The Republic of Fiji Navy is gearing up for their Golden Jubilee celebration. The institution has come a long way since its humble beginning in 1975. Throughout their years of existence, they have achieved numerous accomplishments. Though some may have some feeling of disdain on the institution, but those who have felt the comforting arms of Fiji’s maritime force continues to cherish their courageous effort today. However, maritime forces have existed in Fiji prior to the establishment of the Republic of Fiji Navy.
The late Captain Stanley Branson Brown, who studied marine engineering in 1936 and later joined Fiji’s maritime force in early 1940s reiterated that Fiji has had, between the Cakobau Government era and the Colonial era, three maritime forces that have at the time been designated the role of naval forces in Fiji. There have been different reasons for raising all three, none duplicating any of the others.
The Cakobau Government era
Historically the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman discovered Fiji in the 17th century and followed by English navigators including Captain James Cook in the early 18th century. Then Captain William Bligh sailed through and recorded Fiji in the late 18th century. However, apart from the arrival of the original inhabitants of Fiji, the first Europeans to land and live amongst Fijians were shipwreck sailors, runaway convicts, sandalwood traders and missionaries in the 19th century. It was the friendly host by the then Tui Levuka that welcomed the setters at Ovalau Island. Tribal warfare and cannibalism was rife in Fiji upon the arrival of these settlers, but the influence of missionaries who landed at Lakeba Island led to the disappearance of the cannibalistic culture and war in Fiji.
The settlers’ cotton farming and other trade had progressed which contributed to the fast growing and modernisation of Levuka Town. The development had attracted other forces outside the town who raided the settler’s premises for imported trade items. The settlers were in dire need of security. The Tui Levuka’s allegiance that belonged to Ratu Seru Cakobau, the Vunivalu of Bau and the greatest power in the region, was opportunity for them to guarantee their security. Security guards were later provided, however, raids continued to increase. The need for absolute security resulted in the formation of the Cakobau Government. Realising the increasing need for security, instead of party of security the Cakobau Government recruited a fighting force known as the royal army. This was followed by the establishment of the Cakobau Navy. The government bought two trade vessels Marie Douglas and the armed cutter Vivid commanded by Dan O’Neill, a former lieutenant of the royal navy. The role of the maritime force was mainly ceremonial. One Adolf Joske, a settler from Suva visiting Levuka during the period, wrote his observation of the two Cakobau Navy vessels flying the newly designed flags of the Cakobau Government as ensigns while anchored at the Levuka harbour. The royal army continued to encounter frequent raids on settlers’ premises at Levuka Town. The first phase of their attempt to repel the Lovoni raiders with classical technique of Fijian tribal warfare under the leadership of the chief. Regrettably, the first phase of repel ended unsatisfactorily.
Upon the advice of Ratu Cakobau’s expatriate ministers, he agreed that European officers were engaged to train and lead the men to be armed with old Tower muskets which were in stock at Levuka. The Royal Army once again engaged with the raiders with several phases of raid attempts. The use of firearms under the leadership of European officers and the tactics employed resulted in the successful repelling of the Lovoni raiders.
Unfortunately, the arrival of Royal Navy Officer and Commander of the Australian Squadron of the Royal Army threatened the Royal Army and the Cakobau Navy of Fiji. Commodore John Goodenough with the British consul, Edgar Lanyard, were to submit a report following the recent offer of cession. The two had made a joint recommendation that Fiji should become a crown colony of severe type. Then they started to reconstruct the Cakobau Government by examining all government records. They reorganised the need for the existence of the Royal Army to protect the investment of settlers. Then they decided that a government that was not successful in their debt servicing should not incur additional expenditure of running a navy.
Should the recommendation for a crown colony be accepted, Commodore Goodenough’s own Australian Squadron would assume the responsibility of naval defence of Fiji and there would be no need for a local maritime force. Therefore, the Cakobau Navy was disbanded in 1873, the two ships were sold and money was allocated for the Cakobau Government debt servicing. The role of the Australian Squadron of the Royal Navy in Fiji waters commenced in Fiji waters following the Deed of Cession on October 10, 1974.
