All about the Wardroom For the first time, trainee midshipmen will undertake a ‘Wardroom Living Module’ as part of their Junior Officer Common Training course. This month JOCT 21/01 had two hours in HMNZS TE KAHA, then another hour at the HMNZS PHILOMEL wardroom. Lieutenant LJ Littleton, JOCT course officer, says the idea is to set up the trainees for success when going onto a ship and joining a wardroom. “They need to know where to find the mess rules and know who they should be talking to in order to enjoy their home away from home.” The officers receive a separate lesson in table etiquette towards the end of their course. Did you know? The act of drawing a sword in the Wardroom Mess without permission is punishable by a fine. The object of this is to avoid misinterpretation, particularly in the days when duelling was prevalent.
The Royal New Zealand Navy Journal – out now! The inaugural edition of the Professional Journal of the Royal New Zealand Navy (Volume One, Number One, December 2020) is now available online. You can find it at www.nzdf.mil.nz/navy and click on ‘Public Information’. The Journal is a medium for critical and well-informed thinking on Naval and maritime affairs.
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