MOCK SEA BATTLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21983, 14 December 1934, Page 12

MOCK SEA BATTLE

EXERCISES OFF COAST fl®

THE PRINCE'S CRUISER

SHAM RAID ON COOK STRAIT #

NEW ZEALAND DEFENDERS

[BY RADIO —SPECIAL REPORTER] H.M.S. DIOMEDE. Thursday

When H.M.A.S. Australia ap. proaches the New Zealand coast tomorrow with the Royal visitor, Prince Henry, an opportunity will be taken to carry out exercises against two of the escorting cruisers before meeting them. This will be the first naval encounter of its type in which His Royal Highness becomes personally associated since the beginning of his present tour. The plan consists of a search and night encounter between H.M.A.S. Australia, as the raiding vessel, and H.M.S. Dunedin and H.M.S. Diomede, as the coastal defenders. The battle commences at dawn to-morrow at a point 77 miles south-west of Cape Maria van Dienien, and may last 24 hours if the searching vessels are unsuccessful. The Dunedin and Diomede are now cruising along the East Coast in a northerly direction at a quiet pace, and after rounding North Cape to-night will be in position at dawn.

Although carried through strictly according to the normal procedure of a battle at sea, this engagement will be terminated without the firing of a single shot, the launching of a torpedo or the infliction of casualties. It will thus serve the double purpose of providing wartime exercise for three warships and keeping within the bounds of economy for the sake of the 4 taxpayer. Instead of torpedoes, Verey lights are to be used at the moment of firing, and gunfire will be represented by a searchlight or star shell. The story woven round the exercise concerns an action by an enemy raider in sinking the imaginary "S.S. Blowhard" 250 miles off the coast of New Zealand. The distress signal is received by the Dunedin and Diomede at 4 a.m. It is suspected that the enemy will make a Taid later in Cook Strait, and the commanding officer decides to make an immediate search during daylight. In the event of the Australia being located before dark, it is probable that she will be shadowed and then attacked at night. The umpire of the short engagement is Rear-Admiral F, Burges Watson. The Australia, Dunedin and Diomede will be joined by H.M.S. Leith and H.M.S. Laburnum at dawn on Satur-. day near Wellington. .