, Gordon A, Holding J, Wright EB. Instructors: Spence/Roberts.
Please also add Instructor for 1946 (10th) Boy Tels as Greentree, R.
Details of 7th Boy Tels also needs attention
Suggest you delete existing and add
1945 pre August HMNZS Tamaki 8th Boy Tels: Bagnall W, Dodds AG, Walker G, Steer J,
Just to verify my info: the 1st Tels were still at Tamaki when my 10th Boys
class joined in July ’46; the 2nd Tels joined a fortnight after us; and the 3rd
and 4th Tels some time later in 47. My class finally left Tamaki for Hmnzs Bellona
in September 1947. So we personally knew members of those 1st thru 4th Tels
classes. Then it was’nt too long before we caught up with the 8th Boy Tels who took
the Achilles back to the UK and returned with Bellona.
Cheers
Kel Brayshaw
Hello Again Frank
An omission on my part from details of 2nd tels: Please add
Mariasouce F.
Also, although the source for the names of the 3rd and 4th tels looks impeccable,
I think you’ll find that the 3rds year of joining would’ve been 1947 vice 1946.
They certainly didn’t join before the 10th Boys or 2nd Tels !!
And there’s a typo in the 3rd Tels list of names: Read Gooder JP, vice Gunder JP.
Cheers
Kel Brayshaw
I was on the very first RO(W) Basic course from 23/5/77 to 14/10/77, the course designation was Basic RO(W) 2/77. I see you already have a course of this designation on your register but I double checked this with my service records. Others on the course with me were: Robyn Bowman, Mere Rangihuna, Anne Van Den Yssel, Pam Mahupuku, Brenda Keith, Karen Davy, Joyce Koia, Ruth Tarry, Christine Jones, Linda O’Brien, and one other whose name I just can’t remember. The training instructor was PORS Edwards. I found the official class photo which brought back a few memories.
I was also on the LRO(W) Prep 1/80 course from 7/1/80 to 14/3/80 – I can’t remember all those who were on the course with, but believe it was the same crowd as above minus Pam Mahupuku and the one I can’t remember.
Hi Radar,
As your cse was the first one – it should have been designated Basic RO(W) 1/77. Vicki and her classmates were 2/77.
Regards
Jim
Hi Jim,
Although ours was the first Basic RO course for Wrens, it was the second Basic RO course held at North Head that year. The previous one was all male and that one would have had the designation ‘RO 1/77’. The higher-ups seemed to have felt the need to distinguish Wrens from Ratings and so added the ‘(W)’ to our course designation to identify it as being all female but retained the numbering sequence.
cheers, Ann
Hi Ann,
There appears to have been a faux pas with CTS’s Admin procedures. Vicki’s docs clearly show her as being in RO(W)2/77. The other thing that is a bit of a puzzle is the males were still called Radiomen in 1977 and not Radio Operators. Surely their course would have been Basic RD1/77?
Regards
Jim
9th Boy Signalmen, HMNZS Tamaki, 1945 post-Aug:
Sutherland B, Parkes D, Glassey L, Surtees N.
Instructor: Telford E.
11th Boy Signalmen, HMNZS Tamaki, 1947:
Dallow J, Barnett J, Shepherd P, Smith DI.
Instructor: Telford E
Smith DI had joined with the 10th Seaman Boys, but transferred to 11th for
training as a Signalman.
From a further check of the Training Register I see the class I’ve just given you
as 11th Boy Signalmen is also listed in 1947 as VS Boys Dallow and Adams.
The only one of my names I have any doubts about is Barnett J, but pretty sure
he was a Sig rather than a Seaman.
I remember Adams, but my memory is not up to saying he was or wasn’t a signalman.
The start of their course was before Oct 47 because ALL the 10th Boys had left by
early Sept 47, and the 11th were well into their course before then.
I will try and check further re Barnett/Adams.
Hi Frank – An addition and an amendment:
1946 2nd Tels, add: Wolfgram R.
1945 9th Boy Sigs: Read Parkes Dave, vice Parkes Don
Thank you
In fact from memory, I think the males course was just Basic Radio 1/77.
