SCHARNHORST BATTLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25428, 8 January 1944, Page 4

SCHARNHORST BATTLE

NEW ZEALANDERS IN BRITISH SHIP NORTH OTAGO OFFICER (Special) . AUCKLAND, Jan. 7. After the battle in which the Scharnhorst was sunk it was stated ih a cablegram that the New Zealanders on board the battleship Duke of York comprised one officer and 10 ratings. Apparently the officer was Lieutenant Donald Matheson, son of the late Dr Dugald Matheson, of Roseneath, Waitaki. Writing to an Auckland friend on .September 27, Lieutenant Matheson said he was the only New Zealand officer in the Duke of York. After completing his commission course at Chatham, he had asked for gunnery duty in a small ship. He was given the gunnery duty, but in the battleship, which he describes as “rather like the Hotel Auckland filled with batteries of artillery.” " Little did I expect to get as far as this into the ‘ real navy,’ ” he wrote. “ I thought, perhaps, a destroyer, if not combined operations, but flagships and admirals, no.” When he joined the ship its company had had no leave for over seven months. He said it was not as active a life as he would have liked, but the convenience and the comfort were very welcome after the previous service existence he had led.

Lieutenant Matheson, who Is aged 21, was educated at Christ’s College and Canterbury University College and had gained his Bachelor of Arts degree before leaving New Zealand to join the navy.