NEW COMMODORE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23500, 14 May 1938, Page 14

NEW COMMODORE

CAPTAIN HORAN’S CAREER INCIDENT AT SCAPA FLOW (From Oub Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Apl. 20. The saving of a German cruiser scuttled at Scapa Flow forms an interesting chapter in the career of Captain H. E. Horan. D.S.C., R.N., who has been selected as commodore second class, to succeed Rear-admiral the Hon. E R. Drummond as officer commanding the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. Captain Horan has been lent to the New Zealand Government for three years, the appointment to dale from April 22. He will leave England by the Remuera on April 28. In spite of the delay in making the appointment, requiring an extension of Rear-admiral Drummond's term, and the short period within which Captain Horan is to leave England, it is known that the necessary formalities have been completed only within the past few days. Born at Newcastle West, Western Ireland, Captain Horan entered the training ship Britannia as a cadet in 1906 and became a midshipman the following year. He was promoted sub-lieutenant in 1910. lieutenant in 1911, lieutenant-commander in 1919, commander in 1924. and captain in 1930. , , He was attached to destroyer units throughout thb War, and was mentioned in despatches for his services at the Battle of Heligoland Bight. Just after the War. while in command of the destroyer Wessex, he was instrumental in saving the German cruiser. Frankfurt, when the Germans scuttled their fleet at Scapa Flow, by beaching the vessel and thus preventing her from sinking. He was subsequently flag-lieutenant in H.M.S. Barham, and in 1923 and 1924 commanded the destroyers Wolsey and Whitehall. He served for some years in the tactical division of the Admiralty, and was later in the cruiser Coventry and in H.M.S. Nelson. In 1931 he returned to the Coventry in command, and as flag captain and‘chief of staff to Rear-admiral Sir Frank Rose. Captain Horan was a member of the directing staff of the Imperial Defence College from 1935 to 1937. and last year was appointed to command another vessel in which he had previously held a subordinate position, H.M.S. Barham. He is relinquishing this post, and that of chief of staff to the rear-admiral, First Battle Squadron, Mediterranean, to go to New Zealand.

Captain Horan was the first naval officer to gain the D.S.C. during the Great War. He was mentioned in despatches for his services in the Heligoland Bight action, and it was for this that he was decorated. He was second-in-command of the destroyer Liberty during the engagement on August 28, 1914, and after his captain was killed he took command and brought his shio out of action “in an extremely able and gallant manner under most trying conditions.” Captain Horan is married, and his wife and daughter will accompany him to New Zealand. They are greatly looking forward to their sojourn in the Dominion.