DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 234, 15 September 1934, Page 5

DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Voyage on Cruiser Sussex INTERESTING INCIDENTS In a message from the cruiser Sussex at sea a special representative of the “Sun” news service says: —Anxious to become acquainted with every phase of life on the vessel, the Duke of Gloucester stayed on the bridge until the early hours of the morning and took a keen interest in its navigation. After breakfast, wearing flannel slacks and an open-necked pullover, and wearing neither socks nor hat, he roamed the ship and was an interested spectator of the ratings’ occupations. Early in the afternoon the Duke saw n seaplane catapulted by gun-charge while the Sussex was steaming at 20 knots.

With the sea calm, boats and a raft were lowered and 200 or the ship’s company went swimming. The Duke dived from the raft with his staff and swam vigorously among the happy ratings.

Immediately after leaving Marseilles the Sussex ran into a fog and this delayed for some hours the ceremonial inspection of the ship’s company by the Duke.

When tho fog lifted, late in the afternoon, all hands were called to divisions, a Royal salute was fired, and the Duke’s standard was broken. The Duke was received with full ceremonial. The Royal guard of marines, in white helmets and khaki, parafled on the quar-ter-deck with fixed bayonets. The ship’s officers, in white uniforms, and wearing their swords, paraded aft.

As tho Duke, in the full uniform of a major of Hussars, with crimson-peak-ed cap, and blue coat, with gold facings, and attended by General Howard-Vyse and Captain Schreiber, appeared on deck a bugler sounded the “Alert,” and thcßoyal Standard was unfurled at the mainmast head.

It was an impressive scene, with the Sussex steaming at 17 knots in a calm sea that sparkled under brilliant sunshine.

The Duke, a fine soldierly figure of a man, then inspected the Royal guard. The officers were presented individually to the Duke, who afterwards inspected the ship's company at divisions. The Royal Standard, which bears the special emblem denoting the King’s third son. will be flown continuously while the Duke is on board.