NAVAL OCCASION

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 15

NAVAL OCCASION

CHANGE IN COMMAND

CAPT. PRUMMOND TAKES

OVER

(By Telegraph—Presa Association.)

AUCKLAND, April 26,

With naval ceremonial appropriate to the occasion, the new commodore of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, Captain the Hon, E. R. Drummond, virtually took over command today from Rear-Admiral F. Burges Watson, whose term of three years on the station has now expired. Captain Drummond will take over full command of the division as commodore tomorrow. As the new commodore stepped on board the flagship Dunedin he was given the commodore's salute in addition to being piped on board. The broad pennant of Rear-Admiral Burges Watson on the Dunedin was struck at sunset, ending officially his association with the division. At 8 o'clock tomorrow morning Captain Drummond's broad pennant will be broken at the masthead of the Dunedin, and he will officially take over as commodore. A salute of 11 guns will be fired from H.M.S. Diomede, and will be answered by a salute of seven guns from the shore battery at the base. In a farewell signal Rear r Admiral Burges Watson thanked the division for its keenness and loyalty during his period of command. "My last three years in the Navy," he added, "have been the happiest in my 35 years' of service. Good-bye and good luck;" Rear-Admiral Burges Watson will sail from Auckland by the Wanganella on Monday. The Dunedin, which has now completed her biennial refit and has extended to full complement, will remain in port until May 7, when she will'sail for Hauraki Gulf for a period to enable the new ship's company to "shake down." She will return to port on May 18. Both the Dunedin,and the Diomede will make island cruises during the winter, but full programmes have yet to be announced.