1 June 1940
The Dominion Yachtsman Scheme was established by the British Admiralty to recruit volunteers from across the Dominions. They were to serve as naval officers and sailors in the Royal Navy (RN).
About 500 men across Australia volunteered as ‘Yachties’ through the Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RANVR). Volunteers were initially sourced from yacht clubs hence the name Yachtsman Scheme. However, very few volunteers had yachting or sailing experience.
Yachties served mainly on the lower decks before being promoted as officers. Some served on:
- battleships
- aircraft carriers
- cruisers
- destroyers
- minesweepers
- submarines
- special forces.
The vast majority, however, were recruited to serve on smaller ships:
- trawlers
- motor launches
- ships for landing tanks and infantry.
This reflected the original purpose of the Yachtsman Scheme. Serving on submarines or large warships was not out of the question. Four Australian Yachtsmen served aboard HMS Hood when it was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck.
As an island nation, Britain was completely reliant on its overseas connections. This included not only recruits like the Yachties, but also war materiel, food and other supplies. The protection of merchant convoys became one of the most important missions of the war.
Victory against Germany could not be won on just one front. Supplying the Soviets fighting on the Eastern Front was essential for the Allies’ collective defence. Most Yachtsmen, therefore, served in the Atlantic Ocean on convoy escort service throughout the Battle of the Atlantic and with the Arctic convoys.
The Yachties were vital to the Allied cause. They acted as well-trained sailors crewing the escort ships responsible for defending the merchant convoys.
Dispersed as they were throughout the Royal Navy, the Yachties often found they were the only Australian on board a ship. Thus, their nationality became a point of pride.
The Yachtsman Scheme is yet another example of the way that Australia contributed to Second World War operations by protecting sea connections for the defence and supply of allies.