Hi Frank
AdvSG1/76 – Aug concurrent with the sparkers – Brown Burgess Morris
Also – when we got to NH in Aug 69 there was a SG course already done their basics – I seem to recall that Billy B was the instructor as they had the last lower classroom. Morris and Bent I think were two of them
Best regards to all
Brownie
I am trying to complete some blank photo memories on some ships that I served on. Does anyone have photos of messdecks/offices from the following commissions please:
Royalist 1965
Waikato 1970/71
Otago 1975/76
Canterbury 1981/82
Many thanks
Jim
I spoke to Graeme Renwick yesterday for the first time in 56 years and the photo submitted by Colin Spence of the vintage car is actually a 1920′s “Buick”bought off two farming brothers in Hikitetick (sorry, it sounds more recognisable than Hihitahi) for 35 quid.
We are now “web mates” and hope to get the adventures of T.S.O.T.D “Buick” for your enlightenment and edification up in due course.
Ref chapter IX of History of Naval Ships Wireless Systems.
1. Broadcast designators changed over the years and below is a summary:
CW – WV
RATT – WVR (Off-line)
Change 1
CW – WV
Off-line RATT – WVA
On-line RATT – WVR – KW47 (TX) and BID580 (RX) codenamed Jason
Change 2
CW – Z13W
Off-line RATT – Z12W
On-line RATT – Z11W
Change 3
On-line Secondary RATT – Z21W – BID660 – codenamed Orestes
On-line Primary RATT – Z11W – KW47/BID580 – codenamed Jason
Change 4
Big changes to the way data was transferred to and from ships at sea – the forerunner of emails.
2. The section at the end of this Chapter deals with the IPCs and as you can see from the Table, there are a few callsigns missing. Can anyone fill in the gaps?
In Chapter IX under Ton Class, there is a picture of Santon departing Singapore for the UK. Two of the four junior ratings standing to the right of the funnel are Brian Woods and Dave Wistrand – Weasel being the tallest one on the right. Perhaps Dave can remember who the other two communicators were on that trip.
Frank Saunders was the Signalman probably on the bridge so he wouldnt be in the line up.
Dennis (Dits) Powell was the LRO as they were called at that time I think. Was a good trip back to the UK via Penang – Maldives – RAS of Ethiopia from another sweeper (44 gallon drums) Aden – Suez Canal – Malta – Gibralter and Portsmouth. By the way I have gone up market it is Weasel with a Z – image you know
For those who do not know… the last time I saw Frank Saunders he was working for Auckland Airport Security when he checked meh bits n’ pieces prior to boarding a international flight to pay homage to some of my old haunts!. He has been with them for a while. I served with Frank on ZMCR when he was the Chief Yeoman.
Weazel! Zounds a bit znobbish to me…
Jeem I am sure Frank would have been on the bridge – When did not a signalman ponce around on the bridge at the smallest opportunity and especially when leaving harbour under Procedure Alpha (get a grip) – Best find Dits I guess and ask him was always a reliable character not like some of us.
Hi Frank
can you please add Gerald Harvey to our basic intake for May ’71
Gerald started with us, but changed over to stoker half way through training and ended up a LTCDR
thanks
George
Ref: RNZN RF Hazards.
I have two separate reports from Dr Neill Cherry, a prominent NZ Scientist (who unfortunately passed away in 2003), on the effects of ELF and RF/MW Radiation. These include health effects to many of the human biological systems including the Cardiac, Respiratory, Neurological and Genitourinary (Reproductive and Urinary systems – the Prostate is included in the Reproductive system). If you would like a copy of these reports (both over 60 pages – one in Word and the other in PDF), please email me dinger69@xtra.co.nz.
Jim
oct 49 9th o/tels David Hood,John Hewson,Harry Miller,Rob Thompson Ivar Hagan(joined 1950 ex P&T}Fred Roff and Bungy Williams transferred to Stokers Branch .
1950 10th O/tels delete Hagan and Hewson