YAGHTSMEN IN WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 71, 23 March 1918, Page 6

YAGHTSMEN IN WAR.

LIEUTENANT WALTER MARKS, R.N.V.R. ON SERVICE SINCE 1914. TRIBUTE TO AUCKLAND MEN, There arrived at Auckland yesterday lieut. Walter Marks, R.N.V.RL, commodore of the Royal Prince Alfred' Yacht Club, Sydney, who is on short furlough after three and' a half years? .strenuous naval service. Lieut. Marks, who is probably the most prominent Australian yachtsman, has many friends in Auckland, having spent some! time here in 1913, when he lectured on his experiences with Sir Thomas Lipton in the bitter's attempts to win the America Cup. "I went to England in 1914," he said in an interview, "at the request of Sir Thomas Lipton, to accompany Shamrock IV. on her voyage to New York. We -were in mid-Atlantic on August 5, when Sir Thomas' steam yacht Erin picked & •wireless message from a banana boat Ijound for Madeira, "England has de«lared war on Germany.' Soon afterwards we heard the German cruisers Dresden and Karlsruhe, about 2SO miles towards New "York, exchanging messages. It was decided to take the Shamrock in tow, and make for Bermuda, which was about 250 miles out of our track. We sheltered there for four days, and then, on Admiralty advice, proceeded in tow to Ne-w York, "where the Shamrock was hauled up and a shed built over her. There she awaits the .end of the war, when the race will, be sailed. A short time ago I surveyed her at Sir Thomas Liptoivs request* and am glad to say that she is as' sound as when she was built. Sir Thomas insists that I shall accompany him in the race when it comes otF. Ho told mc lately that he hopes to visit both Australia and New Zealand after the war."

SOME LOCAL MEN.

For ever three years Lieutenant Marks has ibeen in command of large units of •patrol vessels. At the first opportunity he returned to England and offered his services to. the Admiralty. -Since then he has been engaged in submarinechasing, patrolling, and minesweeping in the- North Sea and other waters. At first he was placed iv command of trawler and drifter units, but later he was. given a large flotilla of motor boats. "I have had under mc. New Zealand officers, chief motor mechanics, and motor mechanics." he said. 'They are all doing excellent- work, and are giving entire satisfaction to the authorities wherever they are placed. They are keen and enthusiastic about their work. As one of them s_id to mc. 'We aren't here for our health, but to do something for the dear old flag.'. Lieutenant Palmer, of Auckland, was mine-sweeping with mc. and is now on. special service. He is an excellent sailorman and a good fellow. I also saw a good deal of Cecil Leys, Endeau. Alexander, and Bloomfield, all of whom are doing excellent work. Two chief motor mechanics, Sooooner and Butcher, from Christchurch, I think; were on my ship with mc sweeping for mines a few weeks ago. and they gave every satisfaction. All the New Zealand men wish to be remembered to their friends here. Like everyone else they wish that the war was over, but they will see it through. A| number of- theraTexpfesSed"a~~ wish to mc that they might be allowed to remain in.the service after the war. It -would 'be a fine tbing_. and I hope that something will be done to retain such valuable material, if not at Home, then in Australian and New Zealand waters. One of the chief lecturers" at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, told mc that the New Zealandera were about the smartest crowd he had ever dealt with. Cecil Leys, of Auckland, was one of the very few men passing through who obtained the 'V.G.I.' mark. (Very good indeed.)

"Optimism prevails in both services." went on Lieutenant Marks. "At the same time all concerned realise the great task ahead, but they have no fear of the result. Ships and men are simply magnificent, and" all hands are longing to get to holts with the Hun. The feeling seems to be that the big fight will eventuate some - day.- The submarine menace is serious, but in the words of Sir Eric Geddes. we are 'holding them.' -Service conditions prevent mc discussing this aspect, and most other aspects, of the war at sea, but people may rest assured that the Sne Admiralty Board is missing nothing that can be done to deal with the submarine.

HARD LIFE AT SEA. "I am going back to Sydney for a month," said Lieutenant Marks in conclusion, "and then I return to the Old Country to report for duty. The work at sea is very trying—terribly exciting one moment and dreadful monotony the next. Still, I wouldn't miss it for" anything. For the last ten months 1 have been mine-sweeping, aud when I left had just finished clearing two enormous m:nofieldi;. I have had some wonderfai escapes from mines, seaplane bombs, and enemy craft, but someLiow when one is afloat one doesn't give a thought to such things. One shnpiy carries on aud does his best."

In passing through America on his way out, Lieutenant Marks visited several training : camps, and acquired the very' highest .Opinion cf the' troops. "They arc young men." he says, "hard as nails, keen/intelligent, and all anxious to get to the front. .1 don't think 1 havi> seen finer bodies of men anywhere. The amount of AVork that is being done in America is amazing. There is naturally some confusion, but order is evolving quickly. The Americans know now what they can do. and are doing it. Several of them said to mc. 'We have talked too much in the past: now we will do things.' 1 am certain, that America is in it to the finish, or, as the Americans put it. 'We "••re going to be right there.' "