Ceremony for Naval Nashos at Jack Tar Memorial, Brisbane
A message from the Naval Association of Australia
They have been called the ‘quiet generation’.
They were born just before or during the Second World War, when their fathers, uncles and brothers were away fighting for our way of life. This is the generation of young men who were all required to undergo National Service from 1951 to 1959, then again 1965 to 1973. Their service added a new word to our lexicon, they were ‘Nashos’.
In the first National Service scheme between, all young men aged 18 received a ‘Happy Birthday’ greeting from the Prime Minister, then were asked to register for National Service! A total of 287,000 served in 52 intakes. Only 6,300 of them went into the Navy, quite an exclusive group. The Navy and Air Force would only accept the ‘Nashos’ that already had some connection with those services. The Army and Air Force Nashos also served with the Navy on ships like the ‘Vung Tau Ferry’ the famous troop transport HMAS Sydney carrying them to and from Vietnam.
It was the height of the Cold War, when Australia feared for her defence capability in the face of Communist aggression. Memories of the War in the Pacific, Japanese attacks on Australia and the start of the Korean War in 1950 were seared into our national consciousness.
Such was the case with Jack Hamilton, now 92, who served as a Navy Nasho from 1951 to 1954, in the first 50 intake from Queensland. Jack was an apprentice sailmaker and already a Naval Reservist very familiar with the sea, ships and boats.
Jack went on to make sails for racing yachts including the first Australian American Cup Challenge. He continues his quiet service as a volunteer at the Queensland Maritime Museum three days each week as their sailmaker. Set up in his workroom with industrial sewing machines and canvas, Jack mends and makes sails and his bestselling Navy kitbags, raising funds for the Museum.
‘I still look back at those Nasho days as one of the best times of my youth,’ says Jack. ‘Maybe we should bring National Service back again!’
All National Servicemen will be remembered at a ceremony arranged by the Naval Association of Australia (Queensland) on:
Thursday 27 April at 10.30am at the Jack Tar Memorial at Southbank in Brisbane next to the Ship Inn.
Nashos from all services and both intakes are very welcome.
For more information, contact Jayne Keogh on 0418 882 408.
Jack (centre) on leave in Sydney, August 1951