BELLONA’S VISIT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22510, 13 December 1947, Page 4

BELLONA’S VISIT

SEVENTH_OF LINE STAY IN ROADSTEAD FIVE DAYS’ PROGRAMME Scheduled to arrive in the Gisborne roadstead at 1.30 p.m. today, H.M.N.Z.S. Bcllona is making her first visit to this port and will remain in remote contact with the town and district until the early morning of Wednesday, December 17. The possibility o t large numbers of people visiting the vessel is ruled out by existing restrictions upon public gatherings and also by the lack of facilities for transporting substantial numbers of visitors to the roadstead. H.M.N.Z.S. Beliona’s dimensions will prevent her being berthed at the wharves. Built for the Royal Navy and the seventh ship of the navy to bear the name Bellona, the cruiser represents the most modern school of naval architecture and her fitting and equipment manifests many of the lessons of a modern naval war. She was laid down late in 1939 in a world-famous British yard on the Clyde, and was launched in September, 1942, by Lady Lithgow. First commissioned in the following year, Bellona took part in a number of actions in European waters and was an effective unit of the Royal Navy in the decisive years of the war. The highlight of her active career was the naval activity connected with the Normandy landings, but she had previously set up a creditable record of service in sweeps along the European coastline and in convoy work on the routes to Northern Russia. Through all the incidents of her campaign she escaped almost unscathed from submarine, surface and air attack. In Action Against Tirpitz She was not long commissioned when she. was drawn into preparations for the Normandy landings in June. 1944, and in the following month she was selected as a unit of the task force sent to attack the German battleship Tirpitz in Alten Fiord, on the Norwegian coast. In August she was engaged in convoy actions off the western coast of France, one of which was the Ille d’Yeu action in which five enemy ships were destroyed. November of the same year saw her in action off the Norwegian coast, when Royal Naval units caught a convoy of 11 enemy ships anc sank all but one. The Russian convoy route was never a picnic for the ships of the Royal Navy detailed to escort merchantmen on the long northern voyage, and H.M.N.Z.S. Bellona had experience of some of its worst conditions when in December, 1944, she went into escort duties. Air and submarine attacks were experienced during this period, but none of the ships Bellona helped to guard was lost. One U-boat definitely sunk and four probables were credited to the escort during her connection with Russian convoy work. A short further period of _ action oft the Norwegian coast, during which Bellona took part in the sinking ot four out of eight enemy vessels found on one occasion', led to still further Russian convoy duty. On one of her journeys to Archangel no fewer than 19 enemy aircraft were destroyed. Comprehensive Armament Plan Supremely well fitted for her task, Bellona carried armament especially designed for use against submarine and surface attackers and against aircraft. Her main armament includes eight sin. guns which can be fired almost perpendicularly, and there are besides 12 two-pounder pompoms in three ciuadruple mountings. 18 20mm. Oerlikons, six 21in. torpedo tubes and four depthcfiarge rails. Her cruising speed is about 21 knots, but for faster work she can command 30.5 knots. The cruiser was commissioned for the Royal New Zealand Navy on October 1, 1946, replacing H.M.N.Z.S. Gambia when that ship and H.M.N.Z.S. Achilles rejoined the Royal Navy. She is commanded by Captain M. B. Laing, C. and has accommodation for 35 wardroom officers, 12 wararnt officers, and 578 other ranks, although her present complement is well below these figures. Captain Laing saw service in the First World War in H.M.S. Nelson, and during the late war had a varied career, first with the northern patrol as second-in-command in H.M.S. Furious. During the latter part of the war he was with the United States Pacific Fleet and was also deputy-chief of staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean. Captain Laing was awarded the 0.8. E. in 1942, was mentioned in dispatches in 1944. and received the award of C.B.E. in 1945. Veteran of River Plate Commander R. E. Washbourn, D. Royal Navy, is a New Zealander who entered the Royal Navy bv the public school entry in 1927. _ He was gunnery officer of H.M.S. Achilles in the River Plate action, for which he was awarded the D.S.O. Lieutenant Commander A. C. G. Mars. D. 5.0., D.S.C. and bar. Royal Navy, had a distinguished career in command of submarines throughout the war. He was awarded the D.S.O. for the sinking of two Italian cruisers off Massina and one D.S.C. for further successful patrols operating against the supply line to North Africa, in both cases while in command of H.M. submarine Unbroken. He was awarded the second

D.S.C. for further success in the Far East while in command of the submarine Thula. Lieutenant P. R. Fletcher, D.S.C., Royal Navy, the torpedo officer, was awarded his decoration for service in H.M.S. Effingham during the Norwegian campaign in 1940.