McCOWAN, Alex, I.
STATUS : Duty Watch
THE START OF THE JOURNEY
I joined in Brisbane.I was in the local rag (Tweed Daily News) shaking the Lt CMDR's hand with Brian Sankey beside me in the same shirt.
After we were all sworn in, the Lt CMDR then announced to all and parents included, "we have them now". Wow that was a hit with the oldies and the start of something which we all had no idea what to expect or what we got ourselves into.
The recruits were shepherded out the back and the parents the front with no further contact encouraged. Onto Central Railway station still with no contact with the parents except through the fence.
We were on a train overnight about 15hours, only seats then no sleepers, and into Sydney. Bussed to HMAS Kuttabul to meet up with the 'mexicans' (NSW recruits) where the first guy and loudest being 'Happy' who credits Glen Moffit with the nickname 'Donkey'. We all had to check out why and jammed into the 'heads'. However, we all thought 'Happy' was in the wrong place and should have been with the 'mature age' intake, as he looked alot older than us baby faced guys, he shaved!!!!
But anyway we learned later he was in the right place after all.
After a quick stopover here then off to catch a plane to Perth. We arrived in the small hours of the night and then bussed it to Leeuwin. There we were yelled at, pushed around and given hot cocoa (something bloody foul anyway).
Things became a BLUR, as the orders and directions were none stop, "When do we get to sleep in?"
We were now at Leeuwin and the fun part was to begin with lots of great memories.
One thing which will always stay with me, was what my Mum said. She told me it was like we were all taken away to jail.
No communication (no mobiles in those days, or internet, facebook, email, skype or the like)
No Contact after being sworn in except by letter from Leeuwin or the very occasional phone call from the public phone box. (Unless you knew how to rig it)
Then to rub it in, the Navy sent all our Civvie clothing home in a box. Mum thought I was dead.
Fast forward to 2012. We have all had children and how would this be received in the current high standards parenting is now?
But look what has transpired since, what a fantastic journey and wonderful mateship has developed, which I would not change one bit.
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