– 2 – July 19, 2017

18th. February 2006

Vice Admiral Russell Shalders AO CSC RAN

Chief of Navy

Defence Centre

Canberra 2600

Sir

Many thanks for agreeing to be our guest speaker for this sixth annual Australian Navy Foundation Day commemoration. Previous speakers have been:

CDRE Jim Dickson AM RAN Ret’d

CDRE Brian Gibbs AM RAN Ret’d

RADM Peter Briggs AM RAN Ret’d

RADM Raydon Gates AO RAN – Maritime Commander

VADM Chris Ritchie AO RAN – Chief of Navy

This event, including the Thanksgiving Service, has seen the Navy Foundation Day supported by the attendance of the Governor-General, State Governor and Lieutenant Governor during the last five years.

I previously forwarded an early Federation monograph summary to assist with background for your Australian Navy Foundation Day “W.R.Creswell” Oration presentation on Wednesday 1st March 2006, 1200 for 1230 at ANZAC House, 4 Collins St., Melbourne.

For your information the official guests are:

VADM Russell Shalders AO CSC RAN CN Navy Office

Mrs Judy Shalders

Leut Amy Hudson RAN Navy Office - ADML’s Flag Leut

CAPT David L. Garnock CSC RAN SNO Vic & CO HMAS Cerberus

W.O. Peter Koenig RAN HMAS Cerberus

CMDR David Swanson HMAS Cerberus

CMDR Janine March-Goss HMAS Cerberus

LCDR Patrick Beresford HMAS Cerberus

CMDR Greig RAN CO NUSHIP Perth

Rt Rev Bishop Stephen Hale Anglican Bishop

Ms Elizabeth Sevior Grand-Daughter of Sir W. R. Creswell KCMG RAN

Ms Rosemary Creswell S-I-L to Mrs Sevior (ADML Dowling’s Dau)

Mrs Barbara Swanton Thanksgiving Service pianist

It is suggested that the length of the speech be around twenty to thirty minutes.

The purpose of the Australian Navy Foundation Day celebration is to focus attention on our Navy and its early Federation Heritage in order to inform the general public about how Australia’s Navy has been so important in the early years of the formation of our new nation.

The following is a list of areas you may wish to cover in preparing your speech as it was the original intention of this event to closely examine the effects of our early heritage which has not been adequately appreciated.

·  Australian Commonwealth Naval Force formation and the composition of the embryo Australian Navy fleet.

·  The first replacements in 1909-10 for the 1901 Federation Fleet.

·  Which States were the greatest supporters of the early Federation Navy?

·  Where were the ships located in the early days?

·  How the development of a new Federal Government affected the early Navy and its fleet formed on 1st March 1901.

·  Who controlled the Navy and its personnel and day to day operations in this first decade?

·  Who reported to whom before the formation of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board’s and its Navy Office as HQ for Navy and Administration in Melbourne on 12 Jan 1905?

·  The development of the Australian Naval Board and its membership until its reconstitution on 1 March 1911.

·  What happened to the fleet units over time?

·  Who were the public and political supporters of our Navy?

·  The general development over the first decade beyond the point when its name was changed to Royal Australian Navy in 1911 (e.g. College formed 1st March 1913).

·  What personalities guided the establishing of our Federation Navy in this first decade?

·  What Naval ensigns were flown by the Navy during the decade (the current RAN Ensign first flown 1st March 1967)?

·  What was the impact on Australian Naval policy, due to the visit of the USS Great White Fleet to Melbourne, when Federal Capital of Australia, in August 1908?

·  Did the successive Australian Commonwealth Governments support their Navy during this first decade?

You and Mrs Shalders are warmly welcomed as our special guests and we look forward to meeting up with you on the day.

Yours Aye!

John Wilkins RFD*

Chairman

P.O.Box 1303, Box Hill 3128 Victoria, Australia

Chairman: 03 9842 4256; F:03 9842 8915; Email –

M:0425 722 024