H.M.S. PHILOMEL

Evening Star, Issue 25620, 22 October 1945, Page 3

H.M.S. PHILOMEL

TO THE EDITOIt. Sir, —The following may be interesting in connection with war records: — I First Philomel: Sloop, 384 tons, 18 guns. Built at Bridport, 1806. 1809, assisted in destruction of French convoy under hostile guns of Fort Rosas ; 1809, captured island of Ithaca. Sold in 1817. Second Philomel: Sloop, 231 tons, 10 guns. Built at Portsmouth 1823. Navarino. Fifth Philomel: Sloop, 2,575 tons, 36 guns. Built at Devonport 1890. 1894, Bohemie Creek Expedition; 1896, bombardment of Zanzibar; 1897, Benin Expedition; 1 1897 and 1900, South Africa Naval Brigade, commanded by captain; transferred to New Zealand 1 1914; 1914 to 1917, Great War, including capture of Samoa; convoy of New Zealand Expeditionary Force to Europe. Third Philomel: Brig, 360 tons, eight guns. Built at Plymouth 1842. 1845, operations in Parana; battle of Obligado; 1851, boats assisted in demonstration against King of Lagos. Sold in 1870. Fourth Philomel: Screw-gun vessel, 663 tons, eight guns. Built at Deptford 1867. 1874, capture of Fort of Nasman in Gulf of Oman; 1875, Perak Expedition. Sold in 1885. Afterwards vessel to Auckland, remaining there as a training ship for the ratings to lie used in the war of 1939 to 1945. Many seamen and other technical craftsmen received their initiation to naval work whilst the vessel was lying at the Devonport dockyard. Your data for this important warship are correct. It will be a good place to have her on the Auckland shore for all time.—l am. etc.. E. F. Watson

(Commander. R.D., R.N.R., retd.) October 21.