“HURRICANE HANK”

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 4 March 1935, Page 6

“HURRICANE HANK”

Young Officer Who Saved Flagship by Remarkable Feat H.M.S. WELLINGTON OFFICER NEW SLOOP FOR N.Z. (From Our Own Correspondent.) (By Air Mail.) LONDON - , Feb. 9. The new sloop H.M.S. Wellington, whieh sailed this week for a- threeyears’ commission with the New Zealand .-Navy, has as her first lieutenant an officer who distinguished himself by a remarkable swimming feat in storm--lashed seas some years ago.

He is Lieutenant C. B. Alers-Hankey, who earned the nickname “Hurricane 'Hank” when he was a sub-lieutenant in the cruiser Capetown.

During a hurricane the Capetown was secured in comparative safety alongside the dockyard wall in Bermuda. The flag-ship of the North America, and West Indies squadron H.M.S. Calcutta, was also secured alongside by a great number of wire-, •hawsers, but in a less sheltered pait of the basin. When the hurricane was at its height these -hawsers parted one by one, and the flagship was seen to be sweeping down on to the breakwater to leeward.-Sub-Lieutenant Hankey, the officer of, the watch, told the bugler to sound “clear lower deck everybody aft,” and then- dived overboard with a grassline.Tying one end of it round ’his waist he swam in the terrific seas to the drift-, ing flagship. MeanW'hile Lieutenant "W. S. Boskill, ■of the sloop WistaHa, also swam with a line to the Calcutta. The two young officers were instrumental in saving the flagship. The Wellington was commissioned at Devonport a fortnight ago by Commander J. B. E. Hall, who is her captain. Her officers and men are looking forward to a great reception in the port Whose name she bears.