NEW COMMODORE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 166, 27 April 1935, Page 3

NEW COMMODORE

THE NEW ZEALAND DIVISION.

REAR-ADMIRAL'S FAREWELL

SIGNAL.

(Per Press Association.) • AUCKLAND, April 26

With naval ceremonial appropriate to the occasion, the new Commodore of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, Captain the Hon. E. It. Drummond, virtually took oyer command to-day from Hear - Admiral F. Burges Watson, whose term of three years on the station has expired. Captain Drummond will take over full command of the Division as Commodore to-morrow.

As the new Commodore stepped on board the flagship Dunedin" he was given a commodore's salute, in addition to being piped on board. The broad pennant of Rear-Admiral Burges Watson on the Dunedin was struck at sunset, ending officially his association with the Division. At 8 o'clock tomorrow morning Captain Drummond's broad pennant will be broken at the masthead of the Duned|n, and he will officially take over as Commodore. A salute of 11 guns will be fired from H.M.S. Diomede, and will be answered by a salute of seven guns from the shore battery at the base. In a farewell signal, Rear-Admiral Burges Watson thanked the Division for its keenness and loyalty during his period of command. "My last three years in the navy," he added, "have been the happiest in my 35 years' service. Good-bye and good luck." Rear-Admiral Burges Watson will sail from Auckland by the Wanganella on Monday. i

H.M.S. punedin, which has completed her biennial refit and has extended to full complement, will remain in port until May 7, when she will sail for Hauraki Gulf for a period to enable the new ship's company to "shake down." She will return to port on May 18. Both the Dunedin and the Diomede will make island cruises during the winter, but the full programmes have yet to be announced.