Naval forces in the colonial era
The Australian Navy Squadron of the Royal Navy developed dramatically in the following 25 years. Naval operations continued in the region performing the responsibilities of caring for the British Empire interests in the South Pacific. The squadron sailed on board iron steamships and then followed by sailing of steel steamships. Then in the early 20th century, Britain had sent a balanced naval squadron to Australia and were responsible to pay for their operational costs. New Zealand was regarded as part of the Australian naval base and were also responsible for part of the operational cost. Then in 1912, King George V approved the title Royal Australian Navy. With that force primarily concerned with the defence of Australia, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Army was formed and assumed the task of caring for British interests in the Pacific including Fiji. The outbreak of WW I in July 1914 resulted in changes of plans and all naval fleet were kept in home waters and focus was directed towards the war.
HMS Philomel was commissioned on July 13, 1914, and began sea training. She was recalled from her cruise on the outbreak of war then sailed from Auckland in company with two other light cruisers, HMS Psyche and HMS Pyramis escorting troopships carrying New Zealand soldiers who occupied German Samoa on August 30. The only involvement of Fiji against the enemy occurred in 1917 when Count Felix con Luckner was apprehended at Wakaya Island. The ship he commanded was lost in French Polynesia, the commerce raider Sea Alder. He was in Wakaya seeking to resume his operation of depredation against Allied shipping. The capture of Felix was carried out by the police.
The war to end all wars from 1914 to 1918 failed to achieve its aim then in the 1930s, the nations of the world were heading for the biggest war ever. The feeling that it could happen here was now so strong in Fiji. Captain James Patrick Mullins originally from New Zealand was the Captain of HMCS Pioneer, expressed his concern at the lack of readiness in the South Pacific for such an event. His letters on the subject addressed to the colonial secretary, the authority for all colonial government correspondence began in 1936.He then started correspondence with Captain Olphert, a senior naval reserve officer in New Zealand. Captain Olphert recommended the formation of a Volunteer Reserve Division. Both their letters of concern produced no results. Then the vessel Pioneer was scrapped and Captain Mullins was appointed to stand by her successor being built in Taikoo Dockyard in Hong Kong. Captain Mullins then spent his leave in England where he joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a lieutenant commander. He then resumed writing to the secretariat and this time with more authority as a serving reserve officer. On September 1939 he was in Hong Kong when WW II was declared.
By that time the ship that was wordlessly understood to be named Viti and would be commandeered by the admiralty was completed. Gunnery officers from the naval dockyard conducted the gunnery trials and members of the Hong Kong Royal Navy Volunteer Force conducted the minesweeping trials for RCS Viti. *The sinking of the Royal Mail Trans-Pacific Steamer Niagara in the approaches to Auckland Harbour by German commerce raiders operating in the South Pacific in June 1940. The Governor of Fiji immediately sent a signal for his minesweeper as the Germans were beginning to sink ships at his backdoor.
In Fiji the Government woke up to the situation and had formed the Fiji Naval Volunteer Force (FNVF). There was no one to guide the organisation and it suffered for that reason. Not being properly administered, it was purely a local force and had no meaning outside Fiji. The members only met at night and on weekends and drilled with small arms and learned visual signalling. Their uniform was khaki shirt and shorts with naval uniform cap. Young men shied away from joining the group as it resembled nothing more than a sea scout group.
However, the timely arrival of RCS Viti boosted the morale of members of FNVF. The first task given to RCS Viti upon her arrival was to provide training to the ratings of FNVF. Members of FNVF boarded RCS Viti and the ship departed Suva for their training deployment in Nadi bay where minesweeping and gun drills were taught and practiced. After completing their training deployment, RCS Viti was deployed to New Hebrides and New Caledonia. Later the ship was ordered to New Hebrides. RCS Viti made several voyages round the islands of the Western Pacific High Commission and a voyage to the dockyard in Auckland where additional training system was provided. Then in April 1942 she was commissioned under the White Ensign and took her first naval task on the establishment of coast watching stations. This was followed by the transferal of the Fiji Naval Volunteer Force to Fiji Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve.
By January 1955, the FRNVR became a legal identity. Lieutenant Commander Slinger Woods, RNZVR was the inaugural commanding officer and Lieutenant S.B. Brown was promoted to lieutenant commander and appointed executive commander. Members of the FRNVR were also deployed to Christmas Island in 1957 on board the flagship HMS Warrior to observe bomb test code named Operation Grapple.
This will be a weekly series by the RFNS that will culminate with their 50th year celebration on July 25 and the launch of a book on establishment and the journey of the Naval Division.
