HE SUCCEEDS BEATTY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12061, 17 July 1917, Page 3

HE SUCCEEDS BEATTY.

INTERESTING POINTS ABOUT A FAMOUS SEAMAN.

Made a K.CB. for the part he took in the Battle ot Jutland, when be commanded the Second Battle Cruder Squadron. Rear-Admiral bir William Pakenham has now been appointed to succeed Sir David Beatty in the command ol the Wattle Cruiser Fleet. ~. c Born in 1861. Sir William comes of a good old North Country stock. One .rraifdl'athei- was Sir Tatton Sykes, the lino old Yorkshire sportsman whose i.ame i* still held in loving remembrance all over the county, and beyond; the other was the Karl ot Longlord. . . nil Verv earlv in Ins career Pakenham showed lhe'so-t ol' sfull' he was made ol'. The ship on which he was serving as a midshipman was steaming out of a, harbour in Cyprus when a. seaman Ml overboard. Without, a moments hesitation the seventeen-year-old 'snotty" jumped into the sea and succeded in saving him. FRIENDLY WITH THE KING. Ten years later he made a plucky effort to repeat 'the feat at Kiel. A warrant-officer missed bis hold of tlvo foreyard while, at drill and fell unto the water. Pakenham went in after him, but this 'time, lie was unsuccessful, tho man sinking like a stone. King George, has a strong personal regard for Admiral Pakenham, dating back from the time when they served together in tho old Canada on the North American station. Our King was himself a "'snotty" in those days, and tho two were great chums. The new Comirander of the Battle Cruiser has served all over the world—on tho Australian Station under Tryon, in the Pacific, in the Mediterranean and on the China Station. As Naval Attache to Japan ho was in Admiral Togo's flagship at the Rattle of Tsushima, when a shell burst near him and killed.'and wounded several men. Pakenham ran forward and helped Lo carry the injured below, his white uniform being plentifully smeared' with blood in the process. Going down to his cabin he quickly changed, and was on deck a. few minutes later cialmly watching through his glasses the progress of the fight.. Tn appearance Admiral Pakenham is slim, and exercise-; the sailor's privilege of cultivating a. well-trimmed beard, which, together with, an unusually heavy moustache, makes him look, perhaps, a. trifle older than he really is. His face, however, has none of the sternness v?o usually associate with naval commanders of high rank, a merry smile lurking almost continually in liis clear grey eyes.