HATS OFF TO THE NAVY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16408, 9 December 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

HATS OFF TO THE NAVY.

SAILORS WE HAVE MET. BY C. G. XICOL. The strong sea-lion of England s wars Hath leit his sapphire cave of sea. Jo battle with the f>torm that mars the stars ot England's chivalry.

A i o.vial soldier, after a couple of years of loaining. with some fighting thrown in. brings back many memories. C>f the bright memories, some of tne happiest to recall concern the gentlemen of the navy—of both upper and lower decks—of whom it was the privilege oi many New Zealanders to see a Rood deal. As a result, some very treasured friendships have been formed, and the colonials arc richer in consequence. •lust exactly what makes the navy man what he is, is difficult to determine, there are many influences in his life which are unknown to any other class of men. His surroundings, his training, his wide knowledge of the world and its peoples, his glorious traditions, all tend to make him the strong, virile and distinct type which has filled the colonials with admiration.

I he sailonnan is usually a perfectly developed physical specimen, and "most serene and fearless under any circumstances. He has a marked sense of humour, a weakness for mirth of all kinds, and his outlook upon life appears to be that of a healthy mischievous bov of ten and a halt. He combines the qualities of one who has the mind of a man and the heart of a boy. Above all, lie has ail unlimited confidence in himself and in the British Nave.

Unlimited Confidence.

1 lie writer was once a, guest of the crew of a destroyer that was being overhauled in dork in Malta. After tea, the eternal subject <>t when the German fleet would i'oire«jiut and give battle was cheerfully discussed. One bluejacket, a ( ockney, ventured the optimistic opinion that when it came •"about." be would give it. twenty-five minutes above water. This struck no one as absurd. The chief Petty officer, a .-tout, florid man of the bulldog type, started to p.iff fiercely at his pipe, and then ejaculated, with impatience in his voice. '* Twenty-five minutes ! Twenty-five minutes'." Again he started to puff and it was evident that be was racking his brains to "go one better" than the bluejacket, but it was "jj ,l " a,tei " a long pause, he added lamely. "I wouldn't give it that." And these men were not indulging in Tyhat the unregenerate colonial calls "skite. ' Bless their simple hearts, thev actually believed what they said, and would cheerfully have steamed into battle quite convinced that their sanguine expectations would materialise. W hen the New Zealand -Mounted Brigade went to Anzac. the troops were conveyed from the transport to the barges on destroyers, which had been 011 duty around these fateful shores since the bombardment had begun months before. After the manner of fresh untried soldiers ive asked the sailors "how they were enjoying it." One tired-looking young fellow, in languid tones, replied that lie was "a bit fed up." "I haven't set foot 011 land for six months, except 011 duty. he said, "and I need a day or two ashore. Again we rushed in where angels might fear to tread. " You've been having a weary time," we ventured. " Oh, yes." responded the sailor wearily. " Half of the ship's company have been killed or wounded—some of them picked off by snipers from the beach when attending to searchlights we shine on the flank at night. 1 And we don't get much deep, cully, £an't sleep on this sort of craft when the guns go. ' She ain't an adjective liner." With this he turned the conversation to the landing of the infantry. " The most desperate business that ever was, and the gamest men on earth," was how he described the event and the men.

The Beach Party. Every colonial who was at Anzao treasures memories of the midshipman and sailors who composed the beach party. A new-comer would never have thought them sailors, especially the bluejackets, who. judging by their clothes, looked anything between a mounted rifleman and a Ghurka. All of them had secured slouch hats and strangely enough many of them acquired a great fondness for riding-pant.". The spectacle of a sailor, wearing riding-pants and a slouch hat and little else, steering a pinnace to the landing-stage, was incongruity personified. The "middies" remain in our minds for their superb bravado. When shells burst in the high nothing could persuade them to run for cover. They strolled along with the utmost unconcern after the manner of the Piccadilly nut —and it their hearts were in their mouths, all the more credit to them. Xo returned colonial is envied more than one who, while he was staying as the guest of a Scottish gentleman, had the honour of being 011 a shooting party with Admiral .Iwlicoe. "You would never think that he was the man of the hour," said the favoured of the gods. " He is short, slight, and gave one the impression that partridges were his only interest in lite. He talked about Xew Zealand. j--\d seemed to know as much about it ail I did. And how lie could shoot!" Evidently the youthful heart belongs to' all ranks in the navy.

Naval Simplicity. A happy instance of the unassuming nature and simplicity of the young naval officer occurred in Edinburgh a few months ago. Two young naval officers were in an hotel when a New Zealander came in. After some moments' hesitation one of them went up to him and said : " Will von drink with us. 1 was at the Dardanelles, too. you know. - ' So the New Zealander drank with these tanned young men just off the North .Sea, who talked in a way to suggest that they had never known a care or a uorrv in their lives. The colonial finally got them to talk about themselves. " I'm off the Phaeton," said one. •• We patrol, you know." "The Phaeton!' Exclaimed the New Zealander; "that brought down the Zepp. off the Schleswig coast." " Yes." replied the sailor modestly. "Got her with our stern six-incher. Broke her back with the fifth shot. Great luck though." Before they parted the sailor produced his card, and insisted that the colonial should call at his home in London at a well-known address, adding. You'll meet my little cousin. She's fourteen. You must romp with her-— shell love it." What the little cousin might have .-aid if a strange colonial ranker had called "to romp with her," one can only surmise.

Before me lies a letter written by a petty officer on board a destroyer, while the guns were souiidins- This is what he says: " I've told a girl cousin of mine who jives at — that you will drop her a card or call on her. She's a jolly girl, and is keen 011 doing things for all of us boy.-. ... We're still knocking around the same old spot, and ' Asiatic Li/,' still speaks ; and to-day there's been some music around some of the old places, and thee is plenty of music 'i; i.'ie -1 >»■ right now. So far we're O.K. They're not able 10 get right hereeither short or over or in front—and we've still able to get home on them, and that is the main point. So just rest content, old man. Every time I see a shell bursting on them (the Turks) I mentally remark, 'That is another 01 e back 011 your score.' " And this letter, please note, was written while there was " music in the air," as the sailor terms —while the destroyer on which it was written was sending ashore sudden death, while the guns of Abdul were landing shells "either short or over or in front."

What more can be said for the Jack Tar and the navy.