In HMAS LATROBE, as navigator in
1951 he saw service in Victorian and Tasmanian waters training ratings
from the Recruit School. In December 1951 he commissioned HMAS COOTAMUNDRA
as First Lieutenant. This ship, based in Sydney, was engaged in Reserve
and minesweeping training.
Transferred to HMAS HAWKSBURY as
First Lieutenant in January 1953, he saw service mostly in New Guinea
waters and fishing patrol off Darwin. He paid this ship off in August
1955 having been in command for the last four months.
Promoted to Lt Cdr in August 1955,
he then became Officer-in-Charge of the Marine Section at Jervis Bay
responsible for the Search and Rescue Squadron based there.
In the beginning of 1957 he was
appointed for liaison duties in connection with the re-establishment
of the Royal Australian Naval College and thus became the first Officer
to be appointed to RANC Jervis Bay for full time duties.
He joined HMAS QUEENBROUGH as Executive
Officer in the middle of 1957 and saw service around Australia and
in the Far East Station.
In July 1959 he joined HMAS LEEUWIN
in Fremantle, West Australia as First Lieutenant and Reserve Training
Officer. In early 1960 he was re-appointed as the First Training Officer
for the newly found Junior Recruit Training Establishment. He left
West Australia in September 1961 and after a round of courses and
a brief period in command of HMAS QUEENBOROUGH he joined HMAS QUIBERON
as its Commanding Officer in December 1961.
He was promoted to Commander December
31st, 1961.
In 1964 I last met him in Jakarta as 'Rolly' Parker came rolling across the tarmac to the Hercules I had just arrived on, enroute to Singapore. "Where's my beer?" was his cry. "Hello Wade, fancy seeing you here" he said as he stuck out his hand in frendship. "Which ship are you on now?" he enquired. After shaking hands, I told him it was the Parramatta. "Who's your commanding officer then?" "Scrivener" I replied, not too eagerly. "Oh ", he said . . . then slapping me on the back he continued, "tell him this is from me and say hi."
Like bloody hell I would, if any of you knew Cdr Scrivener you would understand that NO lower deck man would be game to even try to slap him on the back let alone be free with friendships with him! If 'Rolly' Parker was the best skipper I ever served under, Cdr Scrivener was the worst. During my time on the Parramatta, it was not a happy ship, whereas the Quiberon was a cohesive team that could, and did, best many newer ships because it was a happy ship . . . this only happens when you have a good skipper.