N.Z. Navy Men Are Always On Job

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1943, Page 5

N.Z. Navy Men Are Always On Job

(Official N.Z.E.F. War Correspondent.)

MIDDLE EAST FORCES, Dec. 14.

Wherever the Royal Navy lias gone into action, ratings from New Zealand have been and have given a good account of themselves. They took part in the earliest operations in live North Sea and also helped to man ships in, as yet, the unwritten epic of Cos. A New Zealander visiting any African post is almost certain to encounter fellow 'countrymen in Navy uniform. All are eager for news of home and keen followers of the fortunes of the Second Division. Some will admit that their greatsot thrill in the African campaign was tlie knowledge that in the drive up the desert coast they were aiding to land troops of their own Dominion.

All those men have seen action in many waters, and it is impossible to give even the sketchiest details of each mail’s story. Some particulars of just a few men, taken at randon from many, serve to illustrate the complexity of the sea. service of the Dominion’s manpower. Petty-Officer Harry Anderson. of Auckland and Rotorua, now in Alexandria, bears the lowest New Zealand number and was in the first draft of naval ratings to leave England after the outbreak of war. His service lias taken him to within 300 miles of the North Pole, and while in those latitudes he had the experience of sunbathing at midnight. He took part in the evacuation of Spitsbergen and later helped to escort several convoys to Russia. Famous Night Action

While returning from such a convoy, his ship fought :i famous night notion off the north capo of Norway. Commanded by Admiral Vian, she had with her a small force of destroyers when she intercepted a heavily-defended German convoy. In the action which followed, a German cruiser and three destroyers were sunk. The British cruiser steamed 1400 miles back to port after it had been torpedoed by a German destroyer. Petty-Officor Anderson’s ship also took part in the first commando raid on the Lofoten Islands. His service, which has been entirely in cruisers, includes the chase of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau into Brest, and the first convoy to get through to Malta without the loss of a merchant ship. While ashore, he was in charge of sports for the establishment which he has a very sound Rugby team. Round of Convoys

Signalman M. Jenkin, of Invercargill, and D. ITinchey, of Invercargill and Timaru, have been together since April, 1041, when they left New Zealand. In March last year they joined the destroyer Belvoir. Since then their service has been a round of convoys to Malta and Mediterranean ports. Their biggest shows so far have been the covering of the main convoys to Sicily and Salerno. At present they are “on a course" at a shore establishment.

Leading Seaman B. L. Price, of Auckland, first served in a cruiser and then went to the battleship Warspite. Among the actions which he has seen are the landings at Madagascar and the bombardments of Catania, Reggio and Salerno, and the landings in the Bay of Naples.