CALL FOR BRAID

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30783, 22 June 1965, Page 5

CALL FOR BRAID

Vice-Admiral’s Uniform

“The Press** Special Service AUCKLAND, June 21. There are about 48 inches of braid on each sleeve of a vice-admiral’s uniform. When the retiring Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir Peter Phipps, was promoted from rear-admiral to vice-admiral, the matter of gold braid became urgent.

Admiral Phipps was told by the Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) of his promotion at 6 p.m. last Friday. He had to be in Auckland in the uniform of a viceadmiral on Wednesday, and a week-end intervened.

Admiral Phipps’ tailors managed it. They unpicked the yards of gold braid on a uniform and mess jacket, which involved splitting the sleeves to the elbows, inserted an extra “ring,” replaced the old gold braid and sewed it all by hand ready for collection at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. For a vice-admiral, that meant sowing on 16 feet of braid.

Although New Zealand has never had a vice-admiral in its Navy, a vice-admiral’s flag had to be flown from Admiral Phipps’ official car as soon as he used it after the promotion was announced. It was an easy task. The Navy keeps a stock of pennants on hand for visiting admirals. But one flag not likely to be seen fluttering from Admiral Phipps’ car before he retires is that of the Chief of the Defence Staff. Since that post was created the flag has been designed, but small details still have to be approved. Since the Navy makes its own flags, it will probably make the new flag for Admiral Phipps’ successor, Major-Gene-ral L. W. Thornton, an Army man, a small example of the new integration of the services.