“WELL DONE”

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21051, 1 March 1940, Page 8

“WELL DONE”

ACHILLES MEN FETED CIVIC RECEPTION CROWDED HAMILTON SAILORS HONOURED Hamilton’s first fighting sailors, not long home from battle, received the gratitude of a proud public this afternoon, when a civic welcome was given in their honour in the Bledisloe Hall. Crowds attended the ceremony to acclaim the sailors, whose deeds contributed towards the gallant achievement of H.M.S. Achilles in the Battle of the River Plate in December, which led to the end of the Nazi pocket-bat-tleship Admiral Graf Spee. When the Achilles, revealing honourable battle scars, came home last Friday to Auckland, the sailors were greeted by a tumultuous welcome, in which many Hamilton people participated. The people of Hamilton, however, desired to honour their own sailors in their home town, as scores of other Dominion towns have planned to do, in order to add their testimony to the Empire-wide admiration of the Achilles’ exploit. Today that pride received unstinted expression. The company of Hamilton bluejackets who were at the reception was small, but each one had played a part worthy of British naval tradition. Included in their number was a boy who is, as far as known, the youngest recipient in history of the the Distinguished Service Medal— Boy First Class Max Dorset. Commander’s Telegram Captain W. E. Parry, C. 8., Commander of the Achilles, who was in-

vited to the welcome, sent a telegram to the Mayor of Hamilton, Mr H. D. Caro, to-day, stating that all available officers and rating were on leave. He regretted he must decline the kind invitation to attend the ceremony. Following the address of welcome by the Mayor, the Rt. Rev. C. A. Cherrington, Bishop of Waikato, gave an address, after which the crowd joined in singing “Land of Hope a*id Glory.” The president of the Waikato Returned Soldiers’ Association, Mr D. I. Gate, also gave an address, following which Mr Caro presented each of the Achilles sailors with a fountain pen, suitably inscribed. Following the singing of “For They Are Jolly Good Fellows,” the crowd sang “God Defend New Zealand.” At the conclusion of the ceremony the sailors and their relatives were guests at afternoon tea, arranged by the finance and management subcommittee of the Hamilton Patriotic Committee. In Hamilton to-day many flags fluttered from mastheads on buildings in honour of the men of the Achilles. Some shops had special window displays and bunting was also in evidence. In order to allow their staffs to attend the function in Bledisloe Hall, business houses closed their doors this afternoon and suspended operations for a time. Sailors Present The Hamilton sailors, who were greeted with loud applause, were:— Petty Officer Writer R. BywaterLutman, Petty Officer Telegraphist A. F. Bywater-Lutman, Able SeamanGunner W. McKenzie, Leading Signalman R. Mangnail. Able Seaman V. K. Varney, Stoker Petty Officer A. Sweeney, Leading Stoker B. J. Taylor, Able Seaman E. Buckler, Able Seaman R. Larsen. Able Seaman M. Larsen, Boy Max Dorset, D.S.M.; Boy K. Martin, Boy R. Graham, Leading Supply Assistant J. Bonyard, Able Seaman H. H. Gould, D.S.M. Hundreds of people assembled from about an hour before the reception commenced. Men of the Achilles were rushed for autographs, one rating remarking that he had signed over 300 books to-day. Musical accompaniments were played inside the hall by the Hamilton Citizens’ Band and outside by the Hamilton Caledonian Band. Mayor's Eulogy The Mayor of Hamilton, Mr H. D. Caro, welcomed the Hamilton men of the Achilles. It was with pride that he did so, he said, in expressing the gratitude of the citizens for the manner in which the sailors upheld the traditions of the British Navy and gave New Zealand a naval tradition for the first time. Hamilton was proud to have had its sons in the famous River Plate action. "We owe great gratitude to the captain, officers and men of the Achilles. They have made the seas safe for our merchant shipping and opened the sea lanes to New Zealand's primary produce,” said Mr Caro. With every mention of the names of the men of the Achilles the crowd burst into applause. Mr Caro read a welcome to the men from Mr Arthur Beauchamp, grandfather of Boy Max Dorset, D.S.M.. of Hamilton. Mr Beauchamp j is at present in hospital.