"EVANS OF THE BROKE."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 258, 31 October 1929, Page 31

"EVANS OF THE BROKE."

MEET AUSTRALIA'S ADMIRAL

A HEARTY SON OF THE SEA.

GREAT FIGHTER, GREAT "SPORT."

(By F.U.)

Daresay you have met several naval officers in your time, fine fellows most of them, no doubt; dashing scrappers when it comes to a fight; splendid keepers of the seas, and all that sort of thin"; but most of them very reserved — dashed haughty in manner, as a matter of fact, compared with mere civilian standards. Well, there's nothing of frigid reserve or hauteur about Rear-Admiral Evans, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Australian Navy. Rear-Admiral Evans is a jolly chap, a "mixer"; in the true sense, what we Australians call "a sport"; equally at home with the humble and the great, jlen of the sea are sometimes close and reticent; not so Evans. Open and cheery, he speaks with the candour which is reflected on his countenance. On serious subjects he speaks Avith due regard to their importance; in lighter mood, he •jests delightfully, bubbling over with a merriment that is infectious. "One of the boys," was how the chairman introduced him" at a dinner tendered him recently by members of a great yachting club, and the crowd rose and sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" with an enthusiasm it was splendid to experience, following it up with an improvised song about the "sun's shining bright on Teddy Evans— for he's a 'bosker' " —"bosker," of course, meaning superlatively excellent. I met the Admiral at a function at palm Beach, the occasion being the unveiling by him of a cairn to commemorate the naming of that part of Broken Bay, Pittwater, by Governor Phillip 141 years before. In a few eloquent phrases the Admiral thanked the Historical Society for having thus remembered the sailor pioneers of the past, whom he picturesquely phrased as "men trained in the hard school of high masts and howljntf gales." Photographers having failed to "get" him as he lifted the Union Jack from the cairn, he repeated the action for them. "Do it again, Admiral!" The Admiral did it, ever willing to assist anyone at any time, which is one of his characteristics. Somehow— I don't quite know why it reminded me of another commander I knew years ago, a much more humbly placed one—when I was serving my time on a windjammer—a rough and dirty little hooker—as an apprentice, which in those days was something to be kicked from aft to for'ard and for'ard to aft. That man, mighty on his own ship, came down into the half-deck house and showed me how to sew a patch in my pants. He, too, was a sailor of the Evans type—and in other circumstances he might have been as great. Among the Ladies. After the Palm Beach ceremony we started off on a climb of some 400 feet to-the lighthouse on top of Barrenjoey, the Admiral being the gayest of the crowd, and certainly appearing to have the' soundest wind. In the great lighthouse he displayed the curiosity of a boy, interesting the keenest interest m every detail. And not the least interest, by the way, was devoted to the two pretty golden-haired daughters of the lightkeeper, with whom he lingered long in gallant conversation on the stairs after theremainder of the visitors had left. He •was mildly reproached by one of those in charge of the party. "Do you blame me?" asked the Admiral, who had charmingly informed the two girls that they were "angels." "No; but we will be late for dinner," replied one of the hosts. But dinner didn't worry the Admiral! However, he found plenty of consolation at the dinner given that night by the Royal Motor Boat Club, of Broken Bay,- in its beautifully-situated clubhouse, for it was mixed company, and there were many beautiful girls present —all "angels," according to the distinguished guest, who was, of course, the centre of attraction. Perfectly natural, free and easy, graceful in compliment, no wonder half the ladies declared themselves "in. love" with him. But Evans is too popular with the men to have aroused any jealousy, even in the most jealous husbands or sweethearts. He wore the plain uniform of "undress, and beside his fully-uniformed and greatly gold-laced flag lieutenant, was almost a sombre-clad figure—but you never saw a more dapper one, nor more trim-like a man. Nor did you ever look upon a merrier face, or hear a merrier voice, as le spoke in lighter vein at the dinner, or chatted with the ladies in the dance which followed. And it would be hard for you to hear better stories than ne told in the smoking room, in between dances, to a strictly male audience. A Great Entertainer; "They tell me you never wash in Polar regions, Evans," says Civic Commissioner Garlick. "Oh yes; we got a wash once a fortnight or so," replied the admiral, who had been three voyages: to the South Pole. "That reminds me of the lady who reproached a somewhat silent onicer, who was off on a second trip to tne Antarctic. 'You don't seem too fenthusiastic about it,' she remarked. 'Either would you, if you had to sleep m a cramped space, with a dirty sailor ou one side of you and a dirty fireman on the other,' he replied. 'Indeed, she said, indignantly, 'I have no intention of sleeping between a dirty sailor and a dirty fireman.'" . ~. , At dinner, the admiral, m JoHiest mood, referred to his visit to Barrenjoey. "I asked about the historical associations of Barrenjoey," he said. But an I could learn about was the cockatoos. I once knew a young lady in Eng ana— a modest, shy, retiring girl, who blushed with shame every time she had a batli because the canary said, Peep, peep. Somebody sent her a cockatoo from Australia, and when the canary called, Peep, peep!' the cockatoo said, Have a good look!" ' , ; . !. It was not the ladies who laughed the least at this yarn, and when the merriment had somewhat subsided, it was stirred to full activity again by tne admiral, after paying furthei compliments to the fair sex, stating that fie had just received a telegram from his wife, who had been "giving away prizes or something" that afternoon, "Teddy, remember you're a married M *? ! am sending this reply," said the Admiral: . . ~ "Sorry, but your wire arrived too me. But the beautiful Norwegian wife of Admiral Evans would readily forgive this joke at her expense, for everyone knows the devotion of the couple, one to the other. The marriage was a romance, ana a romance it continues. "People call me 'Admiral'," said Evans in concluding his reply to the toast of the guest at this dinner. "I'm really only a rear-admiral. Next step will be vice-admiral—and you know there's, no

vice about me. But I tell you -what—if this hospitality continues," he added, indicating his glass, 'Til jolly soon be a 'full , admiral." When He Was "Broke." Such a man is this lovable, jesting sailor who commands Australia's Navy. "Evans of the Broke." they call him — and add to the toast, "May he never go 'broke'," to which the Admiral replied, in the quiet confidence of the smoke room, that the happiest days of his life were when he "didn't have a bob in his pocket." Edward Radeliffe Garth Russell was the son of a Welsh lawyer, and entered the Navy 32 years ago, at the age of sixteen. He was navigating officer to the Antarctic relief ship "Morning" in _ two voyages, joined the Antarctic expedition as second in command under Scott in 1909, and brought the mournful company back after Scott's death. The outbreak of the Great War saw him a commander in the Navy, and he was in command of the Broke when, in 1917, that vessel and the Swift defeated six German destroyers, sinking three, off the Belgian coast, in an action fought in complete darkness. The Broke sank one German by ramming it, and a fierce hand-to-hand fight took place on the Broke's decks. Evans was the hero of that memorable battle, but he never talks about it, unless pressed for particulars by some genuine inquirer. For Evans is as modest as he is brave.