NEW CRUISER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22517, 7 September 1936, Page 10

NEW CRUISER

ACHILLES ARRIVES

WELCOME AT DEVONPORT DIOMEDE RATINGS RETURN FLAGSHIP FOR COMMODORE Slipping up the Waitemata Harbour in the smother of a rainsquall H.M.S. Achilles, the new cruiser for tlio New Zealand naval station, arrived at Auckland yesterday morning punctually at 10.30 and berthed at Calliope Wharf to the sound of excited cheering from the crowd of about 1500 who had gone to tho Devon port Naval Base to welcome H.M.S. Diomede's Now Zealand ratings, absent on foreign service for nearly a year. Overhead roared the cruiser's aircraft, which had been flown off by the catapult amidships three-quarters of an hour before, and from the quarterdeck came the strains of a march played bv the ship's band of Royal Marines. Shortly after he had berthed his ship Captain I. G. Glennie left to pay his official call on tho Commodore, RearAdmiral the Hon. E. R. Drummond.

No Ceremonial Observed

To give the Achilles a berth H.M.S. Dunedin, which is to be Captain Glennie's command when tho commodore transfers his flag to tho new cruiser, was docked on Saturday. Since it was a Sunday no ceremonial was observed when the new cruiser arrived and because her approach coincided with an hour when it is not customary to do so no salutes were exchanged. The New Zealand and Imperial ratings on board stood to their stations in oilskins and those with relatives in Auckland were given shore leave so soon a? everything was shipshape on board. The ship was also thrown open to visitors.

With her siiigle streamlined funnel, carrying three trunks, heavy seaplane catapult and crane, totally enclosed gun turrets and bristling armaments, her high control tops and great 21in. torpedo tubes, tho Achilles impressed as a fast and efficient fighting unit. Although she had to come through a gale on Friday she was trim and tidy and did not give the appearance of having been almost continuously at sea since July 17, when she left Gibraltar. Cost of £1,600,000 In length 555 ft., with a beam of 55ft. and a draught of 18ft., 7030 tons in displacement, capable of 32.5 knots and built for a wartime complement of 550 officers and ratings, the Achilles has had only one other commission and is three years old. The first of the Leander class of cruisers New Zealand has seen she cost £1,600,000 to build. Her complement on arrival was 490, made up of 213 seamen, 147 engineroom ratings, 68 miscellaneous and 62 Royal Marines. The marines' band is something new for the New Zealand station. Of the ratings about 200 were from H.M.S. Diomede, which left Auckland suddenly on October 20 for special service under the Admiralty. These ratings were commissioned at Chatham the day they were paid off from the Diomede on March 31. They had several weeks ashore, some of them being in London when Earl Beatty's funeral was held, before going to Gibraltar, which they left on July 17, one day before -the outbreak of tho Spanish rebellion. The cruiser was to have sailed on July 20, but it was learned that Jthe mail for which the men were waiting could not arrive even then, and "so the cruiser left the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the Homo Fleet and sailed for Jamaica. After four days there the cruiser called at Panama, Balboa, cruised about Fanning, Christmas, Nukunono and Hull islands, over some of which and adjoining islands an aerial survey was made, and then came on to New Zealand.

Good Sea-boat Although the cruiser did her sixmonthly full speed trial on the wa.v out to Gibraltar from Portsmouth, she cruised at 14 knots most of the way out to New Zealand. Even then she arrived three days earlier than her expected date of arrival. In the gale on Friday tho cruiser proved an extraordinarily good sea-boat and behaved so well all the way out that her officers said they had the utmost confidence in her. Only one serious case of illness was experienced. Several days ago "War-rant-Engineer A. J. Harvey developed an internal hemorrhage and he was taken to the Auckland Hospital by a St. John ambulance, which was waiting when the cruiser arrived. After flying round the Achilles the aircraft went to Hobsonville Air Base, vvhero it is to remain until wanted by. tho cruiser. It is a fast singlecngined amphibian designed specially for fleet-spotting work, and carries, in addition to the pilot, Lieutenant T. P Coode, a crew of five. Lieutenant J. E. Smallwood, as observer, a telegraphist air-gunner, a corporal of the Royal Air Force, a leading aircraftsman, and an able seaman trained in parachute work.

SCENES ON THE WHARF MANY HAPPY REUNIONS Waiting for the Achilles to arrive yesterday morning was tremendously oxciting for the hundreds of spectators who wished to see their sons, husbands or sweethearts for the first time in nearly a year. As the cruiser drew alongside the Calliope jetty officers and men from every available vantage point, peered into the crowds for relatives and friends. The low jumble of conversation broke into a roar of greeting arK ] c ] e _ light. Hats, flags, bouquets and handkerchiefs waged agitatedly. Speculation was confirmed by recognition and the first happy words were' exchanged. It was an interminable 30 minutes before the gangway was lowered. At last, led by an able seaman, the men clambered ashore. The crowd moved forward. Joyously husbands sought wives, sons discovered their parents and lovers greeted their sweethearts. TWO BOXING CHAMPIONS CRUISER'S SPORTS RECORD An excellent record in sports is possessed by New Zealand and Imperial ratings on the Achilles. Able Seaman I). T. R. Lindsay is the present heavyweight boxing champion of the combined services, and Petty Officer F. G. Heath is middle-weight champion of the Royal Navy. At Gibraltar the ship's Association football team was undefeated by any of the other teams from the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, and the New Zealand ratings put up an extraordinary performance at boat-sailing, winning almost every race.