CAPTAIN MORGAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 June 1943, Page 4

CAPTAIN MORGAN

OF THE FAMOUS AWATEA AND OTHER NEW ZEALANDERS. DECORATED BY THE QUEEN. (Special P.A. Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, June 23. Captain G. B. Morgan, D. 5.0., former commander of the Awatea, received his D.S.O. from the Queen at a recent investiture. He was accompanied by Mr A. A. Powell, secretary of the Union Steamship Company, and Mrs Powell. Captain Morgan is awaiting a new command. He said the admiral on whom he called after the Awatea had been sunk said: “She fought like a battleship,” which was a fitting epitaph for this well-known ship. Captain Morgan said the Awatea had carried out a second half of operations in the North African landing schedule and had already beaten off a heavy air attack, but at dusk, when the enemy again attacked, she was hit by a bomb and an aerial torpedo. “One bomb went down one forward hatch and another down another hatch,” said Captain Morgan. “The steel lids flew up like birds. Qne hit the bridge and another the after deck. The crew’s quarters were ringed by fire. I was afraid to ask what the casualties were. It seemed a miracle that the bombs and aerial torpedo only caused two casualties.

The crew were picked up by a destroyer after the Awatea had been sunk and were then transferred to a Dutch transport. Captain Morgan was later approached by the crew, who asked permission to give an illuminated address to the Dutch captain. Captain Morgan, who from the days when he was captain of passenger liners has always had a happy turn of phrase, remembered that it was the three hundredth anniversary of Tasman's discovery of New Zealand when he handed over the address. He said the link between New Zealand and Holland had been forged for over 300 years. Captain Morgan praised the bravery of the Dutch ship’s Javanese crew. The captain told him that in the middle of the morning’s action his Javanese boy came up to the bridge with coffee. The captain was more interested in the bombs and shells falling and said: “Take it away.” When the captain, who had forgotten all about it, saw him later, the boy was as black as thunder. He said: “Master wants a new boy. My coffee no good.” The captain had to find him and apologise. Other New Zealanders at the investiture were Wing Commander P. G. Jameson, of Lower Hutt, who received the D.S.O. from the Queen; Flying Officer L. Chambers, of Karamea, who was awarded the D.F.C. for his part in the raid against the Mohne Dam, and Flight Lieutenant R. T. Fleming, of Opotiki, who received the D.F.C. for work in North Africa.