N.Z. CORVETTE

Grey River Argus, 21 June 1944, Page 3

N.Z. CORVETTE

NOW HAS FULL CREW.

(Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) LONDON, June 19. The “Arbutus,” one of two corvettes presented to' New Zealand by the British Government, now has a full crew, the majority of whom are New Zealanders. S’he was visited bv Mr. Jordan and Mr. S. R. Skinner, Naval Affairs Officer who stayed the night aboard and complimented the officers and men on their fine ship. The “Arbutus” is commanded by Lieuten-ant-Commander John Rhind, R.N.Z. N.V.R., of Lyttelton. His .officers are Lieutenants R. I. Floris, R.N.Z.N.V.R., (Hamilton), N. H. Whatman (Waimate), G. Fisher and N. K. Brown, R.N.Z.N.V.R. (both bf 'Auckland), Sub-Lieu tenan ts B. Hunter (Helensville), and D. Bridges (Auckland). Other members lare Coxswain N. Ogden, Leading Supply Assistant J. Brittain, Petty Officer A. 'Segedin (all of Auckland), and Petty Officer J. W. Jones (Dunedin). The “Arbutus” is fitted with all the latest devices for hunting U-boats. Her crew has had wide war experience. Rhind previously served in the Mediterranean, Floris commanded a corvette on Atlantic convoy -work, Fisher was in a motor launch in the Saint Nazaire raid, and Brown was a prisoner in the “Altmark” for eleven weeks. Both Whatman and Floris had experience of glider bombs curing Atlantic patrols and saw them shot down. The “Arbutus” is a sister shin of the “Arabis,” commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Seeley, which Mr. Jordan inspected last February.