PART OF BRITISH FLEET

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 265, 9 November 1945, Page 5

PART OF BRITISH FLEET

INTENDED VISIT TO N.Z. CARRIER AND TWO DESTROYERS (P.A.) Parliament Bldgs., Nov. 7. Wearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Philip Vian, second-in-command of the British Pacific Fleet, H.M.S. Indefatigable, the latest and largest of the Royal Navy's aircraft-carriers, in company with H.M. destroyers Urchin and Wizard, is shortly to make a visit of three weeks to New Zealand, announces the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones.

According to a programme approved by Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser the Indefatigable, Urchin and Wizard wiil leave Sydney on November 23 and will arrive at Wellington on November 27 for a stay of one week. They will leave Wellington on December 4, arriving the same day in Queen Charlotte Sound for exercises. Thence they will sail on December 10 arriving at Auckland on December 12. The ships will depart from Auckland on December 18 for Sydney, where they will arrive on December 22.

Complements of the three ships total some 2000 officers and men. The Indefatigable, which is one of the six large Fleet ’carriers on service in the Royal Navy, is a sister ship to the Implacable. The ship has a full load displacement of more than 32,000 tons on an over-all length of 766 ft. 2in., a n extreme breadth of 95ft. 9in., and a mean draught of 28ft. Urn. She is propelled by four screws, driven by geared turbine engines which develop 126,000 n.p. for a continuous sea-going speed of 30.5 knots. The Indefatigable operates some 60 aircraft. Her armament comprises sixteen 4.5 in. guns in twin mountings, 40 2-pdr. pom-poms in live mountings, four 2-pdr. pom-poms in quadruple mountings, and 55 20m.m. Oerlikons in double and single mountings. The destroyers Urchin and Wizard are fleet destroyers cf 1710 tons standard displacement on a length of 362 ft. 9in.