NAVAL CAREER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22619, 6 January 1937, Page 11

NAVAL CAREER

VETERAN'S SERVICE VISITOR TO AUCKLAND PAYMASTER-COMMANDER NISBET Now in Auckland as .the guest of his son. Lieutenant-Commander R. Nisbet, ILN.IL, ILN.Y.IL. D.S.C., is Pa.\ master-Commander Percy Nisbet. late ILN.Y.IL. V.1)., who recently arrived from England. Paymaster-Com-mander Nisbet, ho is aged lias had a remarkable career and was prominently associated ill the organisation of tlie naval volunteer movement. He lias also taken a prominent part in various yachting organisations in England, and lie was the founder and commodore of the Mritish Canoe Association. The fact that at (]•'! he was awarded a certificate front the Royal Humane Society for jumping into the Thames fully clothed and rescuing a petty officer from drowning, and that at 71 years he joined the Surrey Special Constabulary, serving as commander of the Wcybridge section until a year ago, sufficiently eni phasises Pay master- Comma nder Xisbet's virility and gifts. He has won several honours—he was the first officer of the London division of the ILN.Y.IL to receive the long-service medal and the Volunteer Decoration, while in 190R he was awarded the Royal Order of the Redeemer, Greece, for Civil Services—but one that he esteems very highly was when lie was recently presented to the then Duke of York. On that occasion the long list of his distinguished services and accomplishments was read to the Duke. Volunteer Movement Pay master-Comma nder Nisbet joined the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers in 1H74 and he served as a seaman gunner in the ranks of this force until its disbandment. In the years 1902 and IOO.i he acted as honorary secretary of the resuscitation committee agitating for the revival of naval volunteers. He was the first man in the I nited Kingdom to enlist as an ordinary seaman on the formation ot the ILNW .iL in 190.'?. but lie received a commission in the same year as paymaster of the London Division and the Sussex Division. He was promoted staff paymaster in 191.'} and promoted to paymaster-com-mander in 1921. He was appointed Brigade Paymaster, Royal Naval Division, on the outbreak of war in 1914 and he served as a member of th« Admiralty Committee on the formation of this force. He subsequently held other official positions, including that of recruiting officer at the Strand Recruiting Office in 1917. His service afloat was in H..M. ships Goshawk, Invincible, and Niobe, and he was attached at various times to the training ships Rainbow, Frolic, Buzzard and President. Interest in Yachting Associated with various yachting clubs Paymaster-Commander Nisbet is a late vice-eonunodora of the Minima Yacht Club and the Thames Sailing Club. He is a former instructor of the Royal Life Saving Society—he was once a champion swimmer—and he holds a St. John Ambulance certificate. A son. Acting-Lieutenant Parry Nisbet, ILN.Y.IL, died in 191.'?. while Lieutenant-Commander R. Nisbet, with whom Paymaster-Commander Nisbet is now staying, gained distinction in the Great War in "Q" boat service under Admiral Gordon Campbell, V.C., twice being awarded the D.S.C.