The Long 'C'
The ‘C’ after many Officers ranks indicated that they had undertaken courses in communications. The first course as a Long C was recorded in 1905. The RNZN personnel who undertook this training commenced in 1941 at HMS Mercury as follows:
1941-42 with F H Foster RN – RN Long C Mercury
1944 Rex Cassey RNZNVR – RN Long C Mercury
1947 Laurence Gordon Carr – RN Long C Mercury
1948 Edward C Thorne – RN Long C Mercury
1951 John D Gresson – RN Long C Mercury
1953 Derek J Cheney – RN Long C Mercury
1958 Robin G Franklin – RN Long C Mercury
1960 Peter Norman Wright – RN Long C Mercury
1960 John Steer – SD Comms Course Mercury
1960 Harry Millar – SD Comms Course Mercury
1961 Ian Fraser – SD Comms Course Mercury
1962 E L Roberts – RN Long C Mercury
1964–65 Somerford F Teagle – RN Long C Mercury
Danny Milton, Harry Alderton, (These officers did not complete the Long C and unsure if they had any additional Communications training.)
1969–70 Karl R Moen – – RN Long C Mercury – [Sword of Excellence at Mercury]
1970 Terry Appleby
1971 Dai Davies
1973 Ross Sanson – SD Comms Course Mercury
1974 Minnie Pickett
1974 John Chandler
1975 Neil Dorsett – SD Comms Course Mercury
1975 Gary Kingdon – SD Comms Course Mercury
1976 Algie Walton
1977 Bob Sadler – SD Comms Course Mercury
1978 Allan J Peck – RN Advanced Principal Warfare Course (C)
1980 Michael J Franklin – RN Advanced Principal Warfare Course (C)
1982 Malcolm Jackman – RN Advanced Principal Warfare Course (C)
1983 Neal Catley – USA Joint Senior Staff Officer Telecommunications Course [First Class Hons]
1983 Owen Young – RAN Communications Officers Course (C)
1984-85 David Burnett
1986 Rex Edwards – RAN Principal Warfare Officer (C)
1986 Frank Rands – RAN Communications Officers Course (C)
1987 Anthony Parr – RAN Principal Warfare Officer (C)
1987 Robert Cook – RAN Communications Officers Course (C)
Rodger Ward
1992 – Laurie French – RAN Communications Officers Course (C)
2001 – Lisa Hunn Communications Intelligence Security Officer’s Course (ADF)
2002 – Lisa Hunn Communications and Information Systems Officer’s Course (RAN)
Wilson Trumper
??? – Gary Hine
??? – Danny Kaye
??? – Peter Dawson
??? Venessa Brown
???? Taua
James
Dean Whaanga – No additional Communications Training
Barbara Cassin – No additional Communications Training
Michelle Hunt – No additional Communications Training
Miriam Waaka – No additional Communications Training
Michelle Martin – No additional Communications Training
Jan Kingham – No additional Communications Training
Kevin Groube
I did my course 77 ish at HMS Mercury. Gary Kingdon and John Chandler were before me as was Ross Sanson. I think that Minnie did Mercury as well and Neil Dorsett. Neil didn’t stay long after he was commissioned and I took over from him as SCO on Otago for a commission before I did the course.
Bob Sadler
PS Wee Willie Rudd was another Comms O…..In fact, there are a few more but my memory isn’t that good at my age….. Maybe Karl, Alan and Rex can fill in a gap or two.
A kind wish to you all…..
Terry Appleby — think the surname is right. Ex RS Royalist and commissioned… Algie Walton, Dai Davies. Karl Moen, of course, won the Sword of Excellence at Mercury. An honour indeed.
The list is slightly wrong but what’s new from HQ! I did my course with Gary Kingdon 1974 , joined the Waikato on my return in 75 and then became SCO of the Otago until Dec 76 when I was posted to Def HQ where I stayed until late 1977. Bob Sadler then took over after I left the Otago and I think you will also find that Ross Sanson did his course after Gary and myself as he was commissioned after us two. I am also sure that John Chandler did his course before us and then he left quite soon thereafter. I note that Terry Appleby’s name is not on this list and he was commissioned before gary and I.
regards
Spot on there Neill (C)………..
Would Neil Fraser, John Steer, Dusty Miller, Danny Milton have done so?
F H Foster was not RNZN- corrected by “errata” in the record.
Those four fine men john snow lists were not Long (C)- you might say they didn’t need it!
Frank,
I may be wrong with this comment but I was always under the impression that you only were entitled to have the (C) after your rank if you were on the General List and had done the lengthy 12 months Comms officers course- hence the term Long C i.e. Lieut or Lieut Cdr ( C) . Those that came up from the ranks and did the Mercury short comms course had the rank followed by SD (Comms). Such myself, Gary Kingdon and others. I would presume that this would also have applied to those who did their training at other places?? Perhaps things have changed somewhat over the years.
Neill D
From Ian Fraser.
The list should be amended as follows:
1960 John Steer and Harry Miller SD Comms course MERCURY
1961 Ian Fraser (NOT Neil Fraser) SD Comms course MERCURY
Couple of points. Ross Sanson was commissioned in at least Jan 1973 – I was commissioned in Jun 73 and he was before me. I was supposed to do the SD Comms course in Mercury at the end of that year, but it was deferred. I thought Ross Sanson did the course that I was originally also due to be on. The course that Neill and I did started in Dec 74 and ran through to Apr 75. As far as I can recall, they only had one SD Comms course a year (with a 4.5 month course and the RN long leave period in Jun-Aug don’t think they would have had time for two courses). Starting in Dec each year seemed to be the normal practice. So on that basis I reckon the years for Minnie Pickett and John Chandler should come forward a year. Additionally, Terry Appleby did the course starting in 1969. He was the SCO in IRIRANGI in 1969 and I can recall him leaving late in the year to go and do the course. (Can’t remember who the next Comms Officer was, but think it was gapped until the end of the year and Pop Pokai (the WEEO) looked after things in the interim.)
With regard to Owen ‘Otis’ Young, he did the first RANCOC in CERBERUS in 1983