DEFIED SHELL FIRE

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21041, 17 February 1940, Page 8

DEFIED SHELL FIRE

HAMILTON BOY’S COURAGE INTO ACTION ON ACHILLES REMAINED AT BATTERED POST While German voices loudly proclaim that the New Zealanders are “just poor country lads who do not know what it is all about,” they seem to have forgotten that their insults were directed at the very fighting stock which manned H.M.S. Achilles and contributed to the destruction of the Admiral Graf Spee, pride of the Nazi fleet, in one of the most complete routs in modern naval history. Those sailors proclaimed to the world that the spirit of Anzac is not dead and that New Zealanders still rank among the greatest fighting men. One who contributed in a gallant way on the Achilles to preserve that name is a Hamilton sailor, Max Dorset, son of Mrs B. Potts, of Claudelands. Sorted out from the hundreds of sailors on board for the special praise of Captain W. E. Parry, commander of H.M.S. Achilles (as previously reported in the Waikato Times), young Dorset has brought distinction to Hamilton in particular and New Zealand in general. While all the ship’s crew was described by the commander as magnificent, Dorset’s conduct was particularly mentioned as being courageous. Mother Awaits Home-coming Details of the exploit of Dorset, who is only 17 £ years of age, are still particularly meagre. In fact, his mother has heard nothing except the

Courageous Conduct on H.M.S. Achilles. comments of Commander Parry as reported recently in the Waikato Times. Naturally she is eagerly awaiting her son’s home-coming on leave, which is expected shortly. It appears that Max Dorset was stationed at a telephone in one of the gun turrets of H.M.S. Achilles during that memorable action off Montevideo in December. It must have been the turret that was hit and in which some of the New Zealand sailors lost their lives, because Dorset was reported to have been killed. But the lad declared indignantly over the ship’s telephone: “I’m not dead. This is me at the end of the ’phone.” It is obvious that, in the best traditions of the British Navy, he stuck to his post, fearless of crashing shell fire and scorning the onslaughts of the Graf Spee’s 11-inch shells. Ambition To Join Navy For the past 11 years Max Dorset, who is a grandson of Mr Arthur Beauchamp, of Hamilton, has been a resident of Hamilton. He was born at Feilding. Even when he was at the Hamilton East School and later at the Hamilton Technical College, he had often proclaimed a desire to join the Navy. Just over two years ago, at the age of 15 years and 3 months, his ambition was fulfilled when he was accepted for training on H.M.S. Philomel at the Devonport Naval Base, Auckland. As a Boy Scout with the Claudelands troop and earlier still at Dunedin, he had been able to sharpen his wits on many things which were to become useful for him in the Navy. His progress on the Philomel was good. From a boy second class, he became a boy first class, and that was his rating when he completed his training at the base after one year. He was to have joined H.M.S. Leander, but after a short leave, he was drafted to the Achilles and made the voyage to England with the cruiser, which had some exciting moments when the British fleet was standing by for any eventualities when European diplomatic relations were strained. Last May the cruiser returned to New Zealand. The Achilles had steamed into line with the Exeter and Ajax only just prior' to the engagement with the Admiral Graf Spee. Under Rear Admiral Sir Henry Harwood, the three warships performed a heroic task, for they brought to bay the renowned pocket-battleship which had raided and destroyed 50,000 tons of Allied shipping in three months. Cables To His Mother Whether young Dorset was aware of the impression his conduct had made upon Captain Parry during that epic fight has not been learned, but it appears as if one of his first thoughts was for his mother in Hamilton. He despatched a cable reading, “All well. Hope to be home soon.” Later a second cable arrived wishing his mother New Year greetings. Mrs Potts has had one letter from her son, which was written before the Graf Spee engagement. While Mrs Potts would be justified J in feeling pride from the news of her son's exploits she considers that j had any other New Zealand boy been | in Max Dorset's position at the time he would have performed with equal courage. It is a matter for gratification for her. however, that her son behaved as she would have him do. \ One could but echo the message of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force’s escort, H.M.S. Ramillies—“Well done Achilles”— and add "Well done Dorset.”