SPECTACULAR EXERCISES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 227, 7 September 1933, Page 10

SPECTACULAR EXERCISES

HAURAKI GULF MANOEUVRES. COMBINED SQUADRONS. AUCKLAND, Sept. 6. A “Herald” reporter aboard the Dunedin reports by wireless that spectacular exercises by the Australian and New Zealand squadrons wore carried out in Hauraki Gulf to-day. Tho New Zealand cruisers prepared to act as targets for a long-range torpedo attack by the Canberra and Australia with torpedoes with practice heads. The big cruisers manoeuvred into position about six miles away while the target ships, with the Dunedin in tho lead, performed crazy zigzags with the object of baffling the attacking squadron. Their wake left a weird futuristic pattern on the smooth surface of the sea. Meanwhile tho Australian cruisers were speeding along at 25 knots. Suddenly huge fonts of spray appeared alongside them, visible even six miles away. The torpedoes had been fired. Two were discharged from each ship, and then the attacking squadron swung round to launch a furtheir attack from the port side. The Dunedin and the Diomede continued to zig-zag amazingly, while keen eyes watched for the tracks of the approaching torpedoes. Eventually one was seen to pass between the ships, while another passed astern of the Diomede. Another torpedo attack was carried out in the afternoon with the Australian cruisers acting as targets for the New Zealand ships.