Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

These are Warrant Officer Kenneth Edgerton's own words from his biography written in 2001.

To me a visit to Sydney was the best of all and we always stopped at Aunty Mary's who lived at Glenmore Road, Paddington. We used to spend our time in Sydney doing all the usual things - ferry ride to Manly, walk over the Harbour Bridge (after 1932), Bondi and visits to Anthony Horderns and Grace Bros. These two department stores were huge and you could buy almost anything. It was during  these trips to Sydney that I was most attracted to the warships which could be seen from the Manly Ferry or from the Botanic Gardens. I was fascinated by their immaculate appearance and the spic and span white uniforms of the sailors. I made up my mind there and then that I wanted to join the Royal Australian Navy.

Early in 1939 I answered an ad in the newspaper which called for recruits to the the R.A.N in the Communications Branch (Telegraphists and Signalmen). Later I was asked to attend an interview at the Naval Depot at Rushcutters Bay, in which I duly attended. I was interviewed by a Naval Commander. During the interview I noticed that he wrote "good type" on the top of the form he was filling in and this made me feel confident that I was going okay. Shortly after the interview I was directed once again to report to the Naval Depot (H.M.A.S. Rushcutter), to sit for an exam in English and arithmetic. When I arrived there I found there were about ninety of us from Sydney and NSW to sit for the exam and that only six would be selected. I was not one of the six but I was informed I was eligible to join other branches of the Navy when vacancies occured. On 3rd September, 1939, the war started and within days I received a letter from the Department of the Navy to report to H.M.A.S. Rushcutter to join the Navy. The branches of the Navy I was eligible to join were listed and in that was Seaman and that was what I wanted to be. 

Submitted by his grand daughter Kate Cashel. 1/5/25