SAILORS VISIT OTAKI

Chronicle (Levin), 8 May 1946, Page 2

SAILORS VISIT OTAKI

BLACK PRINCE PERSONNEL WARM WELCOME EXTENDED y — ■ Yesterday a large number of offlcers and ratings from H.M.S. Blaek Prince visited Otaki, and were met on arrival ■ and given a welcome by iocal residents, chief among the number being members of the Native race, wnose hospitality at all Umes is most marked. Unfortunateiy, the attendance was very smaii, but the welcome none the. tess hearty. Among the visitors were Lieut., Reid, commanding officer, Lieut.' Roberts, V.C., Demg unavoidably absent, Lieuts. Harris, McDonald, Crombie, Hiil and Rendall. On arrival at the marae Mr. Utiku Hapeta, with Mr. Carkeek as interpreter, extended a- welcome, stating now pieased the residents of Otaki were to see such distinguished visitors in Otaki, and mentioning cne fact that men of other warohips had also previousiy visited Otaki. Mr. Hapeta referred to tne oravery of the men and commended ohem on their many gallant dCeds. lApplause). Tne Rev. Temuera added words of welcome, which were followed by an action dance by the Maori Pa.rtv.

In extending a welcome to Otaki, Che Mayor, Mr. G. F. Atmore, said Uiat it was always a priviiege and a pieasure for the residents oi Otaki ,o extend their friendship and their nospitality to their kitn and kin i.rcm the Home Lands overseas, and especially to representatives of the Royal Navy. New Zealand was only a small area in the Soutnern Pacihc and she depended for her very existence on the supremacy of the British Navy and that of her Allies. That fact had been so clearly demonstrated during the recent war. They gladly took the opportunity of tixpressing their heartfelt, thanks xor the magnificent and courageous work of the Royal Navy during six long years of war, a wonderful eifort which hdd contributed in so xarge a meaSure to the great victory uhat had been won. The Maypr expressed the hope that the visitors vvould .'enjoy their time in Otaki, Tiat tliey would like New Zealahd, its towns and .countryside, and' its •iriendly people, and that when uie time came for them to sign-oif and Oo ashore and iive at permanfeht aioorings that soine of them would /emeniDer l^ew Zealand and tetiirn and settle ib.,,New Zealand. "'We, including all the giiT's, will welcome you with outstrecched arms," he ^oncluded. ... „ After lunchepn at the Raukawa dining? hall ".several visited the Rangiatea and viewed the carvings at the Raukawa, being greatly impressed. Later in the afternoon a crowd gatnered when items by the Maoris were give nand enjoyed. The farewell song was greatly appreciated. Object of Yisit The object of the visit to New Zealand waters Is to enabie tne people of the Dominion to become acquainted with this type of war^nip, as two vessels of her class are „o repiace H.M.N.Z.S. Gambia a.nd -ichiiies in tne near future. During the Allied invasion of Normandy, the Black Prince was amchorcd only six miles from Saint Vaast ia Hogue, where, 600 years oerore, the originai Biack^ Prince nad landed witn his father, Kmg Edward III. During D-Day and tne nine following days, tne Black Prince, which was tne nearest ship in the line to the beaches, bomoarded enemy shore positions, hrmg more than 1300 shells. Warrior Namesake The name of the ship commemirates Edward, Prince oi Wales, who cvas known as the Black Prince l'rom the colour oi his armour. In 1346, as a lad^of 16, he distinguished himself at the Battle of Crecy, when his father defeated tne French; and in 1356 he defeatea uhem himself in the Battle of Pointiers, in which King John of France was taken prisoner and the blind Ring of Bohemia was killed. The Black Prince. adopted the latter's crest of three ostrich plumes and nis motto, "Ich . Dien," and they nave been retained by the Prince of Wales ever since. The present cruiser carries the name of Black Prince in tne Royal Navy for the fifth time after a iapse of 28 years. Commissioned at Belfast in October, 1943, she is one of the most modern ships in the Navy and in her brief career has jeen action in many theatres. Sne was first engaged as an escort ship with convoys- to Russia, after which she was stationed at Plymouth. The "Bla,ck Prince" is commanded by Captain Gerald Vaughan Gladstone, R.N., wvho served in New Zealand in then- Diomede and Dunedin. He married. Miss Marjorie John-. ston, eldest' daughter of the Iate Mr.- J. Goring Johnston,- of Tamumu, Waipawa, in London, in 1925. Distingished Officer A distinguished mernber of the cruiser 's company is the " torpedo officer, Lieutenant Peter S. W. Roberts, V.G., D.S.C. He won his V.C. in February, 1942,. when with Petty Officer T. W. Gould, V.C., he volunteered to remove two unexploded bombs which were discovered volling between the gun casing and the deck of. the submarine, H.M.S. Thrasher, in which he was serving. The danger was very great and x-jx a

distance of 20 feet, in ' complete darkness, they pushed and pulled the bombs until they could be lowered over the side. The* deed was the more gallant as the submarine was in enemy waters and there was every chance of her having to crash dive while they were in the casing. Had this happened they must have drowned.