Charles Basil Norton - Personal journal of events aboard HMS Challenger

PMB 1030

fonds

Canberra : Pacific Manuscripts Bureau, [19--]

441098

Microfilm : PMB 1030

microfilm reel 35 mm

Charles Basil Norton (1887-1968) was born in Worthing, Sussex. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 13 January 1902. On 22 January 1909 he transferred to HMS "Challenger" and the Australian Station. The ship was on a tour of duty for training exercises with the Royal Australian Navy

The journal (3 v.) covers the period May 1909 to Nov. 1910. The ship visited all the Australian State Capitals, many New Zealand ports (carrying out survey work around the west coast of the South Island), the Cook Islands, the Kermadecs and Fiji. Daily life aboard ship is described in great detail including: regular 'drills'; gunnery practice and equipment (there is a detailed illustration of a torpedo and its mechanisms); communications; diseases; religious observance; 'coaling'; parades and social events. Descriptions include the distances between various ports on each voyage, and notes on the climate and geography of the countries and island groups they visited, and activities on shore leave. Mention is made of an unsuccessful search for the Clan Macpherson, Aug./Sept. 1909, missing near the Kermadec Islands; Raoul Island and the pioneering Bell family. The volumes are illustrated by Norton's own art work which incorporates local postage stamps, programme cards and newspaper clippings of notable or interesting events, as well as numerous photographs taken by himself of other members of the crew. The first volume contains an index to subject and illustrations (see page 279). The last section of the third volume describes, in detail, life in a Naval Prison

PMB (Australian National University. Pacific Manuscripts Bureau) ; 1030
Available for reference
Microfilm copy of originals held in private ownership