NO NELSON TOUCH

Chronicle (Levin), 3 November 1949, Page 5

NO NELSON TOUCH

(N.Z.P.A,

—Reuter,

New Discipline Proposed Foi Canadian Navy

Copyrighi)

Received Wednesday, 5.35 p.m. OTTAWA, Nov. 1. A civilian commission appointed to investigate incidents aboard tbreo Canadian warships early this year, today presented its report recoinmending that the Canadian Navy be "Canadianised" and that certain Royal Navy methods and traditions be played down. The commission said t.here was no doubt the incidents investigated were . te.chnically mutinies, and recommended that any such outbursts be dealt with sfeverely in future. The report said, however, there was justifiaction for some of the complaints of the mutineers and recommended a number of changes in training and discipline. It recommended the playing down oi the "Nelson tradition" and the building up of the Canadian Navy's 'own traditions based on its record in the last \var. o The incidents involved the refusal to carry out orders on the part of members of the crews of the aircraft-carriei Magnifieent while eruising in the Caribbean, the destroyer Atabasca while oti the west coast of Mexico. and the destroyer Crescent while in Chinese watsrs The commission said many Canadian offieers received their early training with the Royal Navy and did not in ali eases appreoiate that the Canadian seamah presented a different problem from the Royal Navy seaman. The commission said Canadian offieers training with the Royal Navy had superimposed on them a type of life and style of leadership not only foreign to themselves but to the men they commanded. There was no form of artificial superiority which Canadians resented more than the variety imported from another land. The commission recommended that Canadian sailors wear some insignia identifying them as Canadian. "This desire is the natural outcome of pride iu their identitv a-s Canadian sailors and of strong resentment against a recurrence of intemational incidents wherem thejr were insulted by igorant eitizens or servicemen belonging to other peoples who seem to rejoice in jeering at those whom they believe to be British. ' ' The commission said it hoped all that was good in the British Navy's traditions would remain with the Canadian Navy, and only what was inefficient ana ineonsistent with their national need, dignity and special conditions would disappear. The» commission recommended that the training of young Canadian naval offieers at Canadian service collegea be followed by practical experience m Canadian training ships with young men of the type they would later De called on to lead. "If Canadian ships are not avaiiable immediately a partial diversion to United States Navy ships as well as to Royal Navy ships should be considered.J' Mr. Claxton, National Defence Minister, said today there would be no disciplinarv aetion taken as a result of the ; report either against the offieers or men involved in the incidents. He added, ; however, that any such incidents in the future would be dealt with in strict aecordance with navv law.