H.M.N.Z.S. TASMAN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25303, 1 October 1947, Page 9

H.M.N.Z.S. TASMAN

RESERVE OFFICER IN COMMAND

Some indication of the temporary difficulties of the New Zealand Naval Board is given in the unusual manning position at the naval establishment at Lyttelton, H.M.N.Z.S. Tasman, where the commanding. officer is an R.N.Z.N.V.R. lieutenant not yet demobilised from active service. He is Lieutenant F. K. Gibson, M.8.E., R.N.Z.N.V.R., a permanent officer of the volunteer reserve, who was the officer responsible during the war for the fitting of guns and mountings on defensively equipped merchant ships putting into Wellington. The reason for his retention on an active basis fc, Lieutenant Gibson considers, because most permanent naval officers —principally those who transferred from the temporary war-time reserve establishment—are at present undergoing conversion courses in the United Kingdom, studying one or other of the branches of specialist training to fit them for executive positions in the peace-time New Zealand Navy. The former commanding officer of the Tasman (Lieutenant G. Valiant), who left two months ago, was one of these. Another aspect, too, was that Lieutenant Gibson’s seniority as a lieutenant, R.N.Z.N.V.R., was six and a half years, so that very few, if any, permanent lieutenants would be senior to him, and it would be anomalous if a junior officer were appointed commanding officer over a senior. Lieutenant Gibson’s command, H.M.N.Z.S. Tasman, although a fullycommissioned “stone frigate,” or shore establishment, does not include many ratings. Only six petty officers and two able seamen are on the ship’s books, and their duties are mainly concerned with installation work against the time when the Tasman will be an anti-submarine and electrical (torpedo) training ship. When the establishment is constituted in this manner, it is expected that about 100 officers and ratings (both staff and trainees), will occupy the school.

Modem Training Devices The manning capacity of the Tasman is between 300 and 400, but it is thought that the actual future figure will seldom be more than 100, since only 50 trainees can be comfortably disposed about the classrooms.

The training block, which is being fitted with the most up-to-date antisubmarine control devices, is situated in what used to be the W.R.N.Z.N.S., block and the W.R.F.Z.N.S. ablution quarters are now the torpedo stripping workshop. The modem training equipment at the Tasman would probably be made available for the use of the Canterbury Division of the R.N.Z.N.V.R. when its members h|d undergone their seamanship training and were given a choice of subjects in which to specialise, said Lieutenant Gibson. It is probable that Lieutenant Gibson will be the first lieutenant (executive officer) of the Canterbury Division, R.N.Z.N.V.R., when he is demobilised from active duty as commanding officer of H.M.N.Z.S. Tasman, according to volunteer reserve sources in Christchurch.