COURAGEOUS CAPTAIN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 71, 21 February 1940, Page 11

COURAGEOUS CAPTAIN.

MEN’S HIGH TRIBUTE

l’cr Press Association. AUCKLAND, Feb. 20.

How Captain Parry, in command of tho Achilles, said he wished lie could cut up the C.B. he was awarded into pieces and give one to every member of the ship’s company is told in some of the letters received by Auckland relatives of the crew. To a man the ratings of the cruiser express unbounded admiration for the skill and courage of their captain, and say that to his superb control was duo the escape of the ship wit'll such little dam-

age. “We all assembled and congratulated him upon the honour conferred oil him by the King,” says one of the letters. “Ho said he wished he could cut it up into pieces and give all of us a bit. He said lie could not have done anything if it had not been for us.” “The captain was hit in the leg.” says another letter, “but he refused to leave the bridge, and it is to him and the wav he handled the ship that, we owe our lives. Fie seemed to know just where the shells would land and always got out of the way a second before they burst in our wake.”

“After we had buried our dead at sea the next day,” says the same letter, “the captain gave us a lecture. It was very hard for him not to break down as be told us how proud he was of his ship and the men, and the way they bad behaved and fought under fire. He said he had never expected the results lie got, and after the show we put up he was not frightened to take us un against anything. Re is a marvel with his shin and there is nothing the men would not do for him. It won’t be our fault if he ever leaves this ship.’’