PATHETIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 46, 23 February 1940, Page 10

PATHETIC.

WRECK OF SPEE. * _____ 'A GRISLY MONUMENT.' HIGH TRIBUTE TO CREW. "SUCH MEN CANNOT FAIL." "Such men cannot fail to win the final victory."' «aid Captain Parry in the splendid tribute to his crew with which ho concludes his narrative of H.M.S. Achilles' war service to date. After an uneventful fortnight. Admiral Hanvood arranged to visit Montevideo himself in tlie Ajax. and to send the Achilles up to Buenos Ay res, the capital of' the Argentine Republic. This city, which is the biggest, in the Southern Hemisphere, has a large and prosperous British C'olonv. who gave us .1 marvellous welcome. Several thousand people assembled on the wharf to jjreet us; and we were much honoured in that the British Ambassador, Sir Esmond Ovey. was the first person to board the ship. Throughout our stay, which only lasted hours, there was a series of parties, dinners, dances and expeditions, in which everyone 011 board could taku part. Unfortunately, owing to the unscrupulous behaviour of German residents, who had attempted to kidnap British sailors on a previous visit, leave was only given to organised parties, except to chief petty officers. Before we left, the ship was inundated with presents of books, newspapers, cigarettes, games, fruit, etc., in such quantities that sufficient stowage 011 board could not be found. The generosity of our new-found friends astonished *us. The New Zealand cruiser will not be quickly forgotten in "8.A.," for many appreciative comments were heard, and the. Maori songs and dances were new to most of our hosts. Some fears were expressed by the Argentine authorities that there might be encounters between our men and the German sailors, who, though officially interned, were foaming about the streets of the" city in uniform. It says much for the good sense of the New Zealanders that, although several such meetings did take place, they only resulted in an exchange of drinks, and of cap ribbons. Achilles Bscomes a Flagship. On leaving 8.A.. Admiral Sir Henry Ha r transferred his flag to the Achilles from the Ajax. who then sail<nl for England. During the short time his flag was flying at our masthead he endeared himself to us all. It was, therefore, very gratifying that, when he left, he signalled:— "My best wishes to you all. I have enjoyed flying my flag in your very happy ship." Besides the great debt we all owe him for his unforgettable example and leadership in th# Battle of the Plate, we are also more than grateful to him for forwarding a proposal that we should refit in Auckland instead of an Imperial dockyard. Nothing of interest happened during thiß time. It ended in a short 24-hour visit to Montevideo, where once again we received unstinted hospitality. Before leaving the Plate we had an opportunity of inspecting the wreck of the Admiral Graf Spee at close quarters. The ship is now a pathetic sight. Her hnll is 110 longer visible. Her upperwor'.s are rusting rapidly. Her funnel and mainmast lean heavily to starboard. Her fore-turret guns- are- just awash, while the after turret, capsized by the explosion of the magazine, underneath, lies on its back. She is indeed, as Mr. Winston Churchill "remarked, a grisly monument to the fate in store for German raiders. Having transferred the Admiral's flag, and having said good-bye by cheering him, and by singing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," and the Maori farewell, we were told to/,"proceed in execution of previous orders." Those orders were to return to New Zealand. H . i''' / S ?'>■'*' ' " "Life Has Been, Strenuous? During the period in this narrative, i.e., from *-August' 28;, ,1939, to February 23, 1940, JB.M.S.. Achjlles has steamed 52,323 mllee. Durijig this period she has spent-168 .daysatsea and only 10 in harbour. ?, • ,c . ■ As she had already ateamed ;21;139 miles from the time she left England on February 21, 1939, until this starts, her total mileage for the year •was 73,462. It is, therefore* not surprising that the ship urgently needs refit, which will take place at the .Devonport Naval Base. In addition to the abnormal wear and tear caused by so' much running, our action damage has only been patched temporarily. This must receive permanent repairs, which we hope will leave a few "honourable scars" to remind us of the Battle of the Plate. Since the war started leave has been given- on 19 occasions. This includes eevenal short periods when the ship has only been in harbour for a few hours. Night leave has only been given 15 times, and on seven of these there was only -accommodation ashore for 20 men. Life has therefore been very strenuous, for it must be remembered that sea tfipe in war normally means continuous watchkeeping for everybody, and the daily ordeal of going to full action stations at dawn. * The strain reacts particularly on the engine room staff, who not only keep continuous watch at sea, but also have to seize every moment in harbour to carry out urgent repairs. It speaks vol'umesi..both for the machinery itself and for the men who look after it, that no breakdowns have occurred. We owe a great debt to our comrades down below. But' there have been compensations. First and foremost comes our unique experience in Laving had the honour to serve *in the first ship of the New Zealand Division to go into action. Moreover,'we have been doubly fortunate in that „the action has attracted much attention, for it was a fight against odds, and unknown odds at that. All the more honour to Admiral Sir Henry Harwood, who dared to attack at all costs, and by his superb handling of the whole,situation achieved such a remark able Success. We have also visited many interesting countries, great citics and flourishing communities. Wc have received > unstinted hospitality from our fellov- ( countrymen in foreign lands, and we hope J we have left happy memories of the New ■ Zealanders with our friends in these places. j !' "Such Men Cannot Fail." j It must also be admitted that, with very few exceptions, the weather has Leen kind to us. The majority of our trips and patrols' have taken place in

comparatively calm seas, ond quite frequently sun-bathing has been the order of the afternoon. And so perhaps we shall all of us remember the first six months of this war with mixed feelings. Weeks when nothing whatever has happr-ned have been relieved by very enjoyable "runs ashore," and we have at least experienced one supreme moment of intense excitement. One tiling at least is certain. The continued enthusiasm and cheerfulness, both in dull moments and in more exciting one of a predominantly New Zealand ship's company, has been a revelation, and for four anxious days an inspiration, to one who was born and bred in the Old Country. Though many weary and anxious times lie ahead, he feels complete confidence that such men cannot fail to win the final victory.