British Navy Well Served

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 259, 1 November 1940, Page 7

British Navy Well Served

DISTINGUISHED COMMANDERS (British Official Wireless.) Received Thursday, 7 p.m. RUGBY, Oct. 30. In view of the unprovoked Italian attack upon Greece, naval operations are likely to assume major importance. With Sir Andrew Cunningham as com-mander-in-chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, and Vice-Admiral J. C. Tovey as commander-in-chief of the Home Fleet, tho conduct of operations is in good hands. Sir Andrew Cunningham is a man of wide knowledge and is possessed of fierce energy, power, quick decision and infinite resource. He holds what is probably a record in the service, as from 1911 until 1914 he was in continuous command on a ship—the destroyer Scorpion. In the last war Sir Andrew Cunningham distinguished himself in the Gallipoli campaign and after the evacuation commanded a small detached force in the Aegean. After various appointments, he bocame admiral commanding destroyers in the Mediterranean and in 1938 vice-admiral commanding battle-cruiser squadrons, becoming commander-in-chief about a year later. Vice-Admiral Tovey is another destroyer officer. He greatly distinguished himself at Jutland when commanding the Onslow and this ship was referred to in a dospatch by the rearadmiral commanding the light cruiser | squadron in the battle. “I should like,” the rear-admiral reported, “to' bring to your attention the action of a destroyer—name unknown—which passed closo in & disabled condition soon after 6 p.m. She was hardly able to struggle ahead again, but made straight for the Derflingot to attack her. The incident appeared so courageous that it seems desirable to investigate it further.” The destroyer was the Onslow.