SHIP-TO-SHIP TRANSFER

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28159, 24 December 1956, Page 12

SHIP-TO-SHIP TRANSFER

Crew Replacement For Endeavour BOAT SENT FROM HAWEA

(From Our Own Re-porter) ABOARD H.M.N.Z.S. HAWEA, 53 Deg South. December 23 Leaping from a plunging seabnat Engineroom Artificer Ear] Robertson scrambled up a wooden-run -one ladder today to board H M.N.7S Endeavour and join the New Zealand Antarctic exoedition 360 miles south of Bluff, and 90 miles east of Campbell Island. E.RA_ Robertson, who is 27. normally works as a fitter at the Hillside railwav workshops, Dunedin. He left New Zealand as a reservist aboard the Hawea, and volunteered to join the Endeavour as a replacement for E-R A. W. C. A. Hoare. who was injured in a fall before reaching Dunedin.

Captain H. Kirkwood, commander of the Endeavour, signalled the two escorting frigates. Pukaki and Hawea. to close in at 10 a.m. The warships approached the Endeavour to ni"k up mail shortly after 11 a.m. The Pukaki closed to within 50 yards on the Endeavour’s port side, and a line was rigged to pass a bag of Christmas mail picked up by the New Zealand Antarctic ship at Bluff. The Pukaki then moved off and the Hawea hove to about 200 yards away. Whaler Manned A six-man crew climbed into the 27-foot whaler, ready to be lowered away. Thev were Leading Seaman Lionel Mitchell (cox), and Able Seamen Mungo Emery. James Dolan Ken Brake. Roger Moore, and Barrv Crver. with E.RA. Robertson and this corresnondent also taking an oar Steel ships crammed with radar gear, high-powered radio transmitters, and quick-firing anti aircraft guns operated by high school graduates do not produce sailors like those who won the Battle of Trafalgar—even if thev still sleep in hammocks. However. the Hawea’s men made Quite a fair showing in a steep, whitecapped swell. As we came alongside the Endeavour the converted netlayer was rearing and plunging. One moment we were level with her main deck and the next away down under her counter. With the boat’s crew fending the whaler off with their oars. E.R.A. Robertson timed his jump carefully. and grabbed the ladder just as the boat dropped away again into the trough. The Hawea’s mailbag was tossed down, and ERA. Robertson’s kitbag, two suitcases, and a heavy wooden box were passed up to the Endeavour’s men. who were crowding the rail Bow and stern lines were cast off. and a few minutes later, sweating heavily in our warm gear. we had rounded the Hawea’s stem, reached calmer water, and were hauled aboard again. By the time we reached the deck, a congratulatory message had been received from Captain Kirkwood: *Good work by your seaboat’s crew. Many thanks for E.R.A. Hope this draft has not left you short. Nice to see you at close quarters.” Lieutenant - Commander William Brown, captain of the Hawea. replied: “Thank you. no inconvenience. A thrill for my reporter.” But someone had bungled. In the sorting of the mail picked up at Bluff, some letters addressed to the Endeavour and to Pukaki men had been placed in the Hawea’s bag. To straighten things the Hawea did a “postie” run after lunch, taking the wronglv-delivered mail back to the right ships. Most of the Hawea’s crew off dutv have been taking advantage of the glorious weather today, and some have been bold enough to strip off while lying in sheltered corners out of the wind Tn the latitudes knowns as a Furious Fifties, have been enjoying high summer. The ship has been trailed by half-a-dozen albab®?® been wheeling and . r2 ppui B- their wing tips just brushing waves in our wake.