Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

In the 110 years of the Royal Australian Navy's existence only four sailors have served as Warrant Officersnand later in their careers as a Captain RAN. Three of those me achieved this feat between 2008 and 2021 the fourth over 70 years ago.

That man was Captain Charles Herbert Blacklock. Charles was born in Cheshire UK in 1900 and joined the RAN in 1916 as a boy, training on HMAS Tingara. He posted to the surveying sloop HMAS Fantome in 1917 as a Boy Writer. Over the next six years he served in HMAS Cerberus, HMAS Cerberus (II) and HMAS Sydney before returning to Tingara in 1923. He was clearly an intelligent man and in 1922 he had qualified for advancement to Warrant Rank as well as qualifying as a Librarian and in First Aid.

In December 1923 Charles was promoted Mate (Admin), the Warrant Officer rank for sailors of the Administration Branch. On promotion he posted to HMAS Adelaide, followed by postings to HMAS Platypus, HMAS Sydney, HMAS Penguin and HMAS ANZAC, before being commissioned as a Paymaster Lieutenant in 1926. Charles was clearly a valued officer and he survived the massive retrenchments of the Great Depression. He married Hazel Mansing in Melbourne in November 1932. Between 1926 and 1934 he served in HMAS Albatross, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Penguin, he was promoted to Paymaster Lieutenant Commander in 1934. He was the commissioning Paymaster of the Sloop HMAS Yarra, serving on the ship from 1936 to 1939.

The Second World War saw Charles serving briefly on HMAS Adelaide before promotion to Paymaster Commander and proceeding to the UK serving as the RAN's Accountant Officer in HMS Drake the base establishment at Devonport, Plymouth. In February 1943 he joined the Heavy Cruiser HMAS Shropshire after the ship had been gifted to Australia to replace HMAS Canberra. He remained with Shropshire until mid-1944 at which time he posted to Fleet Headquarters in Sydney (HMAS Kuttabul) as the secretary to the Flag Officer in Charge Sydney.
78-79
1947 would see Charles returning to the UK to become the commissioning Paymaster Commander of HMAS Sydney, this posting included time on RN Courses and six months as the Assistant Naval Liaison Officer. In addition to his duties as Sydney's Paymaster he was also the Fleet Supply Officer. Charles remained on Sydney until January 1950 at which time he was promoted to Captain (Supply) and posted to HMAS Cerberus and then to HMAS Lonsdale in 1952 for duties in Navy Office, serving on the staff of the Secretary of the Navy and then as the Director of Organization and Methods Unit.

Charles Blacklock retired from the RAN on the 4th of August 1955, his 55th birthday. He continued to work in Navy Office as a civilian until his death in Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital in 1960. His wife Hazel would continue to live in Melbourne until her death in 1976.

Charles was clearly an exceptional man. To have risen from the ranks to Captain in a time when breeding and education often took precedence over competence was a remarkable feat.