N.Z.'S FRONTIER

Waikato Independent, Volume XL, Issue 3678, 9 March 1940, Page 7

N.Z.'S FRONTIER

OFF THE RIVER PLATE AUSTRALIAN TRIBUTE TO "ACHILLES" No one will have read the account of the home-coming of the N.Z. cruiser, Achilles, without a thrill of emotion. Her return from active service was a triumph, 200,000 New Zealanders cheering her from headland and hill. And no wonder! (said the Melbourne "Sun" editorially, the day after). New Zealand has always played a prominent part in the naval defence of the Empire. She did not build up a Royal N.Z. Navy, but undertook to maintain, and largely to man, a N.Z. division of the Royal Navy. Relations between the Dominion and the Navy have always been very close and warm. In the battle of Jutland, the battle cruiser New Zealand, a gift to .the Old Country, played a leading part, and her captain went into action proudly wearing a Maori war dress over his uniform. In the battle with the Graf Spee, the flag of New Zealand flew in the Achilles. On the outbreak of war, the Achilles did not remain in home waters to guard New Zealand. She went to the scene of the battle—to the sound of the guns—and thereby helped to make New Zealand safe. The frontiers of New Zealand, it appeared, were off the River Plate, _ a lesson for us all. Now the Achilles comes home, with her blushing honours thick upon her, with flag flying, battlescarred, and with a high proportion of her crew decorated for "gallantry in the presence of the enemy."

This young Dominion's company went into action with the spirit of Nelson's last and most famous signal animating them: "Keep closer to the enemy."

Today their own people salute them. In that salute Australia joins with full heart, and echoes the Commodore's signal, "Well done, Achilles."