CRUISER RETURNS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 180, 1 August 1932, Page 5

CRUISER RETURNS.

H.M.S. DUNEDIN IN PORT. LONG ABSENCE IN ENGLAND, INCIDENTS OF THE VOYAGE.

After being absent from the New Zealand station for nearly a year and a half, H.M.s. Dunedin returned to Auckland this morning. The cruiser reported by wireless last week that she would arrive at 11 o'clock and on the tick of that hour she steamed slowly past the Devonport wharf on her way to her berth at the Sbeerlegs.

There was an animated scene at the naval base as the cruiser came alongside the wharf. On the ship the crew .were formed, up for the warship's entry into port, and the band was playing on the quarter deck. The cruiser flew two flags, the New Zealand flag at her bow and. the White Ensign at her stern. No salutes wero fired, but there was the customary guard on the quarter deck. On the jetty, where boys from the tramin"- ship Philomel stood, ready to lend a "hand with the mooring lines, there was a crowd of several hundred. Young wives, several of them with children born after the cruiser left Auckland for Eno-land, crowded as near to the ship as they were allowed, and concealed their impatience as best they could until the ship was securely moored and trie men were allowed as-hore. It was a sunny morning and an ideal day for the cruiser's home-coming. Anvone who expected to sec the Dunedin a different looking ship from when ehe sailed from Auckland must have been disappointed. To the ordinary eye she was exactly the same as when she left. But actually the cruiser is now as thoroughly up-to-date as it is possible for her to be. Her overhaul at Chatham cost £129,000, including the cost of labour, and was as thorough ae one would expect in anything connected with the Navy. When she left England her paint was spotless, but naturally this morning there was evidence of her lono- voyage to New Zealand, fcven so, she made a real naval picture as she steamed up harbour.

The Voyage to Auckland,

Her overhaul completed, the Dunedin was placed in commission on May 26, and four days later she was visited by the Hi"h Commissioner for New Zealand, Sir Thomas Wilford. Stores and ammunition were taken on board at Sheerness, and on June 2 the cruiser sailed for Auckland. At Spithead a short stop was made in order that the ships wireless plant might be tested. After leaving England the Dunedin's first port of call was Gibraltar, where a stay of four days was made. A cricket match played by the cruiser's team against the representatives from H.M.s. Ceres, was won by the Dunedin by seven wickets. During the warship's stay at Gibraltar the Governor, General Sir Alexander Godley, G.C.8., K.C.M.G., a former commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces, came on board and addressed the New Zealand members of the crew. When the cruiser continued her voyage she was played out of harbour by the bu«-le band of the Second Battalion, D.C.L.I. . . From Gibraltar the cruiser went to Madeira. Here a stay of two days was made. The ship's Soccer representatives took the field against the Uniao Club, the crack side of the island, and were defeated by eight goals to three. After Madeira the next stop was Jamaica, where the cruiser's company met the sporting representatives of the Northumberland Fusiliers in friendly combat. Honours were with the cruiser all the way, the man-o'-war's-men being successful at cricket, Soccer, rifle shooting and swimming. Three days were spent at Jamaica, and then the ship went to Balboa. Visit to Galapagos. The Dunedin's first call in the Pacific was at the Galapagos, where a two days' stay was made. It was the first time for several years that a New Zealand vessel had called at the islands. The officers took advantage of the ship's visit to enjoy some excellent fishing. At Nukuhiva, the cruiser's next port of call, the ship replenished her oil supply from the Admiralty tanker Nucula. The officers enjoyed further fishing, and officers and men had other outings in the way of sailing picnics. A football match played against the island representatives resulted in an easy win for the cruiser. From Nukuhiva the Dunedin went to Bora Bora, where three days were spent. Further sailing picnics were held, and Commodore Burges Watson, together with a number of officers and 200 ratings from H.M.s. Diomede, which is making an Island cruise, were entertained by the Dunedin's concert party. On the way from Bora Bora to Auckland a stay or six hours was made at Sunday Island, but the sea was too rough to allow any of the officers or men to go ashore. The voyage, both to and from England, was uneventful. • The health of the ship's company was excellent, and there were no accidents. Fine weather was experienced both going and coming. The cruiser arrived in the Hauraki Gulf late yesterday afternoon, and anchored for the night off Kawau. New Ratings. On board the Dunedin when she arrived this morning were 190 ratings who have come to New Zealand for the first time. The 93 New Zealand ratings who went Home on the ship have all returned. While the cruiser was undergoing' her overhaul they had instruction courses ashore, and also saw service with British vessels in. the Atlantic.

Asked what the Dunedin possessed in the way of new equipment, one of the bluejackets said that she now boasted a radio gramophone. "It plays in the dog watches and at meal times," he said. It was obvious that the radio gramophone was'popular. Captain M. J. C. do Meric, M.V.0., was in charge of the Dunedin on her voyage both to and from England. Her officers were: —Commander P. 'J. R. W. WilliamPowlett, Lieutenant-Commander C. D. Arbuthnot, Lieutenants S. H. Carlill, K. S. Backhouse, K. R. Buckley, N. R. Quill and R. H. Courage; Commander (E.) R. A. Fletcher, Lieutenant (E.) T. G. B. Winch, Captain L. Priestley, Royal Marines; Paymaster-Commander E. C. Fenton, Paymaster-Lieutenant J. G. Bennett; Surgeon-Commander J. E. Clark; Sub-Lieutenant B. Walford; Commissioned Gunners W. Paige and R. H. Shipcott; Gunner E. J. Watts; War-rant-Engineers F I. Sharman and J. H. Longman; Schoolmaster I. D. Lawrence; Warrant-Shipwright S. H. Tozer.