Two young Hawke's Bay men have picked up two of the main prizes at the recent graduation of 77 sailors who completed the Royal New Zealand Navy's Basic Common Training Course.
For Ashley Welsh of Hastings the graduation was doubly special - the 19-year-old picked up two awards.
As well as taking the Wayne (Buck) Shelford MBE Trophy for the Leading Physical Training Instructor, he was also awarded the Spedding Cup and Tankard for gaining the highest mark in parade training.
His parade training award gave him the honour of leading his peers as parade commander at the graduation gathering.
Twenty-two-year-old Damien Gillet-Jackson from Napier was presented the Spencer Tewsley Cup and Tankard, which is awarded to the best all-round Basic Common Trainee.