SERVICE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 136, 11 June 1934, Page 5

SERVICE NOTES.

NEW SLOOP LEITH.

COMMISSIONING TRIALS. DEFENCE -OF SINGAPORE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON", April 20. The new sloop Leith, which is being completed at Devonport for service on the New Zealand station, should lie ready for lihe pennant about the middle of July, provided that her trials are satisfactory. These will begin on June 1 and last a week or so. The Lcith is of the new type of sloop, which is an improvement upon both the war and the post-war sloops. 'She is better armed, and, it is thought, will prove speedier than the type in commission at the moment. The Leith measures 250 feet in length, has a beam of 36 feet, a draught of 7A feet, and at that displaces 2000 tons. Her engines are of 2000 h.p., calculated to give a speed of 16J knots. Her armament consists of two 4.7 in guns and one Sin anti-aircraft gun, and four 3-pounders. When completed she will represent an outlay of about £335,500, including £10,000 for her guns. Captain Oliver Bevir will command lnr during her coinmissioning trials. She will take the place of the sloop Veronica, now on passage . home from New Zealand for disposal. Anti-Aircraft Brigade. Following out the scheme as set forth in the Army Estimates, 1934-35, tiio headquarters of the new third Auti-Air-craft Brigade and the 11th Anti-Aircraft Battery have been formed at Gosport, for service in the Straits Settlements. The seventh battery, Singapore, is transferred to the new Anti-Aircraft Brigade, from the Seventh Heavy Brigade, in Malaya, The defence of Singapore against air attack is receiving every attention in consequence of the greatly extended area over which bombing squadrons can work from their bases — m now not much below 1000 miles. m