VAST UNDERTAKING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25814, 9 April 1945, Page 3

VAST UNDERTAKING

SERVING PACIFIC FLEET SELF-SUPPORTING FORCE (Special P.A. Correspondent with the British Pacific Fleet) SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC, (Rec. 7 p.m.) Apl. 5. The vast distances in the Pacific have caused the British Pacific Fleet to adopt the American Navy's service principle, and for the first time in its history it is operating with food, munitions, aircraft, and everything it needs drawn from a fleet train. This is a mobile dock yard and depot already composed of a large number of ships of all sorts and later to be even bigger. The navy has worked before with the revictualling and refuelling of ships, but the tram-ride distances in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, where the British, had their own series of bases, made a fleet train as such unnecessary. New, however, the British Pacific Fleet is operating over distances • more vast than a British force of this size operated over before, and, furthermore, it has not a chain of bases such as the Americans built up over the past two years. The rear admiral commanding the train yesterday said: “The fleet train tries to provide afleat practically everything found in a well-equipped base and at the same time to be completely mobile so that if the whistle blows it can go td sea straight away.” From the ship in which I have spent the past few days I can see many ships of the train as at present composed. . As the fleet itself is not yet at peak, which it will reach when the war in Europe ends, the train cf ships now here and still on their way arc working as the nucleus of the train as it will be eventually constituted. The following types, however, are already represented:—Oil tankers, heavy and auxiliary repair- ships, replenishing carriers, aircraft repair ships, escort maintenance ships, armament store ships, issuing ships which are like warehouses of everything a ship needs for normal daily living, victualling store ships, accommodation ships, hospital ships, rescue tugs, and salvage vessels. The train, therefore, consists of an amazing variety of ships, most of which are converted merchantmen and some of special war-time construction, but under Admiralty orders, administration, and pay. When the decision was made to send the British Fleet to the Pacific it was agreed that the force should be selfsupporting. From this principle grew the fleet train organisation, and already it is largely self-sufficient, though such essentials as oil of necessity must be drawn from America. I am convinced, however, that the fleet is making every effort to achieve the fulfilment of the principle, and, as time goes on, it/will come ever closer to absolute self-sufficiency. It must be recognised that the train is still in the experimental stages—even after long experience in the Pacific, the Americans themselves are still in some respects experimental—and that the war in Europe is still imposing a tremendous strain on the shipping available for the British Pacific Fleet. So far as I have been able to judge, however, the British have impossd no extra strain cn American organisation as a result of this shipping shortage. The admiral commanding the train, staff officers, and many others I have met paid spontaneous tributes to the American forces for the spirit of goodwill and co-cperation shown. The admiral said yesterday that he was most grateful for the help given.

As to the origin of the supplies being used by the fleet and brought to the train for distribution, it can be fairly said that almost every dominion is helping in addition to Britain and America. Various supplies are coming from such countries as South Africa. India, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The train also has an international flavour because one tanker is Danish and manned by its own crew, and one hospital ship is Dutch. The base train receives its supplies from a main assembly centre in Australia, and breaks down into ship loads for distribution to the fleet. Obviously this practice not only increases the time the fleet is able to stay at sea, but also reduces the time between fleet engagements or carrier attacks.