N.Z. CORVETTE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 226, 21 June 1944, Page 4

N.Z. CORVETTE

Arbutus Fully Manned (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright, (Special Correspondent.) LONDON, June 19. HALS. Arbutus, one of the two corvettes presented to New Zealand by the British Government, now has a full crew, the majority of them New Zealanders. She was visited by the New Zealand High Commissioner, Mr. Jordan, and Mr. S. R. Skinner, naval affairs officer, who stayed the night on board and complimented the officers and men on their fine ship. H.M.S. Arbutus is commanded by Lieut.-Commander John Rhind, R.N.Zb N.V.R. Lyttelton. His officers are Lieuts. R. I. Floris. Hamilton, N. H. Whatman, Waimate, G. Fisher and N. K. Brown, Auckland, and Sub.-Lieuts. B. Hunter, Helcnsville, and D. Bridges, Auckland. The corvette is fitted with all the latest devices for hunting U-boats, and her crew have had wide war experience. Lieut-Commander Rhind previously served in the Mediterranean. Lieut. Floris commanded a corvette on Atlantic convoy work. Lieut. Fisher was in a motor-launch in the St. Nazaire raid. Lieut. Brown was a prisoner in the Altmarck for 11 weeks. Both Lieut. Whatman and Lieut. Floris had experience of glider bombs during patrols over the Atlantic, and saw them shot down. The Arbutus is a sister ship of the Arabis, which is commanded by LieutCommander Seelye, and which Mr. Jordan inspected last February.