AN ACHILLES STORY

Evening Star, Issue 23511, 27 February 1940, Page 5

AN ACHILLES STORY

N.Z. RATINGS ESCAPE COURT MARTIAL TOOK FRENCH LEAVE AND MISSED SAILING FOUGHT HEROICALLY ON EXETER INSTEAD [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 26. An astonishing tale of two New Zealand ratings from H.M.S. Achilles who found themselves by chance in H.M.S. Exeter during the River Plate action against the Admiral Graf Spee and covered themselves with glory was told to-night by Captain W. E. Parry, commander of the Achilles. He described the incident when replying to a toast at the Auckland Anniversary llegatta Committee’s iprize-uight gathering. “ After spending some time ashore at Rio de Janeiro,” said Captain Parry, “1 .came down to the wharf to get my boat off'to the ship. .1 .found it and after some time-1 managed to get another" boat. \Vhen I got to my ship 1 was told the reason why my boat hud not been waiting for me. “ It appears that two seamen whose leave had been jammed had taken a fast motor boat and gone ashore. They were not hack at 8 a.m. when wc sailed next day, and we went without them. Of course, in the Navy desertion is a serious offence, and I found myself faced with the unpleasant possibility of having to call a court martial. “ The men later made their own way down to Montevideo,” Captain Parry said, “ and they finally picked up the Exeter, with whom we had a rendezvous, but they were still with her when the action started. “By jove! Those two New Zealanders were perfectly splendid. They came up from a flooded magazine, where they , had done great work, and when they reached the mess decks an 11 in shell came inboard and burst, making a terrific shambles. - Then these men,” said Captain Parry, “ formed themselves into a rescue party of two. They cleared up the decks, carried away the wounded, and covered themselves with glory. “ What can yon do with men like that? ” asked Captain Parry. “Courtmartial them? Anyway, I can say that they were not court martialled. This shows you what my hoys wore like. The whole ship’s company was too wonderful for words.”