BRIDGE TO PULPIT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20269, 30 November 1927, Page 15

BRIDGE TO PULPIT.

SAILOR’S INTERESTING CAREER., On the occasion of his retirement from the service of the Wellington Harbour Board to enter the church. Captain Harold Harris, senior master of the suction dredge Kaione, was presented with a bronze statuette reading lamp by his officers and ,crew. The presentation was made by Mr T. W. Martin, chief mechanical engineer, and Captain Bullock and Mr J. Cable also spoke. Captain Harris briefly replied. During his service with the mercantile marine. Lieutenant-commander Harold Harris, R.N.R., has had a varied and interesting career. After serving as cadet oa the training ship Worcester from 1907 to 1910, he was appointed to the New Zealand Shipping Company’s Orari, and was afterwards appointed junior officer of the Paparoa. On the outbreak of war in 1914 he served with the 7th and 10th Cruiser Squadrons in the North Atlantic On July 24. 1915, when in charge as prize officer of the United States full-rigged ship Pass of Balmata, carrying contraband cotton, he was captured by the German submarine U3l and taken to the German naval base at Cuxhaven as a prisoner of war. Hie passed through manv trying experiences in the prison camps of Sennelager, Gutersloh, Crefeld, Schwarmstedt. and Holzminden, after which ’ e was exchanged at The Hague for the last eight months of the war. The Pass of Balmata was confiscated by the German naval authorities, and converted into the famous auxiliary raider Seeadler. afterwards so well known in the South Pacific, under the command of Count von Luckner. In 1919" Captain Harris joined the Westmoreland as third officer, afterwards served as second officer on the Sussex and Remuera, and was on the ill-fated Wiltshire when she was wrecked at the Great Barrier. After completing a period of naval training he joined the Canterbury Shipping Company’s Gale in London as chief officer for the run to New Zealand. After further service with the Canterbury Shipping Company, he joined the Wanganui Harbour Board, and in 1925 was appointed dredge master of the Kaione, and latterly was senior master for the Wellington Harbour Board on' the Thorndon reclamation works. Captain Harris was promoted lieutenant-commander R.N. Reserve, April, 1926. On November 30, at St. Paul’s PijoCathedral, he will be ordained as deacon, and will enter upon his new duties as assistant curate at St. Peter’s Church, Willis street, on December 1.