NEW FLAGSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1937, Page 5

NEW FLAGSHIP.

PENNANTS CHANGED. A PICTURESQUE CEREMONY. TRANSFER AT NAVAL BASE The picturesque ceremony of the j transferring of the flag of the commodore of the New Zealand station, Rear--1 Admiral the Hon. E. R. Drummond, from H.M.S. Dunedin to the cruiser I Achilles took place at the naval base, Devonport, at 9.00 this morning. The ceremony was one of the last to be observed on the Dunedin before her final departure in February for England. The Dunedin, which has been the Dominion's flagship for the past 12J years, will be replaced on the New Zealand station fey H.M.S. Leander. Shortly before 9.30 this morning guards of honour from the Royal Marines took up their position on the' quarter deck of each ship. As ,the Dunedin's bell struck 9.30, Rear-Admiral Drummond came on to the deck. The Admiral and ship's officers wore frocked coats and carried swords. Bugles then sounded the "Alert" and the "Admiral's Salute" was played, the guard of honour standing at the salute. On account of the awnings erected for cover against the heavy rain no bayonets were fixed. The Dunedin's guard was then inspected by the Admiral. The Admiral was next piped over the side, the broad pennant on the Dunedin was struck and the new one on the Achilles broken out. The Admiral was received on the Achilles by Captain I. G. Glennie and officers, and the "Alert" and-the "Salute" were again sounded and the Achilles' guard inspected. This concluded a brief but picturesque ceremony. The companies of the two ships were not mustered, but, while the ceremony was in progress on the after decks of the warships, carried out their customary duties. H.M.S. Dunedin has served on the New ( Zealand station since 1924. She I arrived as a member of the Special "Ser-

vice Squadron of battle cruisers and light cruisers which made a tour of the Empire in that year. She had been flagship of the division since May, 1924, and her periods of attachment and as flagship both constitute records for the station. A third record held by the Dunedin is that she has flown the flags of five commodores of the New Zealand Division. When she became flagship she was under the command of Commodore A. Beal, and other commodores for whom she has acted as flagship have been Commodore G. T. C. P. Swabey, Rear-Admiral Geoffrey Blake, RearAdmiral F. Burges Watson, and RearAdmiral the Hon. E. R. Drummond. Three of the Dunedin's officers are being transferred to the Achilles and two from the Achilles to the Dunedin.