Capt. Parry Would Like To Share His C.B.

Northern Advocate, 21 February 1940, Page 6

Capt. Parry Would Like To Share His C.B.

AUCKLAND, This Day. Captain W. E. Parry, of H.M.S. Achilles, wishes he could cut up his C. 8., awarded by the King, and distribute it to the crew in recognition of their bravery. “We all assembled and congratulated him upon the honour conferred on him by the King,” says a letter from a rating. He said he wished he could cut it up into pieces and give all of us a bit. In his speech he said he could pot have done anything if it had not been for us.” Owe Lives to Him. “The captain was hit in the 1 eg,” says another letter, “but he refused to leave the bridge, and it is to him and the way he handled the ship that we owe our lives. “He 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 wc had buried our dead at sea the next day,” continues the same letter, “the captain gave us a lecture. It was very hard for him not to break down as he told us how proud he was of his ship and men and the way they had behaved and fought under fire. “He said he never expected the results he got, and after the show we put up he was not frightened to take us up against anything. He is a marvel with his ship, and there is nothing the men would not do for him. It won’t be our fault if he ever leaves this ship.”