N.Z. Navy in Battle Manoeuvres

Chronicle (Levin), 5 March 1949, Page 5

N.Z. Navy in Battle Manoeuvres

AUCKLAND, Mareh 4. Co'ok Strait waters will become a make- believe battleground on Monday when the ships of the recently reinforced Royal New Zealand Navy will begin a fortnight's coneentrated exercises and manoeuvres. Three frigates, the Taupo, Kanieri and Pukaki, wili leave Devonport tomorrow to rendezvous with the eruiser Bellona and their sister ship Hawea off the south of the North Island under the control of the squadron commander, Captain D. Ham mersley Johnston in the Bellona. The five ships will exercise at sea untiJ March 10 together with the anti-sub marine minesweeper- Kiwi. They will be at Akaroa for harbour drills between Mareh 10- and 15 and there will be further operations at sea from March 15 to 18. After a. leave period in Wellington between March 18 and 22, the squadron will' undertake the flnal two days of the manoeuvres for squadron training purposes. »'The ships will assume varied roles in gunnery exercises with towed air and sea targets and will reach the elimax on March 22 when, ii: weather conditions are suitable, the hulk Occident will be towed from Wel-, lington and sunk.,-by naval gunfire. Aircraft of the Rayal New Zealand Air Force will cooperate in the exercises in eonvoy protection, radar plottmg and communications. Torpedo firing and anti-submarine operations will be undertaken. "