NAVAL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12538, 27 April 1935, Page 5

NAVAL

EXCHANGE OF COMMAND. CEE FA ION Y A T A UOK LAND. Hross Association). AUCKLAND. April 26 With tlit} naval ceremonial, appropriate to the occasion, the new commodore of the N.Z, .division of the Royal Navy, Captain-, the Hon. E. R. Drummond, virtually took °vor command today from Rear-Admiral F. Burges-AVaison, whose term of three years on the station has now expired Captain Drummond will take over lull command of the division as commodore tomorrow. As the new commodore stopped- on board: tho a figs hip, H.M.S., Dunedin, he was given the commodore’s Salute in addition to being piped on board'. The hroad pennant of R-ear-Admira! Burges-Watson, on flic Dunedm, was struck at Ounset, ending officially Ins association with the division. At 8 o’clock tomorrow morning, Captain Drummond’s broad pennant will be broken out- at the masthead of the Dunedin and ho will officially take over as co-mmodore. A salute of 11 guns will be fired from H.M.B. Diomede and will be answered by a. salute of seven guns from the shore battery at the base. In his farewell signal, Rear-Admir-al Burges-Watson thanked .the -division for its keenness and loyalty dm in-g his period of command. “My last three years in the Navy,” he added, ‘have been the happiest- in my 35 years’ service. Go°clby 0 and good luck.” Rear-Admiral Burges-Watson will sail front Auckland by the Wanganel la on Alonday. The Dunedin, which ha.s now completed her biennial refit and has been extended to the full complement, will remain in port'until May 7, when she will'.sail for Hauraki Gtdf for a period to enable the new' ship’s company to ‘shake down.' She will return to port on May 18. Both the Dunedin and the Diomede will make Island eruise s during the winter, but full programmes have yet to be announced