SUSSEX ARRIVES

Evening Star, Issue 21994, 2 April 1935, Page 13

SUSSEX ARRIVES

THE DUKE'S SHIP IH PORT A TREATY CRUISER j TO SAIL OK THURSDAY With the quiet efficiency which is “a way they have in the Navy, His Majesty’s cruiser Sussex 'berthed at Port Chalmers yesterday afternoon after a thirty-hour run from Wellington. The warship was taken to the George .street pier, where she will remain till Thursday afternoon, when she is to sail for Hobart. , , „ _ rr n. , The Sussex carried H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester from England to Sydney, where he transferred to H.M.A.S. Australia for the return voyage, the former vessel then .becoming temporarily attached to the Roval Australian Navy. .With other units of the Australian Navy the Sussex then proceeded on a training cruise to New Zealand. Together with the flagship, H.M.A.S. Canberra, carrying the flag of Rear-admiral W. T. Randle Ford C. 8., and the three destroyers—Stuart, Voyager, and vendetta—the Sussex visited the Bay of Islands, Auckland, Hauraki Gulf, and Wellington. There the three destroyers left for Sydney, the Canberra proceeded to Lyttelton,'and tbe Sussex came on to Port Chalmers. The capital city was left at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, and after >a fine-weather trip down the coast she arrived yesterday afternoon. BERTHING THE CRUISER. The Sussex arrived off the Heads shortly after 1 o’clock, and she was there boarded by Captain P. J. Duncan, of the Otago Harbour Board’s pilotage stair. About a quarter to 2 watchers at Port Chalmers had their first glimpse of the cruiser. The superstructure, two raking masts and three raking funnels, appeared against the green of Harrington Point, and above the sand dunes on the Spit. Steadily they moved forward and then the hull became visible as the .ship stood over toward the Kaik before turning up the .channel. As she steamed towards her berth, the ship’s company was seen to be fallen in by divisions on deck ready to make the ship fast when she reached her berth. Occasionally an oilskin-clad figure dashed off on some errand, while all that could be seen of ..the officers on the bridge were the white tops of their caps over the dodger. As the 10,000-tonner neared the wharves speed was slackened and she glided through the quiet waters with an effortless grace. Coming up the harbour she was a grey vessel on a grey day, but an occasional burst of sunshine changed her to silver and picked out the polished deck fittings with pin-points of light. Though there was a fresh southerly breeze blowing in the channel, the water in the vicinity of the wharves was as still as a mill-pond. Suddenly a cutter appeared round the bows of the cruiser, it having been lowered on the side away -from the wharf, and landed a mooring party which doubled along to carry out the mooring operations. A heaving line snaked through the air for’ard, while aft a rocket gun was used to carry the first lines ashore. The first shot with the rocket gun was a failure owing to the-wind catching the rope while it was in the air and carrying it beyond -the wharf;-but the second one carried a light rope right across the wharf. It was immediately seized upon by the mooring party and the heavy hawser attached to the other end was hauled ashore. While this was in progress the decks became a scene of frenzied activity, with parties of sailors carrying out the necessary work in connection with berthing. An awning was rigged over the quarter-deck in a remarkably .short space of time, and an electric derrick lifted the gangway overboard on to the wharf. THE SHIP’S OFFICERS, The officers on the Sussex are;—Captain, S. S. Bonham Carter, C.V.0., D. 5.0., Commander C.' E. Creasy, M.V.0., Surgeon-commander A. W. Gunn, M.V.0., Commander (E) T. H. Simpson, M.V.0., Paymaster-com-mander M. G. S. Cull, M.V.0., 0.8. E., Major R. H. Quill, M.V.0., Royal Marines, Rev. J. C. Waters, M.A., Lieutenant-commander R P. Mack, M.V.0., Paymaster-lieutenant-com-mander A. R. P. Brown, Lieutenantcommander R. R. Airey, Lieutenantcommander L. H. T. Hollebone, In-structor-lieutenant-commander C. S. Porter, M.A., Lieutenant C. F. Phillips, Royal Marines, Lieutenant G. M.. Duncan, Lieutenant (E) G. C. lo Jersey, Lieutenant D. J. B. Jewitt, Lieutenant C. L. G. Evans, Lieutenant (EV F. J. M. Bridgwater, Lieutenant (E) W. J. K. Shaxby, Lieutenant R. H. Royds, Lieutenant M. W. B. Craig

