PACIFIC FLEET

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 29, 3 February 1945, Page 6

PACIFIC FLEET

SIR BRUCE FRASER

"TYPICAL NAVY SEA DOG"

The presence in Auckland on Monday of Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, G.C.8., K.8.E., Commander-in-Chief of the newly-created British' Pacific Fleet, will focus attention on the fleet itself and the progress of the war in the Pacific. The fleet, initially based on Australia for the war against Japan, has already been in Australian waters, where its arrival was regarded as the - first step in fulfilment of Mr. Churchill's pledge of the greatest possible British help in defeating Japan. Since coming to the Pacific Admiral Fraser has moved fast and far. From Australia he went to visit the Commander-in-Chief pf the US. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, at his headquarters, and he has also been to the Philippines. There, aboard an American warship, on January 9, he narrowly escaped death when the ship was hit by a Japanese bomb. On his arrival in Melbourne in December, Admiral Fraser did not disclose details of his command, but remarked that it included ' very substantial aircraft-carrier strength and an equally powerful striking force of modern battleships." He said it had been possible to create the Pacific Fleet without detracting from the combat strength of the British Southeast Asia Command relative to the strength of the enemy. There had been some revival of enemy U-boat strength in the Indian Ocean as well as in the Atlantic and North Sea, but that was being dealt with. It had not been decided whether the Australian cruiser squadron and other formations at present operating under General Mac Arthur's command in the Philippines and the Indian Ocean would later be transferred to the British Pacific Command. Sea Power Decisive Admiral Fraser said that while he would use air power to the utmost, he was convinced that sea power would be decisive in the Pacific as lit had been in the long run in both the Atlantic and North Sea and in rendering assistance to Russia. Referring to the Japanese, Admiral Fraser said: "We have no use for their ships, so we shall sink them. We have been sinking them steadily with our British submarines for some time. We have not been so numerous as the American submarines, but we have done a job. The Japanese shipping position has gone from bad to worse. Now we propose to find and sink their Home Fleet."

The Soviet Government conferred the Order of Suvarov upon Sir Bruce Fraser for his work in getting convoys through to North Russia. Headquarters of the Pacific Fleet are Melbourne and Sydney. There is to be no change in responsibility for the Pacific theatre of war, which will remain that of the United States. The new British Fleet will operate, as strategy demands, under the direction of Admiral Nimitz in the Central Pacific and General Mac Arthur in the South-west Pacific. • Idolised by Navy A correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald writing of the new Pacific Fleet referred to Admiral Fraser as "the destroyer of the Scharnhorst, and organiser of midget submarine attacks on the Tirpitz." "It is a popular appointment," he says, "for bluff, hearty, energetic Admiral Fraser is the typical seadog of the Navy, who idolises him." He is short, energetic and 56 years old.' He has imagination, daring and drive. He is an expert on gunnery and an expert also in the combined air-sea operations which will be so important in Eastern waters. Also he knows the Far East, for he was Chief-of-Staff of the Far Eastern Station before the war. He relinquished command of the Home Fleet only last June. "It was Admiral Fraser's flagship, Duke of York, and her escort which sank the Scharnhorst on St. Stephen's Day, 1943, when the German battleship was speeding at 28 knots to attack a convoy for Russia. In the Arctic dawn the Scharnhorst was sighted and in the afternoon the Duke of York was able to give a broadside from her 14-inch guns, scoring a hit. Aircraft and destroyers hit the Scharnhorse again and again until she was so slowed up that the Duke of York was able to blast her out of the water.

"It was under Admiral Fraser that the Tirpitz was smashed by midget submarines in Alten Fiord and immobilised for a lengthy period, eventually to be destroyed by British bombs.

Admiral Fraser's flagship, H.M.S. Howe, of 35,000 tons, was completed in 1942. She is armed with ten 14in guns and has a complement of 1500. N.Z. Dockyards Mentioned The basing on Sydney and Melbourne of the Pacific Fleet is creating a huge task for the naval authorities in the Commonwealth. To assist dockyard workers in the vital task of keeping the fleet seaworthy, 2000 highly-skilled men are being brought from Britain. Vice-Admiral C. S. Daniel, in charge of fleet administration, said recently that the required number of men for dock repair work was not available in Australia. He announced that he needed 5000 men for general maintenance and repair work, which, he said, was always considerable in keeping a fleet at sea. The fleet might also have to call upon New Zealand dockyards for facilities.

There would be no limit to the size of the fleet, he said. After the defeat of Germany it would be progressively expanded by ships released from European waters and by new ships. Shore personnel alone would run into several thousands, including a large number of Wrens.

Vice-Admiral Daniel said most of the food required for the fleet would be obtained in Australia. Exceptions would be such things as tea. Australian beer would be required, as beer was too bulky and too heavy , to bring from England. The fleet would use much Australian ammunition. Torpedoes would be obtained as far as possib!3 from the "very well equipped Australian torpedo factory."

No detailed plan for providing reinforcements for the Fleet Air Arm had been worked out, he added. He did not know whether members of the R.A.A.F. would be called upon. All members of the Fleet Air Arm were trained by the R.A.F. before being posted to a naval air station for a conversion course, and then to an aircraft carrier for their deck landing training and instruction in, attacking naval targets. He would like to see a Fleet Air Arm added to the Royal Australian Navy.