AMERICAN DESTROYERS

Evening Star, Issue 23694, 30 September 1940, Page 5

AMERICAN DESTROYERS

SAFE ARRIVAL AT BRITISH PORT UNEVENTFUL VOYAGE ACROSS ATLANTIC LONDON, September 29. The first flotilla of destroyers acquired from the United States arrived at a British port to the accompaniment of tremendous enthusiasm. The loader will soon be renamed Churchill. A flying boat spotted the destroyers in the Atlantic and dived in salute before reti.rning to its base. The ships were tied up without ceremony. All are of tho 1,200-ton, flush dock class, contemporaries of the British V and W classes. They mount almost the same armament and have a speed of 35 knots. Most are four-funnelled, and all are equipped with four-inch guns, 21iu torpedo tubes, and three-inch antiaircraft guns. All are to be renamed after towns beginning with the letter “ C.” A large flotilla of this class served in European waters from 1919 to 1924. They have a high standard of comfort aboard. The naval ratings lining the decks as they came in highly praised the American crews from whom they took over. The British crews proceeded to Canada aboard a liner which a German plane unsuccessfully attacked before its departure. The commander of one destroyer said tho Americans were extraordinarily charming and handed over the ships in spick and span condition. “ Our men quickly settled down to handling the vessels,” he said. “ Tho American skeleton crews which accompanied us on the trial runs wanted to go to England, and nearly wept when we sailed.” Tho British crews agreed that the vessels were better than British destroyers of the same age. The Atlantic was crossed in six days, and all had plenty of fuel left. Everyone paid a tribute to tho ships’ machinery and equipment, which require only the slightest touching up for active service.

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PRESENTED BY ITALY (By Radio.) DAVENTRY, September 30. Italy has presented the following demands on Syria:— 1. Use of Tripoli as a naval base. 2. The grounding of all French planes. 3. The handing over of two air bases. / 4. Complete demobilisation of the French forces in Syria, with the exception of the police.

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PLANES LOCKED AFTER COLLISION AUSTRALIAN PILOT’S FEAT SYDNEY, September 30. (Received September 30, at 1.10 p.m.) A Royal Australian Air Force pilot made a successful landing near Cowra with his plane jammed on top of another R.A.A.F. machine. Air Force officers cannot recall such a feat in history of aviation. Tho machines had collided in mid-air I,oooft up and became locked firmly together. The pilot and observer of the bottom machine and the observer of the top machine baled out and descended safely by parachute. The pilot who eventually landed the two planes still locked together jumped free of the cockpit of the top machine after gliding.to a landing.

COALITION GOVERNMENT

URGED IN AUSTRALIA SIR EARLE PAGE'S PROPOSALS SYDNEY, September 30. (Received September 30, at 9.30 a.m.) Sir Earle Page, former leader of the Australian Country Party, issued a statement urging the immediate formation of an all-Australian Government of the best brains, as Australia’s war position is too cidtical to permit a stalemate arising out of the elections. He advocated centralisation of the headquarters of the Government at Canberra, review of the external exchange position, and making available Australan naval bases to the United States navy. USE OF KINETHEODOLITE WOMEN AS INSTRUCTORS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 29. (Received September 30, at 12.5 p.m.) Some women members of tiie Auxiliai'y Territorial Service may be seen proudly wearing a gunner’s lanyard. This distinction they earned teaching anti-aircraft gunners the use of the kinetheodolite, an instrument used to assist in accurate shooting. When anti-aircraft guns are firing at targets towed by aeroplanes the kinetheodolite picks up errors which, unaided, the eye is not able to see. The operators of this machine need a knowledge of geometry, a working acquaintance with logarithms, some practice in photography, and a natural delicacy of touch. These qualifications are possessed by some of the A.T.S. girls, and it is found that they quickly learn all about tho instrument and make excellent instructors.