Publication:Sea Talk Autumn 2008/Junior Recruit memorial project

The ex junior recruit community is presently working towards the creation of a memorial to the Junior Recruit Training Scheme to be established at or near the old HMAS Leeuwin site. The memorial will commemorate the training of all junior recruits conducted between 1960 and 1984 and includes those from HMAS Cerberus.

The concept came about through discussion amongst a number of ex junior recruits who thought it was a good idea and decided to circulate the message to measure the support.

To put it mildly the level of support has been tremendous with many now providing first hand input into the project.

The training concept at Leeuwin was established historically from the training conducted by the RAN for boy seamen on the hulk Tingira located in Sydney in the early 1900s. This was re established as the Junior Recruit Training Establishment HMAS Leeuwin in 1960 and at HMAS Cerberus for a short time in 1963-1964.

Training at these sites was for boys aged between 15½ years and 16½ years for a period of 12 months. Graduates of this training model went on to serve in the RAN in the various categories available to sailors at that time. Some of the participants in the JRTE scheme are still serving and many achieved senior promotions as high as rear admiral. It is expected that the memorial will be completed in time for the 50th anniversary of the scheme in 2010.

The Patron of the project is Rear Admiral Brian Adams (Ret) who entered the RAN as a junior recruit. Readers who wish to access further information about the project or wish to make a contribution can contact the project Chairman Ken Dobbie on ken.dobbie@bigpond.com