AUSTRALIAN FLEET

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN FLEET

CRUISERS RETURN SERVICE ABROAD EFFICIENCY PRAISED o SYDNEY, Aug. 12. With their long grey hulls gleaming in the bright morning* sunlight, and a lone aeroplane circling overhead, the two Australian cruisers, 11.M.A.5. Australia and 11.M.A.5. Sydney, unostentatiously passed through the Heads at. 9.30 a.m. yesterday on tho completion of their long voyage from the Mediterranean. They were greeted by a licet- of launches carrying relatives and friends. The Australia returned'alter an absence of about J 8 months abroad on foreign service, but the Sydney, the most moderntype of British cruiser afloat, was paying her first visit to t he city whose name she hears, llotli ships bore traces of the gruelling they received in the heavy seas encountered during tlie voyage from Aden to Fremantle. Paint had been washed away from the hulls, and long green tendrils of seaweed were reminders of their stay in Alexandria harbour, where “weed grows quickest and longest. “•

Escorted by the Lilliputian fleet of harbour craft, the two cruisers glided down tlie harbour to Garden Island. Their crews lined the docks, apparently unaware of the presence of excited relatives in the boats below, whom they had not- seen for two years. When the Sydney swung past the tripod mast of the old H.M.A.S. Sydney on Bradley’s head, tho crew gave three cheers to the historic monument.

As the two ships turned into Garde Island the Australia- fired a salute 1

the flagship of the Australian squadron, 11.M.A.5. Canberra, which is lying in Farm Cove. With naval precision, the vessel berthed at the island 1 , Where she will be refitted, and was made fast exactly at 10 a.m., the scheduled time. The Sydney was moored on the'seaward side of the island.

The two cruisers will be thrown ope: to public inspection on Saturday an Sunday next, between 2.30 and 5 p.m. SMALL BOY’S DISAPPOINTMENT

The only person on board the cruisers who was not- overjoyed to be in Sydney was the small son of Captain Fitzgerald, captain of tile Sydney, who has spent about eight months on hoard the stiip. Completely unspoiled, although the idol of every one of the Sydney, Michael, agecl nine, glumly surveyed the scenes on board yesterday. To him it meant the end of a holiday of (lie kind' dreamt of by all small boys. Dressed in a diminutive sailor’s uniform, Michael is himself an efficient sailor. lie has had the entire run of the ship, lias scrubbed decks with the- sailors, polished brasswork, and taken a keen interest in tho shipboard life. Sailors claim that he is as efficient as the best at semaphore signalling, and can readily tap out Morse, has an excellent knowledge of gunnery, and knows all the technical details of torpedo work.

Now his holiday is ended, and the Sailor’s uniform will be discarded, for permission for Michael to travel on the ship expired with his arrival in SydneyHe is now to go to school.

Captain .!. U. P. Fitzgerald, of tin Royal Navy, is paying his first visit ti Australia. 110 was formerly nava attache in Paris. Although lie lias beer on the China, station, and' in the East Indies, he crossed Dm line for his first time on this voyage to Australia. The. international impression create! by the concentration of British nava forces at- Alexandria during the Italo Abyssinian war, and the efficiency attained during fleet exercises in the Mediterranean, were described by officers and men of the two cruisers.

More than 100 ships, from battleships downwards, were congregated at Alexandria.

“It was a marvellous opportunity for the British Navy, while somebody elsewas fighting, to get into trim —and it did,” said an officer yesterday. “The absolute peak of efficiency was reached in all phases of activity. For instance, Die exercises resulted in a definite increase in the number of rounds per minute that could ho fired from our guns. Tn the- event of attack at night—especially from the air—the whole licetcould have been plunged info darkness at a signal from one. vessel.” H.M.A.S 1 . Australia was in the Mediterranean from September, 1935, until July 14 this year. Her base was at Alexandria throughout that time. H.M.A.S. Sydney was in Die Mediterranean from the end of October, 1935. until July ,14. Four months were spent at Gibraltar and four at Alexandria. .Most, of the ship’s company.travelled-in the old Brisbane to England. The Sydney was in the Bay of Biscay, when her men learned that they were bound, not for Australia, but for the world’s danger zone—the Mediterranean. The Sydney joined the second cruiser squadron at Gibraltar, and then there began a- series of realistic exercisesTwice a week the Sydney put to sea with the other members of the squadron.

