In 1986, the first draft of female sailors was drafted to our Navy's Survey Ship Monowai. From memory there were 3 S&S Senior Rate lady sailors. At around the same time the head honchos at Defence House in Wellington were tackling a huge issue. Low numbers of Males joining.
In 1988 I was head of school at Hydrographic School (HMNZS Tamaki) and CPOSEA Grant (Rocky) Morrel was head of school of the neighbouring Seamanship School. Commander Mike Franklin was Operation Schools DO (Divisional Officer.)
Rocky and I were summonsed to a chinwag with him (Mike Franklin) and asked how we were placed to recruit female sailors to supplement the male ranks. By the end of 1989 the first three recruited female sailors (Ordinary Hydrographic Assistants) were posted to Monowai as the first operations branch sailors of the fairer sex. The rest is history.
The recruiting of female ocean-going sailors was widely approved, but sadly around 3 - 5% of older sailors thought it was free license to "wing in" to their fellow crew mates. (Similar to the French Foreign Legion who had a brothel behind the lines). Where are they now, I wonder???
Since those times I have been getting my monthly Navy Today and approve loudly the roles our Lady Sailors play in our modern Navy. BZ those ladies and BZ our male sailors who bought into the process.
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