Fuelling Operation At Sea To Be Carried Out By Warships

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 March 1948, Page 4

Fuelling Operation At Sea To Be Carried Out By Warships

(P.A.) Auckland, March 29. A fuelling operation at sea is to be carried out by the Australian cruiser Australia and the New Zealand ship Bellona when they leave Devonport tomorrow morning for further exercises in the Hauraki Gulf. Used widely by British and American naval forces during the Pacific War, the technique of transferring oil fuel be. tween ships at sea has now become standard practice in the Navy. One method which has received wide publicity is to connect a floating pipe-line between two ships as they lie in line. However, Australia and Bellona will adopt an alternative system of bringing two cruisers alongside and leading an oil connection across the decks. This procedure calls for skilful seamanship and accurate judgment in manoeuvring two heavy ships into position and in maintaining place in. the face of sea and wind while the oil is being passed. There will also be further exercises for officers of the watch.

Continual changes in speed, course, and disposition will be signalled from Rear-Admiral H. B. Farncomb in Australia and as each hoist of the code flags is run down Bellona and the Australian destroyer Bataan will be presented with practical tests in station-keeping to maintain or adjust their relative positions. All four propellors of the 10,000-ton Australia are again serviceable. A diver from the Devonport naval base worked during the Easter period to free the outer starboard screw from a 2iin. wire rope with which it was fouled when the ship was leaving uytteiton earner in trie New Zealanu cruise. After using an underwater torch to cut away the rope guard outside the propehoi housing, the diver severed and removed each of the tightly-jammed turns of wire until trie sprew was again free to run. The two Australian ships and Bailona will part company at the Three Kings tomorrow evening. Australia and Bataan will set a course for their home base of Sydney, while Bellona will proceed to Tarakohe, where she is due to arrive oil Thursday. Leaving on Saturday she will carry out the following itinerary: New Plymouth, April 3 to 9; Pelorus Sound, April 9 to 16; Wellington, April 16 to 19; Bay of Islands, April 21 to 26; Hauraki Gulf, April 26 to May 49; Motuihi Island, May 4 to 6; return to Devonport May 6. Although it is customary lor one of the major ships on the station to make an autumn cruise in New Zealand waters, Bellona’s itinerary has been prepared to give emphasis to her new role as a Naval training vessel. Much of her time away from Auckland will be spent either at sea, or in quiet anchorages which will provide wide opportunities for the young ship's company to receive instruction.