ACTION AGAINST THE SCHARNHORST

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22786, 10 January 1944, Page 4

ACTION AGAINST THE SCHARNHORST

New Zealanders Take Part N.Z.P.A. —Special Correspondent (8.35 p.m.) LONDON, January 6. First-hand accounts by New Zealanders in the action against the Scharnhorst are not yet available, but it is known that the following were In the battle in addition to those previously mentioned: Lieutenant H. Boyack, R.N.Z.N.V.R. <in the Jamaica l; Sub-Lieutenant D. L. Matheson, Plumber B. H. Barker and Joiner J. B. Hickey (in the Duke of York); Ordinary Seamen K. Perrin, ~E. W. Kindle, H. D. Sell, E. Brayshaw. L. C. Lynhan. A. Davies, W. R. Hocking. R. W. Jones, D. E. Lamb and W Jarvie (in the Sheffield'. Lieutenant C. W. J. Crocker, an Englishman v.'ho married a former Wellington Girl. Miss Willow Horton, and who before the war was a member of the literary staff of the “Domlnioh'’ for 18 months, commanded one of the forward turrets of the Norfolk This County class cruiser was the first to sight the Scharnhorst. the first to nit her with 8-inch shells and the first to be hit by her, but she was in for the ki Lieutenant Crocker had the unusual experience of reporting the launching of the Scharnhorst and helping to sink her Before the war Lieutenant Crocker was second in charge of the Berlin office of the "Morning Post” and he described for his paper the launching of the Scharnhorst. His gun crew w r as at action station for 10 hours during the action. Although the Norfolk was hit twice bv 11-inch shells, one of which caused a few casualties, nobody in Lieutenant Crockers turret knew that their ship had been hit until after the action. It was their job to keep the guns loaded and trained. Lieutenant Crocker was the onlv one with New Zealand connections’ in the Norfolk. He previously served in the submarine Tndent for 18 months. "There was a terrific din during the action, but we in the turret got no chance of seeing the Scharnhorst go down,” he said.