“Here’s A Health Unto His Majesty": Unique Naval Incident

Northern Advocate, 11 May 1939, Page 7

“ Here’s A Health Unto His Majesty": Unique Naval Incident

LONDON, May 10. < The battle cruiser Repulse took leave of 'the Empress of Australia yesterday, and turned back for home, bringing mail with her. Their Majesties last night attended a cinema performance. The Repulse carries letters to the princesses from Their Majesties. The ship’s leavetaking was unique in naval history. The liner slacked to 10 knots in half a gale, and the Repulse moved up close on the port side, where Their Majesties were standing amidships. As the Repulse came abreast, her crew cheered and a m'arine guard presented arms. The band played the National Anthem, and then struck up “Here’s a Health Unto His Majesyt.” The King took moving pictures of the high seas breaking over the Repulse. A wooden barrel, to which were attached red, white and blue flags, and containing mail and photographs was then thrown overboard. The Repulse, by m'asterly manoeuvring, picked up the barrel by hooks, and then swung round on her return to England. Their Majesties had. earlier watched the barrel being filled.

An Interesting - History. The Empress of Australia, in which Their Majesties are travelling to Canada, has an unusually interesting history. Designed and named Tirpitz by the Hamburg-Amerika Co., she was launched at Strettin in 1913 for the line’s New York service. At the outbreak of the War her fitting out was stopped, and the work was not resumed until 1917, when special 'accommodation was provided for the Kaiser. Hopes were then held that

she could be used as an Imperial yacht from which the captured British Navy could be reviewed. After the Armistice, the ship was completed and sent to Immingh'am, Lincolnshire, and in 1921 she was purchased by the Canadian Pacific Steamship, Ltd., and renamed Empress of China. Changed from <a coal to an oil burner, she was placed on the transpacific service in 1922 N as the Empress of Australia. In the following year she saved nearly 3000 lives from the great earthquake at Yokohama.

In 1926, the ship received a complete overhaul, and was fitted with new machinery, which gave a speed of 19 knots, an increase of nearly three knots. A ye'ar later she was transferred to the North Atlantic service out of Southampton. From that port she carried the Prince of Wales to the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Canada. She has since been used at intervals for round-the-world and shorter cruises, and recently carried troops to Palestine.