NAVAL CHANGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 152, 29 June 1943, Page 3

NAVAL CHANGE

AUCKLAND DISTRICT

Commodore W. M. D. Dowding, D.S.C., R.N., has arrived in New Zealand to relieve Commodore E. Rotherham, R.N., as naval officer in charge of the Auckland district. Commodore Rotherham, having completed his term of office with the R.N.Z.N., will return to the United Kingdom. Commodore Dowding served in the last war, in which he won the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry. He was promoted commander in 1927 and in 1931 went 'to H.M.S. Victory at Portsmouth as training commander. In 1934 he went on to the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, and in 1935 was promoted captain. In 1937 he went to the East Indies as captain of the escort vessel Fleetwood and senior naval officer, Red Sea. ■ Commodore Rotherham was appointed captain in charge at Auckland, superintendent of his Majesty's dockyard at Devonport, and director of naval recruiting, in 1940. He arrived to take up his appointment in 1941 and was promoted commodore, second class, in May of last year after the extension of defence activity and the increase of his responsibilities as naval officer in charge had caused him to relinquish immediate command at the dockyard. Before the war he served in various parts of the world, being for some time in the Mediterranean and at other times on" the executive staff of British shore establishments.