The First Lady of the Fleet trophy is presented to the longest-serving commissioned vessel in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) fleet.
The trophy itself is an amalgamation of several pieces from decommissioned HMA ships. The voice pipe and wooden base were acquired from HMAS Sydney (IV), the border from HMAS Gladstone and the corners from HMAS Duchess. The image affixed to the trophy is of Nancy Bentley, the first female to be ‘enlisted’ in the RAN.
The story behind the trophy
In 1920, six-year-old Nancy suffered a snake bite on the shores of Port Arthur, Tasmania. The nearest medical help was many miles away and, in desperation, Nancy’s father rowed her to HMAS Sydney (I) anchored in Carnarvon Bay.
At the time, regulations did not allow civilians to receive medical treatment on board one of His Majesty’s warships. The ship’s commanding officer, Captain Henry Cayley, ordered Nancy’s enlistment into the Royal Australian Navy. The crewman noted Nancy's official rating as 'mascot' and annotated her period of service as 'until fed up'.
Following the delivery of first aid, Sydney transported Nancy to Hobart for further treatment. The warship later returned to Port Arthur, where Nancy was ‘discharged’ from the Navy after 8 days’ service. ‘Being required by her parents’ was the reason for discharge.
First Lady of the Fleet vessels
The RAN first presented the First Lady of The Fleet trophy to HMAS Darwin in 2017. The ship had served continuously for 33 years. Darwin passed the trophy to HMAS Success (II) during its decommissioning ceremony on 9 December 2017. This event established the practice of handing the trophy to the youngest person on board the receiving ship.
After Darwin and Success, the trophy passed to the following ships:
- HMAS Paluma (IV) – received 29 June 2019
- HMAS Shepparton (II) – received 18 September 2021
- HMAS Anzac (III) – received 16 June 2023
- HMAS Collins – received 18 May 2024.
HMAS Collins currently holds the trophy as the longest-serving commissioned vessel.