RAN ditty box of John Berchmans Kiley

Date1925

Object number00036171

NameDitty Box

MediumWood, metal

DimensionsOverall: 163 x 304 x 193 mm, 1.7 kg

ClassificationsTools and equipment

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from John B Kiley

Terms

DescriptionThis ditty box was issued to John Berchmans Kiley by the Royal Australian Navy. Ditty boxes were used by sailors to store their personal possessions. They commonly held photographs and letters, as well sewing materials and other personal affects. Once adequate storage lockers were provided, ditty boxes were no longer required.HistoryJohn Berchmans Kiley was born on 29 January 1910 and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1925. He began his naval service on HMAS TINGIRA, a ship for boy sailors moored at Rose Bay in Sydney, where he trained for 15 months. He served on HMAS SYDNEY for around 12 months before joining HMAS HMAS MELBOURNE on its last voyage to England in 1928, returning home on the new HMAS AUSTRALIA in the same year. John undertook four years of training at HMAS CERBERUS studying a range of gunnery courses. Kiley reached the rank of Leading Seaman, and to his great disappointment was invalidated out of the navy around 1930 due to respiratory illness.SignificanceThis ditty box contains a range of personal items which were used by John Berchmans Kiley while serving in the Royal Australian Navy. It is an important historical record of the daily life of a boy sailor in the RAN in the early 20th century.