NAVY ETIQUETTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 78, 2 April 1928, Page 7

NAVY ETIQUETTE.

OFFICERS FALL OUT. Disagreements Lead To CourtMartial. ROYAL OAK DANOE INCIDENT. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) GIBRALTAR, April 1. The trial by court-martial was commenced yesterday of Commander H. M. Daniel and Captain G. B. Dewar, the two officers concerned in the recent trouble on the battleship Royal Oak at Malta.

Commander Daniel is charged with committing a breach of discipline in connection with a report upon the events connected with the departure of RearAdmiral Bernard St. G. Collard, which the former addressed to Captain Dewar.

The terms of this are alleged to have been subversive of discipline and contrary to the King's Regulations, as they contained criticisms of his superior Rear-Admiral Collard.

Captain Dewar is charged with accepting and forwarding Commander Daniel's letter to Vice-Admiral Kelly, who was commanding the first battle squadron.. Captain Dewar and Commander Daniel are jointly charged under section 43 of the Naval Discipline Act.

The Judge-Advocate quoted from Commander Daniel's letter, which is the basis of the charges, describing the circumstftnees Which attended Admiral Collard's departure from the ship. It referred to a great commotion on the quarter-deck owing to the Admiral's anger, saying he was indeed furious.

The letter also said the Admiral had declared that he was "fed up" with the ship. The writer said he considered the moral of the ship had suffered and that discipline had been endangered by the incident. He added: "All the officers were deeply resentful of the humiliation to which their ship and captain had been subjected. Apologies would serve no useful purpose."

The Judge-Advocate then read Captain Dewar's letter. The writer commenced by saying he was loth to criticise a superior officer, but he considered it his duty when discipline was undermined. Once Admiral Collard had criticised the ship's band, saying he had never heard such a — band. He abused the band* master, whom he described as a — this and — that. The missing word was not mentioned in Court.

Captain Dewar added that Admiral Collard said within the hearing of ratings: "The Royal Oak is not fit to be an admiral's ship. He treats me worse than a midshipman. I "annot get my — orders obeyed."

Counsel for accused asked Admiral "Lollard if he thought the complaints of Captain Dewar and Commander Daniel were justified. He replied that he considered them both insubordinate, a« it was- their duty to brine complaints to him verbally.

Asked if the two officers had honestly, he replied that they had acted foolishly. He explained the dance incident. He said he .saw many ladies sitting out instead of dancing, and he told Commander Daniel it was disgraceful and that the commander must do his official job.

According to Captain Dewar'* letur of comprint addressed to Vice-Ad:n>al Kelly, Admiial Collard gave a party on board the ship on January 3. During a dance Admiral Collard threatened Captain Dewar in the presence of the guests. He said that unless he made Commander Daniel do his duty by introducing people to each other he (Admiral Collard) woul.i make Commander Daniel do it.

Captain Dewar said he considered the admiral was unjustified, as e" the officers were taking turns at introducing people.

Captain Dewar also said he considered Admiral Collard's manner was improper. The same evening the admiral told the bandmaster, before the whole band and several guests, that he had not heard such a clanky noise in his life.

Captain Dewar dismissed the band and summoned the jazz band. Later the admiral repeated that the bandmas er must be sent home without delay.

Admiral Collard's attack on the bandmaster had caused indignation among the officers, who had all tried to make the dance a success. Later Admiral Collard told Captain Dewar that the chaplain had been inquiring about a report to the effect that the admiral had called the bandmaster a—. The latter commented that an investigati >n on the spot conclusively confirmed the allegations.

In a further reference to the latter incident Captain Dewar said the admiral also remarked: "This — ship." He added that he would ask to have his flag removed. Next day Admiral Collard ignored the commander and others, and shouted his own orders. Nor did he return Captain Dewar's salute.

Admiral Collard, cross-examined regarding Captain Dewar's letter, said that when he found the ladies sitting out while men were standing around, he drew Captain Dewar's attention to it. Captain Dewar replied angrily that the commander had charge of the arrangements. Admiral Collard told them to make the commander do his job. He saw that the bandmaster was apparently sleepy. The music was dragging anil the dance was becoming a "frost." He told the bandmaster he had never heard such a — awful noise called dance music. Nobody overheard him.

Admiral Collard said that when he found on a previous occasion that his orders were not obeyed he summoned Captain Dewar, who came angrily. He drew the captain's attention to the neglect of his orders, adding: "I am sick of you as flag-captain. Either you go or I shift my flag." Captain Dewar blamed Commander Daniel, and became very angry and argumentative. Admiral Collard denied that any of the incidents had happened in the hearing of other persons. When the evidence for the prosecution had been finished the Court heard evidence regarding the Royal Oak's moral. The chief stoker stated in evidence that Captain Dewar hart greatly Improved the happiness and moral of the ship's company by laying stress on the fact that everybody was entitled to complain of ill-treatment.' The Hearing was adjourned until Monday.