 Waller entered the Royal Australian Naval College ( RANC ) as a cadet midshipman on 31 December 1913 , aged thirteen . He gained recognition as a rugby player and became cadet captain . In 1917 , his final year at the college , he was raised to chief cadet captain and won the King 's Medal , awarded for " gentlemanly bearing , character , good influence among his fellows and officer @-@ like qualities " . Promoted to midshipman on 1 January 1918 , he was posted to Britain where , in April , he was appointed to serve in the Royal Navy 's ( RN ) Grand Fleet with the dreadnought HMS Agincourt . The ship did not see combat while he was on board . 
