BOMBARDMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 11

BOMBARDMENTS.

DOMINION CRUISERS.

day and night firings.

SALVOS FROM 6IN GUNS.

Triple battle practice manoeuvres were carried out in the gulf yesterday by H.M. cruisers Duncdin, flagship of Commodore the Hon. E. E. Drummond, and Diomedc, commanded by Captain Cosmo Graham. The exercises bad been delayed two days owing to the rough weather making it unsafe to tow out the unwieldy practice target. However, early yesterday morning conditions had improved sufficiently for H.M.S. Wellington, commanded by Commander J. B. E. Hall, to get the target in tow and out into the gulf in readiness for the exercises.

At noon the two cruisers left thijir anchorage in the harbour and steamed out to the "battle ground" at a steady 20 knots. During the two hours' voyage the ships were prepared for action. Deck coverings and railings were stripper, hatchway covers battened down, wooden communicating doors taken from their hinges, and all exposed electric light bulbs removed.

By two o'clock in the afternoon, "1400" in naval parlance, everything was ready for the full-calibre gunnery practice. Behind each of the 6in guns were piled 15 rounds of ammunition, the solid 1001b steel shells separate from the canvas cases containing the 181b charge of cordite. Five miles away on the skyline the black smudge of the target could be faintly seen 600 yds behind the indistinct light-grey Wellington. The telephones at e&cli gun buzzed. "Enemy in sight," came the warning from the bridge. A small priming charge was fired through each gun to test them and the crews stood by waiting, tense for the order that would send salvo upon salvo of shells hurtling down on the far-distant objective.

Interested Spectators. The blue "All clear" flay fluttered from the foremast of the WellinTton. On board the flagship the director gunner •waited with liis finger on the synchronised trigger that fires every gun at once. The tension spread to the little group of military officers and civilians -watching the proceedings from the chart room bridge. Then dramatically came an interruption. The blue eafety flag on the Wellington was suddenly dipped. The radios in the Dunedin and Diomede crackled with an urgent message from Commander Hall: "Withhold fire, fishing trawler has appeared in the direct line of fire some four miles to starboard, proceedin" 1 in the same direction." The course of" the target was altered to bring it away from the trawler, and in about 20 minutes the "All clear" signal was asrain given. Both cruisers _ swung sharply round, presenting their starhoard sides to the target. The warning bell from the flagship's spotting top rang twice. Two seconds later came tue order "Fire!"

Dual Bombardment. The six guns thundered as one, sending a sickening shudder through the ship. The shells zoomed across the water hissing like an express train. An echoing roar from the Diomede, about a mile astern of the flagship, and the dual bombardment had commenced. Biting fumes of. burnt cordite curled from the guns. Before one had regained one's breath from the smashing concussion of the first salvo the warning bells rang again. "Fire. Every ten seconds with shattering regularity the tmn* fired. Cascades of water rose on every side of the target, indicating perfect shooting, because it is. not tne intention actually to hit and dama D e the £13,000 target. In a few minutes the bombardment was over, but it seemed;an eternity to those not accustomed to big gun fl rin r: Altering their course for the sheltered waters off the Coromandel Peninsula the cruisers at once prepared for torpedo practice. The two sets of triple tubes were swung out over the side and a sight laid on the target. By careful calculation of the driving mechanism the approximate point where the toi■pedoes would come to the surface was plotted. Two seaplanes from the Hobsonville air base hovered overhead to locate the exact position of the precious "fish." Each cruiser fired three torpedoes simultaneously, swung round in a half circle and belched dense blankets ol smoke to hide them from the enemy.

No difficulty was experienced in retrieving the torpedoes. When their ugly red snouts came to the suriace puffing smoke from their acetylene indicator tops tho seaplanes " os ®" (lived to the spot and whalers put oa from the cruisers to tow them back.

For the rest or the afternoon there was a lull and sailors were busy clearing up topsy-turvy cabins and odd broken clectric light bulbs.

Spectacular Night Firing. For the landsman the most dramatic part of the manoeuvres was the night liring. Shortly before 7 o'clock both cruisers wero darkened. Every porthole was covered with close-fitting shields and every deck light was put out. On the bridge and at the guns instruments Mere illuminated with dim hooded lights. In the distance^ the lights of the Wellington could be dimly seen. Suddenly the dark sky was torn by brilliant streams of shells. The target stood out in bold silhouette and the director gunner in tho flagship pressed the switch. A blinding flash of light burst from the Dunedin, and then from the Diomede. shells screamed over the water, their magnesium ends glowing like meteors in the sky. As they struck the water round the target they could clearly be seen to ricochet some distance into the air. In all 150 Sin shells and 30 star shells were fired during the day and night bombardments which, together with the torpedo practice, were carried out under battle conditions without the slightest hitch.