LONG SEA SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 120, 14 February 1941, Page 9

LONG SEA SERVICE

Captain Davey Retires

A GREAT SAILOR

Remarkable Career

Completing a remarkably successful sea career of 47 years, of which 37 years—including nearly 30 as master—have been spent in the service of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, Ltd., Captain A. H. Davey has resigned because of ill-health. A lifelong lover of ships and the sea, he has. in tne words of the Prime Minister, "proved himself a great sailor, a skilful master mariner and a trustworthy friend.” During his long career Captain Davey has travelled many hundreds of thousands of miles and lias crossed the Tasman Sea more times than any other man. He will be remembered for his cheerful, generous nature and his great skill in handling ships.

Arthur Henry Davey was liorn iu Dunedin ou June 9. ISIS, and went to sea at the age of 16, after a brier spell trs junior clerk iu an insurance office. He served iu the barque Onyx, 427 tons, and the barquentine Ocean Ranger, 252 tons, iu the intercolonial trade. , . .. In 1596 young Davey shipped in tin. American barque Fred. P. Litchfield, 1083 tons, at Dunedin, and in her he made a long world voyage to Hong Kong, Baltimore and other foreign ports. He subsequently mtrde several vovages from London to New Zealand in'the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company’s clipper ship Canterbury. I.jOJ tons. , , , Having gained his second mate s certificate in sail, he joined the service of Bullard and King’s Natal Line or steamers, in which he silent 3$ years trading between Calcutta and bout i Africa, and advanced to the rank or second officer. . Captain Davey obtained his certificate in London in July, 1900, and came out 'from Glasgow to Nelson as chief officer of the Anchor Shippin, Company’s new steamer Alexander, U u tons. The ship arrived at Nelson in December, 1903, and on January 13, 1904, he joined the service of the Union Steam Ship Company as third officer of the Taviuui. After three years in that rank he was promoted second officer of the Corinna 1 , and in Apri.. IJU&. to chief officer of the AVanaka. He had already served m many ot the company’s ships and was chief officer of the first Monowai when, after less than eight years in the servi £®’ He received his first command. On September 1, 1911, he was appointed master of the first Kim, a collier of 1122 tons, in which he remained for lo months. Resourceful Pluck. As master of the Kini, Captain Davey quickly showed his pluck and resourcefulness. On October 22,1911, six weeks after he had joined her, the Kini was bound, in ballast, from Napier to Westport, and had just rounded Farewell Spit when her tailshaft broke, in the stern-tube. Darkness was coming on, a westerly gale was blowing and the ship had a narrow escape from total loss. Captain Davey let go both anchors and the Kini brought up close inshore. Another of the company ships, the first Komata, stood by au m As ’the Kini rose and fell to the heavy seas her propeller and the broken shaft cannoned against the stern-post, re ‘‘ ening serious damage to it and th rudder. Captain Davey decided to secure the propeller in place A stage was rigged over the ships stern and Captain Davey went over himself and passed the wires over the propeller blades. While he. Was tryin= to do this toy swinging the bight of the wire over the blades he was frequently immersed at every second scend of the ship. He began operations at 11 p.m., and by 3.30 a.m. he had the propeller hove back from the stern post and se--1 Captain Davey would not allow anyone else on the stage as he considered it was too dangerous, and he took the sole risk himself. Had it not been that he was possessed of great physical strength it is doubtful, whether he could have succeeded single-handed. When daylight came the Komata drifted a line down to the Kini and took her in tow to Wellington without further mishap. In recognition of his action Captain Davey received the thanks of the company’s directors and a substantial monetary bonus. Many Commands. In January, 1913, he was transferred to the Koromiko and during the next five years he commanded that ship and the Taviuni, Kurow (first), Kamona, Komata (first), Katoa and Paloona. Much of his wartime service was m the Katoa taking Navy coal to Singapore and supplies from India to the Persian Gulf. For five years from November. 1918, he successivelv commanded the Talune, Navua and Tofua in the South Sea Islands service. He then transferred to rhe trans-Pacific cargo service m which he commanded the Waikawa, Waihemo, Waiotapu and. Hauraki, and subsequently he was relieving iu the Narbada in the Calcutta trade. In May, 1926, Captain Davey took command of the Maungauui in the intercolonial service and for several years his service alternated between that ship and the Manuka, Maheno and Manama, as well as the Makura and Tahiti in the San Francisco serVICO.

In November, 1932, be took command of the Monowai, and in June, 1936, was relieved from that vessel to go to the United Kingdom to stand by the Awatea, then completing construction at. Barrow-in-Furness. Brotherhood of the Sea.

It was while in command of the Monowai that Captain Davey was instrumental in saving a life at sea. On April 29, 1934, the ship was on her way from Sydney to Wellington, when a radio message was received from the Finnish training ship Favell, asking for urgent medical aid for one of her cadets.

The Monowai altered course at once and met the barque early the following morning. The sick sailor was quickly transferred to the Monowai. which brought him at full speed to Wellington. where bo was successfully operated on for acute appendicitis.

The owners'Of the Favell wrote to <':iptain Davey expressing their gratitude for bis action and subsequently brought the matter to the notice of ■he Finnish Government. In June. I'.i.'t.l, Captain Davey received a letter from the Minister of Finland to Great Britain informing him that in recognition of his generous assistance the President of Finland had been graciously pleased to confer on him the decoration of a Knight of the Order of rhe While Rose of Finland This was •■ v< ‘ii toa lly bomb'd to I’aptain Davey at a function held in Sidney In the Finnish 1 'oiiS-ill General, in November of that rear. Subsequently Captain Davey received permission from the

King to wear the insignia of the order. Captain Davey assumed command of the Awatea at Barrow-in-Furness on July JI, 1936, and she arrived at Wellington on September 3. He remained in her till July of last year, when, in consequence of her transfer to another service, he rejoined the Maunganui. Captain Davey returned to the Awatea hist month and his retirement from her ends a long and remarkable career at sea.

While in command of the Awatea Captain Davey has crossed the Tasman Sea 281 times and steamed 373,402 nautical miles. In October. 1937. the Awatea established a record for a crossing from Auckland to Sydney of 55 hours 13 minutes. Captain Davey is the father of Jack Davey. the well known radio announcer. of Sydney. His second son. I.ieulena nt GeolTrey Davey. R A N It., is at present serving as navigator in ihe Australian destroyer Waterhen. — (S.D.W.)