DUNEDIN YOUTH’S DEATH

Southland Times, Issue 24002, 18 December 1939, Page 6

DUNEDIN YOUTH’S DEATH

JOINED NAVY ONLY THIS YEAR SEAMAN’S MOTHER ADVISED BY TELEGRAM Word that Ordinary Seaman lan Willian Grant, of 44 Cavell street, Tainui, was killed during the naval engagement in the South Atlantic was received by Mrs R. T. Thomas, the mother of Seaman Grant, on Saturday morning by telegram from the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones), who expressed to her the Government’s sympathy. Ordinary Seaman Grant was always keen to join the Navy, his mother said, when interviewed by The Evening Star. He was only 18 years of age on November 25 last. He left Dunedin to join on June 13 last, returning to Dunedin on final leave on August 15. IN SERVICE ALMOST 20 YEARS JOINED THROUGH TRAINING SHIP AMOKOURA (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 16. Chief Yeoman of Signals L. C. Martinson is one of very few New Zealanders still in the service who entered the Navy through the old training ship Amokura. He joined in Wellington as a boy almost 20 years ago and later served in the Chatham when she was sent to the Dominion after the Great War. Later he served in many ships, including the Hood, the Nelson, the Queen Elizabeth, the Barham and the. Cumberland. The last time he was in New Zealand before joining the Achilles was in 1935, when he left for England and later served at Malta for two years' and ahalf as instructor of signals. INTEREST IN SPORT Martinson is one of the most popular chief petty officers in the New Zealand Division and has taken a very active interest in the sporting activities of the lower deck. He is well known as a junior member of the Auckland Rugby Football Referees’ Association and for many years played as lock in Navy teams, including those of the Philomel and the Achilles. Martinson’s wife learned of his injuries by telegram from the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) on Saturday morning. The telegram stated that Martinson had been seriously wounded, suffering a compound fracture of the lower bones of the leg and it conveyed the New Zealand Naval Board’s regret. Mrs Martinson is inclined to think the wound was caused by a shell splinter. “All I could see when I first looked at the telegram,” she said, “was that he had been seriously wounded. It might have been much worse, and I am terribly sorry for those relations whose boys have gone. “A worse shock came to me the other day when the Admiralty denied that the ship had been sunk. We wondered what on earth had happened. I had a letter from my husband last week, but, of course, that did not say where they were, and I had no thought of the Admiral Graf Spee and such an action. . However, we must all be proud of our boys.” ABLE-SEAMAN A..C. H. SHAW “I am trying to go about my work as usual to keep my mind off the shock of losing my son so suddenly,” said Mrs H. Gaily, of Oturoa road, Ngongo- • taha, Rotorua, mother of the late AbleSeaman A. C. H. Shaw. The news of her son’s death had been a great shock, she added, because previous radio reports had indicated that the Achilles had survived the engagement unscathed. “It is very hard when a mother loses her only son,” Mrs Gaily continued, “but I suppose that is .war and I will not be the only mother to suffer such a loss.” It was only about two weeks ago that she had heard from her son in a letter dated October 15. Abie-Seaman Sherley is the second son of Mr E. R. Sherley, of Te AWamutu. He was aged 23 and was born and educated at Morrinsville, finishing Eis schooling at Kihikihi. He worked for two years with the Farmers’ Auctioneering Company at Te Awamutu and joined the Navy eight years ago. He was unmarried.