Achilles Arrives

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 211, 7 September 1936, Page 6

Achilles Arrives

£1,600,000 Cruiser For New Zealand

SPEEDY AND EFFICIENT FIGHTING UNIT

Per Pres 3 Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. 11.M.5. Achilles, tho new, cruiser for the New Zealand naval station, arrived at Auckland this morning and berthed to tho sound of tremendous cheering from a crowd of about 3500, who assembled to welcome 11.M.5. Diomede’s New Zealand ratings, who had beeu absent ou foreign service for nearly a year. Overhead roared tho cruiser’s supermarine Walrus aircraft which had beeu flown off by catapult amidships three-quarters of an hour before. Described as one of the greatest triumphs of recent British Naval architecture, 11.M.5. Achilles is one of eight new cruisers of the Leander class. She is to replace H.M.S. Diomede, which, being of war-time construction, is considered among the veteran class of naval units. The Achilles has a displacement of 7000 tons, compared with 4650 and 4765 tons of the Dunedin and Diomede respectively. The disposition of her armament is regarded by experts as ideal. Her six-inch guns are of the latest pattern and her speed is officially stated as 32.5 knots. Each cruiser of the Leander class carries a seaplane housed aft of her large single funnel. The Achilles has had ouly oue other commission and is three years old. She is the first of the Leander class of cruisers New Zealand has seen. She cost £1,(300,000. Her complement ou arrival was 400, made up of 213 seamen, 147 engineroom ratings, 08 miscellaneous and 02 Royal Marines. The Marines baud is something new for the New Zealand station. Of the ratings, about 200 were from H.M.S. Diomede, which left Auckland on October 20 for special service under the Admiralty.

After flying round the Achilles, the aircraft went to the Ilobsonville air base, where it is to remain until wanted by tho cruiser. It is a fast, single-engined amphibian, designed specially for fleet-spotting work and carries in addition to tho pilot, Lieutenant T. P. Goode, a crew of five, Lieutenant J. E. Smallwood as observer, a telegraphist, and an air gunner, who is a corporal of the Royal Air Force, a leading aircraftsman and au abk seaman trained in parachute work.