ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1925, Page 4

ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE

TRAINING OPERATfONS

AUCKLAND. Nov. -I

A new departure in connection with the recently formed branch of the Royal Naval Reserve at Auckland, the first body of its kind to be inaugurated in the Dominion, will be made next month, when two parties, each consisting of an officer and twenty trainees, will undergo instruction on hoard HALS. Dunedin, during exercises carried out in the Ilattraki Gull from December Bto 21. Commodore A. E. Real has consented to make all arrangements for the men on board. One party will undergo instruction from December 8 to PL and the other until JIAI.S. Dunedin returns to pari. The vessel’s headquarters will lie, piohahlv at Great Barrier, or Kawnu. and the members of the reserve will go oft bv launch. “The men will me'-s with the seamen and work with them in all their duties,” said Commander .1, I!. Middleton, in remarking upon the value of ihe projected scheme, which ho hoped it would he possible to carry out from year to year. “11 will be a particularly good chance lor them to see a little of real naval life. The men of the reserve are all wonderfull> enthusiastic in their work, and tins is indicated hv the fact that seventy-live applications were made lor the tony vacancies. The . keenness displayed sime the invention ol the corps here has been remarkable . Me have a set of voung men. \Yo are now op to full strength of 120, and have a waiting list of about forty. • ‘The iiew l rawlcr approved of in tin' estimates has been ordered, and should leave England about .January, This will ho a very valuable asset to us iii mir worlc. Ihe vessel, whim is fitted with a gun. mid is the latest type of mine-sweeper, will be berthed n't Devnnport. and will be manned by a skleton crew. We hope to be able to use it for cruising purposes, which means we will have to do our own tiring atid everything eimected with the vessel's navigation.” Commander Middleton said t n existence ol a large reserve in et ei > cent re was of vital important. et feast fit”) volunteers should b«- trained at eat li port. If trouble ever came ../on crews for merchant shipping "“old lie c.sen I ial. but Ibe e could not be supplied unless then 1 was an ade.iua'e and well-trained lor«e to draw upon.