Fleet Air Arm Officer Revisits Christchurch

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31042, 23 April 1966, Page 18

Fleet Air Arm Officer Revisits Christchurch

A New Zealander who until recently was fleet aviation officer to the commander of the Royal Navy’s Far Eastern Fleet—with responsibility for Navy aircraft over an area from Suez to Panamareturned to Christchurch yesterday after an absence of 21 vears. He is Commander M. Petrie, a Fleet Air Arm officer, who is visiting his mother, Mrs E. N. Petrie, and his brother, Mr K. F. B. Petrie. Commander Petrie said he would remain in New Zealand until May 28, when he would leave for Britain and a new appointment in the service.

“Originally 1 was returning to a job which involved the building of the new carrier. Zero One, but that was before the British White Paper on Defence came out Now I’m not sure just what I’ll be returning to.” he said. The building of this carrier was scrapped under the new defence review. The defence review also dealt a death-blow to the Fleet Air Arm by phasing out of service by 1975 all the Royal Navy aircraft-carriers. Asked how this could affect the careers of fellow pilots in the service, Commander Petrie said that it was only the fixed-wing element which had been “axed.” There would still be flying to do. but only with helicopters from commando ships and frigates. Commander Petri’ said he had no enthusiasm for this tvpe of flying, particularly after having flown most of

the strike fighters in the service. “Helicopters to me are deadly boring. It’s like driving a car with a square wheel,” he said. “It could well be argued that the Navy’s proper role is to defend shipping lanes. Yet you have only to see what the Americans are doing with carriers in South-east Asia to observe the importance of their application in offensive operations,” he said. Commander Petrie, who is an old boy of St Andrew’s College, joined the Fleet Air Arm in 1941. In World War II he served on board the carrier Illustrious. He also completed a tour of duty on loan to the Royal Air Force piloting Mosquitos over Europe on night operations. Since the war he has served in seven carrier.