NAVAL BATTLE FIRING

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 69, 19 September 1932, Page 9

NAVAL BATTLE FIRING

DIFFICULTIES WITH TARGET

CRUISER'S PROPELLERS FOULED

As a result of choppy seas and the somewhat unwieldy nature of the large battle-practice target, considerable difficulties have been experienced during the last few' days by the cruisers Diomede and Dunedin, which are carrying out gunnery exercises and manoeuvres in the Hauraki_Gulf, states the "New Zealand Herald." The first two days of the practice cruise provided unexpected excitement when the towing wire of the target fouled the Dunedin's propellers, divers having to be sent overboard to free the lines.

; The two cruisers left port together on Tuesday morning, with the large target made fast alongside the Dunedin. A fresh easterly breeze was blowing, and wlipn the cruisers arrived at their appointed rendezvous between Tiritiri and Kaivau islands early in the afternoon, the sea was fairly choppy. An attempt was made from the Dunedin to anchor the target in position for the first of the gunnery practices, but it swung out from the side of the ship, and the towing wire was caught round the cruiser's propellers. Divers were immediately sent overboard, but owing to the choppy seas and the rolling of the ship their task was rendered'more than ordinarily difficult. They worked throughout the afternoon, but at dusk the propellers were still fouled, and operations were' suspended. At dawn on Wednesday morning the divers resumed their task, and, after four hours' work, the line was cleared. TABGET AGAIN BREAKS AWAY. , The flagship Dipmede ttien took the target in tow, and during the morning the Dunedin carried out firing practice. However, owing to the rough weather the target broke away again at about ,1.30 p.m., and it was only owing to ex-_ eellent seamanship that it was recovered without boats being lowered. The target was later taken in tow by the Admiralty trawler Wakakura, which was ;in the gulf v bn a training cruise with a section from the Auckland Division of the Boyal Naval Volunteer. Beserve. ,-'_■■'-■ . ;. On Wednesday night there was a brilliant' display in the gulf as both cruisers fired star shells and pierced the darkness of the night with the powerful beams of searchlights. Both ships were darkened and searched.for one another in turn. The pursuing cruiser wouldfire star shells in an effort to locate her. enemy, and as soon as the other ship was sighted she would immediately be flooded in the glare 'of searchlights. Then, in a few seconds, would follow the crashing, roar of gunfire. The two cruisers carried*"out a concentration shoot on Thursday, the get being towed by the "Wakakura. There was further concentration- firing on Friday, arid for these exercises the target was again towed by the Waka-' kura, while all the movements of , the ships were controlled by wireless from the Diomede. Of particular interest were attacks made from the cover of smoke screens. A-,wall of heavy black smoke was left on,' the water by the Dunedin, and through this the flagship would dash to fire, torpedoes at thetarget and then disappear behind the smoke screen. •.:.-.■'.■ AIRCRAFT CO-OPERATION. . There was also a torpedo attack by the cruisers on the' Wakakura, while one of the most ,spectacular exercises was when both th« Diomede and the Dunedin fired broadsides at the target. Aircraft,from the Hobsonyille Air' Base co-operated with the Navy on Friday, and observers were able to follow the tracks of torpedoes and indicate: their final location. ".-••". The Wakakural returned to port on Friday night, and, although the reservists on board were'hardly enthusiastic over the weather they had experienced in»the gulf, they -were,definite on the point that co-operation with the cruisers had greatly increased the rvalue of the training. H.M.S. Veronica was to leave port this morning to co-operate With the cruisers in the final two days of practice. All three ships will return to port on Tuesday.