John Berchmans Kiley and two other RAN sailors

Date1928

Object numberANMS0846[002]

NamePhotograph

MediumBlack and white photographic print on paper.

DimensionsOverall: 107 x 65 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Margaret Kiley-Balas

Terms

DescriptionRAN seaman John Berchmans Kiley with his arms around two fellow sailors standing on the deck of a naval vessel.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 went on to join HMAS SYDNEY in 1927. In 1928 he joined HMAS MELBOURNE and travelled to England, returning home on HMAS AUSTRALIA's (II) maiden voyage. Kiley 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 or 1932 due to respiratory illness.SignificanceThis photograph is a visual record of the sailors who served on board Royal Australian Navy ships in the 1920s.