Out of sight, but never out of mind. Stokers are the lifeblood of any modern navy.

Any time, day or night, Royal Australian Navy stokers quietly work unseen in the dark depths below deck, keeping ships on the move.

For Marine Technician Able Seaman Owen Bayard, there’s an immense sense of satisfaction in the anonymity of their service.

“It fills me with a lot of pride and responsibility in my work. It makes me feel good when I know the job I was given to do is done,” Able Seaman Bayard said.

“At the end of the day, no-one knew who Superman’s real identity was and he was able to live with it.”

While Able Seaman Bayard is on his first regional presence deployment to South-East and East Asia, he comes armed with generational knowledge imprinted on him by his grandfather.

It is a testament to how Australia has continually maintained a robust program of international engagement with countries in and around the Indo-Pacific for decades.

“It feels great knowing I am doing similar stuff to what my grandfather did when he was my age,” Able Seaman Bayard said.

“He joined when the enlistment age was 15, and said he absolutely adored it, and he talked it up when I was a kid, so I wanted to see what he was talking about, in person.”

'It feels great knowing I am doing similar stuff to what my grandfather did when he was my age.'

Fellow stoker Marine Technician Able Seaman Callum Kirkwood said, despite also embarking on his first regional presence deployment, he was well prepared to keep HMAS Toowoomba on the move thanks to Australia’s continual presence in the region.

“It’s everything I expected and more. I’ve found the lifestyle on the ship a lot better than I was expecting in terms of the routine and work hours,” Able Seaman Kirkwood said.

“We tend to do a lot of long-range transits like this, especially in this area. We’re always here, so we don’t ever have to push the engines too hard. It’s a great training opportunity.”

As a new Stoker, Able Seaman Kirkwood feels a deep sense of responsibility living up to the legacy of a position that can trace its origins back to the beginning of the Royal Australian Navy.

“It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding, because without us the ship doesn’t move, and I know back then they were working a lot harder. They used to stoke the fires, now we don’t have to do that, we just have to make sure there’s fuel in the tanks, so I’d definitely choose modern times,” Able Seaman Kirkwood said.

But despite the changes in technology, Able Seaman Kirkwood feels a special bond that stokers share, one that transcends time.

“What we have in common with the stokers from back then is the pride and patriotism from not only wanting to serve our country, but also because as stokers you know that someone has to do it. Someone has to keep the ship going,” Able Seaman Kirkwood said.

Commanding Officer Toowoomba Commander Alicia Harrison reaffirmed the vital role stokers play as part of the fabric of a rich maritime tradition.

“Since the arrival of our first River-class destroyers more than a century ago, stokers have been the backbone of the Royal Australian Navy. No ship in our fleet can sail without them,” Commander Harrison said.

“While their work may not always be celebrated, it is never unnoticed. I am extremely proud of the hardworking and dedicated stokers on board my ship. 

“They are crucial to Australia’s commitment and ability to maintain a near-continuous presence in the Indo-Pacific region to support regional security and stability.”