At that Lime, the international situation was "rave and the Sydney's men did not know how long they had to stay i n the zone of tension. Then there came a doubtful diversion. Seven weeks before Christmas, German measles broke out on the cruiser, ghe was quarantined, and her company were allowed to land only on (be detached mole, where land exercise was obtained. “Eight glorious days” at Lisbon over Christmas did much to cheer the*men. Towards the end of February the Sydney went for another cruise, this time to Casablanca, in French Morocco. In March she went to Malta, and stayed there for about a week. These cruises took the place of leave for the Australians’

From Malta, the Sydney went to Alexandria to lode up with the huge concentration of British war vessels there. Site joined the First Cruiser Squadron—the “spearhead of the Mediterranean”—• comprising nine vessels. Four of the cruisers formed the “foreign legion”— comprising 11..M.5. Exeter from the South American station, 11.M.5. (Berwick from China, H.M.S. Ajax from the East Indies, and lI.M.A.S'. Australia, representing Australia. The Sydney had been in Alexandria, barely a week when there was ;m outbreak of mumps among the crew, and she. went into quarantine, as far as the other ships were, concerned. '1 he men were allowed ashore, but were ordered to avoid crowded places. As a means of getting rid of the mumps the Sydney was sent to Cyprus, where she remained for three weeks. ENVIABLE REFUTATION When the Sydney reached Alexandria, international tension was marked. The ollieers on shore had to be back on the ship by 11 p.ni., and the men by 10 p.m. Intensive exercises and training were being carried out. The possibility of being sent to Haifa, in Palestine, was not relished. Grave trouble was reported from that quarter. Meanwhile the fleet was “making” Alexandria. Money “poured” into Alexandria as it result of the Heel’s presence. Many thousands of naval men had to be fed, and that meant the purchase of

liugo 'quantities of vegetables and other commodities. The crews of the two cruisers earned for themselves a proud record for efficiency. Before the -Jubilee Review, the Commander-in-Chicf of the Review, Admiral Sir William Fisher, boarded the IT.M.A.S. Australia, and after an inspection, declared that the cruiser was looking “splendid,” and was “a credit to any navy.” Daring the period of intense preparation at Alexandria, when the navy was exercising continuously, daily carrying out full speed manoeuvres, full calibre shoots, intense anti-aircraft firings, and gas exercises, the Australians acquitted themselves with honours, although most of the men had never before undergone such arduous and continuous training. All reports of inspections by admirals and! senior engineers were ’ uniformly glowing. The sporting achievements of the Australians was unique. They won Ihe cruiser squadron regatta two years in succession, lowering a record of 62 years’ standing. Their teams were unbeaten at cricket, football, and water polo, and established numerous swimming records. Four members of the returning crews reached' Sydney on stretchers, and when I they landed found waiting for (hem not only relatives, but officers from the central District Ambulance. _ Three of them were suffering from sickness, but one, Michael Naughton, 50, was the victim of an accident during the naval manoeuvres conducted in the Mediterranean.

While the Sydney was manoeuvring off Alexandria, preparations wero made for the towing of another vessel, which was supposed to have been disabled. In such eases, a. line is fired from one vessel across the oilier by means of a. small, specially designed gun. When Iho gun was fired a mistake was made, and Naughton was hit in the leg. Although .the wound is a "painful one, doctors hope (hat Naughton will recover (lie use of his leg. lie is now in the Prince of Wales Hospital, Band wick.