CEASELESS VIGIL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20571, 3 June 1941, Page 3

CEASELESS VIGIL

WORK OF NAVY FIRST LORD’S REVIEW OUTLOOK FOR FUTURE (Eire. Tel. Copyright-United Proas Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, June 2. In a broadcast entitled “The First Lord Speaks to the Fleet," Mr. A. V. Alexander said he believed that i 1 was the first occasion on which r. First Lord had broadcast to the navy Mr. Alexander drew a comparison between the battle of the Glorious on June 1. 1797, and the recent, action against the Bismarck in the same waters. "On June 1. 1797, Admiral Howe sunk the French battleship, Vengeur 400 miles west of Ushant. On May 27, 1911, in ihe same waters, British naval forces operating under Admiral Tovey sank the Bismarck, thus taking vengeance for the loss of the Hood. ' During this war. the Hood showed herself ready to answer every call. In her last action her officers performed a great feat of tactical navigation in locating the Bismarck. The fortune of war decided that the Hood should be lost to us in one fierce explosion We griece for the loss of the gallant ship's company, but it is a fact that the contact the Hood established with the enemy was taken over by other ships and led in the end to the sinking of the Bismarck. Loss Of Hood Not In Vain “The last duty the Hood carried out was not in vain, for there can be no doubt that the victory last Tuesday frustrated important enemy designs and, on balance, improved our ratio of capital ship strength." After recounting the victories won by the navy in the present war, Mr. Alexander said: "Great episodes, however, do not tell the full story ol the navy’s work. The public hears little of the faithful performance oi routine duties at sea which goes or every hour of the war and calls foi qualities in no way inferior to those demanded in heat and excitement, ol the lonely and dangerous vigil ol submarines, of contact with the enemy, of gallant minesweepers and patrol trawlers and motor launches and of constant search of destroyer: and corvettes for U-boats. "I must refer to the other services. At Dunkirk, in North Africa, in Greece and in Crete new bonds o. comradeship have been cemented between the navy and the army, Thf navy yields to no one in paying tribute to our air force and Its pilots. Yot also, I know, wish me to refer to you comrades on the sea—the officers am men of the merchant navy, who witf you are keeping our life lines open To do so they have to face mine, submarine. raider and dive bomber. The; faithfully maintain the traditions o' the sea. No braver men ever put of from our shores.” Steady and Sober Confidence

Reviewing the prospects of the war Mr. Alexander said: “I am not going to speak in terms of easy optimism about a speedy victory. The enemy if resolute, Well armed and well led But, weighing up all that, is involved, and studying and forming my owe opinion on the information which •:omes before me, I tell you we can 'cel stcadv and sober confidence in the outcome based upon solid fact. “ T f is true we got off to a bad start, s-Hlv Drop”red against an enemy who had been plotting, planning, and pre••'•’r'ng for six years, in addition tc ”hich we were suddenly deprived of 'he assistance of our principal ally. It is not surprising in such circumstance; 'hat reverses had 1o be faced, but the enemv has been forced to pay dearly for them and to accept delay and alteration to his plans for the early victory he had always recognised war essential to him. “And now the nation is settlinr down Into the organisation of our resources, which are very great, and 'mu* workshops are humming with r great, rhythm of production. Daily om armaments grow. Our .nation is united in a solid determination to win. Mar for man we have shown ourselve; better than the Gormans. On land, ii the air, and on Ihe sea v/e have defeated the Italians over and ove; again. In all this we are profoundly grateful to the Dominions, whosr navies have served so magnificent!; with you and who are bringing to u immense reinforcements of men filer those who fought so gallantly in Llbyr and Greece as well as ever-increasing columns of arms and materials.