Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond hosted an official reception and Ceremonial Sunset on December 11 to honour 100 years of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Recruit School.
The RAN Recruit School was opened in 1925 at HMAS Cerberus, continuing the work of the 'Boys' Training Ship' HMAS Tingira, where recruits had been trained since 1912.
RAN Recruit School Commanding officer, Commander Ben McGrath, addressed the event.
"For 100 years this school has been the starting point for tens of thousands of men and women who have gone on to serve our nation with distinction, and we celebrate 100 years of shaping Australians into sailors," Commander McGrath said.
"Whether they joined during the era of steam and Morse code, or in today's world of cyber operations and autonomous systems, every sailor has crossed the same threshold at Recruit School."
VIPs attending the event included Commander Australian Fleet Rear Admiral Chris Smith, Head of Military Personnel Rear Admiral Letitia Van Stralen and Warrant Officer of the Navy Andrew Bertoncin.
Also in attendance was former Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Russ Crane, one of only two Chiefs of Navy (including Vice Admiral Hammond) to graduate from RAN Recruit School.
Special guests signifying the enduring relationship between Cerberus and the Mornington Peninsula included Luke Gosling, Federal Member for Solomon and Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia; Zoe McKenzie, Federal Member for Flinders; and Paul Mercurio, State Member for Hastings.
'The camaraderie, the teamwork and the mateship that grows in this place has been a timeless gift.'
Members of the most recent Recruit School graduating class, General Entry (GE) 443 Taylor Division, also attended.
GE443 graduate Seaman Molly Bowman was chosen to represent contemporary recruits, and gave a speech bristling with pride and anticipation.
"The current cohort of sailors are as committed to serving our nation as those who joined 100 years ago," Seaman Bowman said.
"It's not, 'I have to defend my country', it's, 'I get to defend my country'."
Moved by Seaman Bowman's speech, Vice Admiral Hammond spoke about the legacy of Recruit School, and the quality of Navy sailors.
"Since 1925, the sailors that have graduated from this, the RAN Recruit School, have gone on to serve with distinction all over the world," he said.
"If only these walls could talk … the thousands of voices that would echo around this place in the still of night would be remarkable to listen to.
"The camaraderie, the teamwork and the mateship that grows in this place has been a timeless gift.
"Today, we celebrate the immense contribution of the RAN Recruit School to the most precious component of our Navy … our people."
The celebration concluded in historical naval style with a Beat to Quarters and Ceremonial Sunset, performed by RAN Band Melbourne and guard comprising both Recruit School and Cerberus personnel.
