THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY

[Applause] the Royal Australian Navy athlete barely 30 years old but already rich in tradition that flag blazing with the stars of the Southern Cross has flown victorious over fierce defect in many seeds in the last war and in this today with danger signals flying in the Pacific the Australian Navy must be alert every hour for the defense of the island continents 12,000 miles of coastline as well as fighting alongside the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean and elsewhere at home or abroad these tons of British ancestors are ready for anything here are the young recruits arriving at Flinders Naval Base Victoria Australia's main training difference no matter what branch of the service they join their first training is in seamanship steady lads to start with the healthy outdoor life makes them mighty men men Australia depends on after a thorough grounding in seamanship the youngsters go on to a special study of the particular naval work they have chosen the signal school signals are the nervous system of the Navy passing messages from the control center throughout the ship throughout the fleet and to bases unsure at sea in wartime signals between ships are given by flag elia graph or life because Wireless might betray their position to the enemy though modern science improves the technique the principles of the system are the same as in nurse's day and the results are just as satisfactory here's a similar exercise carried out on the parade ground each man represents the ship and they maneuver to shouted signals these boys reckon that theirs is easily the most interesting job in the Navy [Music] a class of Engineers they must know every secret of the giant boilers and turbines and in case the enemy gets in a lucky hit they must be ready to make running repairs in battle they'll all tell you that they've got the best job in the Navy the torpedo school British torpedoes travel further than those of any other country of course any torpedo man will tell you that of all jobs in the Navy tops our tops but in the gunnery school they have not any doubt as to who has the most interesting job Gunners of course air attack complicates their job as the boys can't fire at the target plane they shoot photographs instead of shelves if the plane is in the picture it's a hit if it isn't here they are this Bulldog breed with the courage and tenacity with which their fathers build a nation from a wilderness they'll fight for their magnificent heritage Australia's sons of the sea will not fail her in this crucial hour [Music] [Applause]