FIVE NAVAL SHIPS AT AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22195, 11 September 1937, Page 4

FIVE NAVAL SHIPS AT AUCKLAND

ACHILLES TO BE DOCKED [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, September 10. With five ships in port, the Devonport Naval Base to-day presented a busier appearance that it has for some time past. In addition to the training and depot ship Philomel and the two cruisers Achilles and Leander, there were the Wellington and the Admiralty survey ship Endeavour, both of which arrived in the morning. The Wellington came from Haura! i Gulf, where she had been carrying out exercises after being recommissioned by Commander Loristdn-Clarke recently at Wellington, and the Endeavour arrived from Tamaki Strait for coaling. She will leave again at the beginning of next week. A sixth ship will arrive to-morrow evening, when the minesweeper Wakakura will return from a week's training cruise with ratings of the Auckland Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. They formed the second of about six drafts which will carry out annual sea training before the end of October, one week at sea being an obligatory part of the training of all reserve ratings. All the ships of the New Zealand Division will remain in port for some time. At present the flagship Achilles is undergonig a complete refit, and will move into Calliope dock for cleaning after other matters have been attended to at her present berth alongside the Calliope wharf. The latest addition to the division, the Leander, is also being painted and is having stains she received on the long voyage out from England removed. She will leave Auckland probably on October 4 for the south to give the people of the rest of New Zealand an opportunity of seeing her. When she returns at the beginning of November the Achilles will leave for southern ports, her sailing date being November 3. .„ , Two escort vessels will also have refits before they leave on their summer cruises.