BRITAIN'S GIFT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 238, 2 July 1920, Page 7

BRITAIN'S GIFT

TO AUSTRALIAN NAVY SIX NEW DESTROYERS Describing the arfival .in Sydney Hartoii- of the six destroyers presented by fTie British Admiralty to the Cornmonwealtl., the "Sydney' Moaning Herald" said that the strangers were quickly identified by their size and colour—the paint on iiieir long, lean hulls is_ a lighter grey than is the present fashion with Australian warships-and passing ferry boats tooted shrill welcomes to the crews.

Thero was no ceremony about tho arrival. A quarter Of an hour after the leader had come to her moorings a naval oil ship- had hauled alongside, and the work of transferrin® supplies of fuel was in full ewing. The Anzac.

: The largest of the six gift ships is the Anzfvo, an exceptionally smart vessel both in looks and engine power, of 1660 tonß. classed As "a destroyer leader." This mission the Anzao discharged during the latter .part of the war in the North Sea and in the Channel. She is in command of Commander S. H. Simpson, D.S.O, and bar. Tile others, . each oi 1075 tons, are the Swordstnan * (Lieutenant-Commander C. E. Hughes White, D.5.0.), tho Tattoo (LieutenantCommander A. M. Roberts, D.5.0.), the ,Tasmania (Lieutenant-Commander H. Joyce, D.R.0.), tire Success (Lieutenanti Commander-0. Wace), And the Stalwart (Lieutenant Frederick Cavagd). Tho vessels are manned by R.N. 1 ratings) the total, number on board the floti'lh b.'ing about-GOO. They .have been loaned for two years for service m the Australian Navy. For this service ttoe were many applicants somewhere in tho vioinity of 6000 men having volunteered, and it is from this largo num. ! to of applicants that the present orewß were selected. All of tlio officers and prrctieally tht> whole of the men were with the Navy during the war, anl among them are some who rendered conspicuously good service. The youthful appearance of each vessel a company is very striking. Commander Simpson, of the Anzac, was oil tho cruiser Argyle, one of the Third Cruiser Squadron, at tho beginning of tho war,. Subsequently he took command of the 6loop Jessamine, and in hto spent two years off tho coaßt of Ireland. During that period the Jessamine captured tho German vessel Aud, near tho mouth of tho Shannon, loaded with rifles. The And, by the_ way, had previously- been the British flhip Maudcf, having bom' seized hy the Germans. After thip Commander Simpson did work 011 the "mystery ships" that gained him his decoration, • Incidentally, he was blown rip a couple of times, and describes the experience as having been "most interesting." A, Zeebrugge Hero. Among the officers is one who, as a gunner on tho Vindictive, was among tho first to reach tho mole at Zeebrugge. For his courage on tha.t occasion he was promoted to be an officer. This is Lieutenant Cobby, of the Tattoo. Seaman Taylor, of the Anzac, was also in the raid on Zeebrugge, and was carried baok.to his ship seriously wounded; , '.'These .vessels," said Commander Simpson to a representative of tho "Herald/

"arc all new—indeed, five of them are brand now, for they were in course, of construction when the armistice was signed. Their engines ran without hitch the whole way out, and they stood tho heavy weather we ran into off the Queensland coast very well indeed. That latter ex* perionoa was quite lively, and for « while we got well toasted. "Perhaps you heard "that owing to a mishap," Commander Simpson said, "the Annao had to stay behind at Plymouth for a time, thei others going on in the meanwhile. Leaving Plymouth on March 10, wo ran to Aden in eleven days, and finally caught tho rest of the flotilla at Bombay. That run to Aden established a record. Tho Anznc logged an average of over 20 knots for the whola trip. At Sourabaya we had instructions to wait for Matthews, % flying man, but when he crashed wo went on, leaving tho Tasmania and Stalwart behind -far a few davs. They rejoined' ub at Thursday Island * There the community treated us so handsomely that m were really sorry to leave." Commander Simpson sold thai this waft his first visit to Australia. "But," he added, "I know quite & lot about you, having be«n brought into oloso contact with thousands of Australian soldiers. And this has inade not only mo, but the whole personnel of the flotilla, look forward to tho time wo are to spend in Australia with the greatest pleasure." After refitting, the flotilla will merge into the fleet which leaves Sydney to participate in welcoming the Prince of Wales at Port Phillip.