COMBINED MANOEUVRES

Evening Star, Issue 26081, 21 April 1947, Page 6

COMBINED MANOEUVRES

BELLONA BACK FROM AUSTRALIAN CRUISE (P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 20. After taking part in combined manoeuvres with the Royal Australian Navy and the R.A.A.F. off the coast of New South Wales, the Dido class cruiser H.M.N.Z.S. Bellona returned to Auckland on Saturday. The comoined exercises were a good augury for future co-operation with units of the Royal Australian Navy, said the commanding officer, Captain M, B. Laing, C.8.E., R.N: During the manoeuvres the liaison officer was Flight-lieutenant Roy Gray, R.N.Z.A.F. The R.A.A.F. operations were commanded by Wing-commander Kingsford Smith, D.F.C., a nephew of the Tate Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. About three-quarters of the men were given leave during the week-end. Captain Laing said that after another 14 days’ work alb the men would be given a fortnight’s leave. The Bellona will go into Calliope dock early next month. She has not been docked since her overhaul at Chatham last August. ■ Another unit of the (Royal New Zealand. Navy, the corvette Arbutus, returned to .the naval base on Saturday morning after making an emergency voyage to Aitutaki, in the Cook Islands, with a deck cargo of aviation petroL in 'drums. The Arbutus left Auckland on'April 3 under Lieutenantcommander J. F. A. O’Neill, D.S.C., R.N.Z.N., shortly after all but a few of her crew had decided to accept their discharge ' from the service following the naval strike. A full crew was obtained from petty-officers. Imperial ratings, and some of the 23men who returned to duty after the strike.