NAVAL REVIEW

Wairarapa Daily Times, 19 July 1935, Page 5

NAVAL REVIEW

FLEET EXERCISES. RUGBY, Wednesday. The King returned to London tonight by special train from Portsmouth, after watching the Fleet exercises from the Royal yacht this morning. The exercises included firing at the Fleet target ship Centurion, and at towed targets, and anti-aircraft firing at the wireless-controlled aerial target “Queen Bee,” which was seen for the first time by the King and the Prince of Wales and the Lukes of York and Kent, who were with his Majesty on the bridge of the Victoria and Albert. The little aeroplane was flown off from the cruiser Achilles and put to turn, to climb, or to dive on its flight towards its supposed victim, the battleship Rodnev, by wireless control. It was soon “spotted” and surrounded by smoke from exploding shells, through which it moved steadily towards its objective. When almost over the hociney the guns registered a hit, and the “Queen Bee” fell into the sea. At the end of the tactical exercises the Royal yacht steamed back to Portsmouth through two. lines of ships extending for several miles. The King sent a message to the Fleet expressing his entire satisfaction with evervthing he had seen, and congratulating all ranks and ratings. “the impressive spectacle ° f th ? r< :' view in which I am pleased to think that the ships of the Merchant Navy have for the first time taken part while the success with which the 1-leet exeieiscs have been carried out to-day bears witness to the traditional efficiency of the Roval Navy. These two happy days spent bv me at sea, accompanied by my sons, and with a service to which I had the honour to belong for so many years, will remain one of the most inspiring recollections of my jubilee.’’—(British Wireless).