Waller, Surgeon-lieutenant F. H. Ward, Lieutenant M. Napier, Sublieutenant (E) G. H. Glanville, Sublieutenant R. W. Hughes, Paymaster Sub-lieutehant J. S; Theobald, Commissioned Gunner A. H. Pryce, Commissioned Shipwright W. H. Rendoll, Commissioned Gunner E. C. C. Parkes, Commissioned Gunner L. L. Stonham, Schoolmaster G. N. Pask, Warrant Engineers L. C. M. Jopling and W. M‘C. Livingston, Warrant Electrician P. R. Drewell, Midshipmen P. T. Williams, P. F. Manisty, T. E. Barlow, J. P. M. Godber, D. T. Wickham, A. N. Young, E. H. Lee, G. A. Milward, G. W. Style, and M. G. Stirling, Royal Canadian Navy, Paymaster-cadet H. M. de B. Lipscomb. . OFFICIAL VISITS. As soon as the ship was berthed the usual'courtesy visits were paid to the captain by members of the Otago Harbour Board, the Dunedin City and Port Chalmers Borough Councils, and representatives of the naval and military forces. The Harbour Board representatives included Messrs H. C. Campbell (chairman), J. Renton (secretary), J. M‘G. Wilkie (engineer), and Captain J. Mac Lean (harbourmaster). The Mayor of Dunedin (the Rev. E. T. Cox) was accompanied by Messrs G. A. Lewin (town clerk), J. J' Marlow (deputymayor), and members of the Civic Committee. The Mayor of Port Chalmers (Mr J. Watson)'and Mr C. Blackman (town clerk) also paid a visit. Commander E. F. Watson, R.N.R. (commanding the Otago Division, R.N.V.R.) was accompanied by Paymaster-lieuten-ant L. D. Black, R.N.V.R., and Captain Johnstone, M.C., N.Z.S.C., accompanied Major 0. H. Mead, D. 5.0., N.Z.S.C. The official calls were this morning on the mayor and chairman of the Harbour Board by Captain Bonham Carter.

A TREATY CLASS CRUISER. ,

Although of a later class, the Sussex is almost a full sister to H.M.A.S. Australia, which occupied the same berth some eighteen months ago. She is slightly smaller than the Canberra, her displacement being 9,730 tons, .as compared with the Canberra’s 9,850 tons, but, with engines of the,, same output, 80,000 horse-power, she has a maximum speed of 32.25 knots, as compared with the Canberra’s 31.5 knots. Like tho Canberra, she has eight torpedo tubes, eight Bih guns, and four 4in anti-air-craft guns, She was built in 1925-26, a year later than the Canberra. Mounted on a launching catapult just abaft the funnels is a Hawker Osprey seaplane. This is a fleet air arm adaptation of the Hawker Hart aeroplane. The Osprey is readily convertible into a land machine by replacing the floats with wheels.

The Sussex is the third vessel iu the Royal Navy to bear that name, her two predecessors having 'been afloat about the time of the second Dutch wars. The, battle honours, Portland, Gobbard, and Scheringen, together with the date 1653, are carved on a wooden scroll on the quarterdeck. Between the two Sin guns of the lower turret aft is the gunnery efficiency prize for the Mediterranean Fleet for 1930. She again won the prize on a subsequent occasion. The ship’s company consists of 690 officers and men. ENTERTAINMENTS. Last night the ratings were the guests of the Navy League at a dance m the Town Hall, and the officers will be entertained at a similar function tonight. To-morrow night the ship’s concert party will give an entertainment in the Port Chalmers Town Hall in aid of the Terra Nova Sea Scouts. SWIMMING FIXTURES. At the University Swimming Carnival to bo held at the Municipal Baths to-night, relay and water polo teams will meet teams from the Otago Division, R.N.V.R. VISITING HOURS. The ship was thrown open to visitors this afternoon and a further opportunity will be given to visit the ship between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to-morrow. . GOING TO HOBART. The Sussex is to sail at 4 o’clock on Thursday afternoon for Hobart via Foveaux Strait and Milford Sound. She will rendezvous with the Canberra off the Heads, and the two vessels will proceed in company to Tasmania, where they will engage in combined exercises with the military forces. The two cruisers will then sail for Sydney, being due there on April 18.