A SEA VETERAN

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1932, Page 7

A SEA VETERAN

LAST : OF THE; ENCOUNTER ■SYDNEY, October 13. When the Encounter was sunk oil the Sydney Heads recently it' meant; the passing of the last link with the old Imperial Navy which gdarded the shores of Australia and New Zealand in the days before there was a change in naval policy under which Australia built her own fleet. The old Encounter was as. well known in New Zealand waters as in Australia, and jn -hose good old pre-war days, the arrival of. the Fleet, with the Encounter ag the flagship, was quite an event in many a Dominion port, In the heigh-duy ot ler youth slip was a, good ship, a light cruiser of 6000 tons, steaming 22 knots, and carrying 11 6in guns.,' The Encounter was out on tlio Austral an staticn before war was declared having been loaned to Australia by the Admiralty pending the" competition of H.M.A.S. Brisbane. Within a few hours of the declaration the old ship was at sea on her way to New: Giunei, and en route she had the pleasure of capturing the Zambesi, which was car rying the German wireless installation for Rabaul. Throughout the'war the Encounter was on service, taking part in the capture of German colonies. It was a working party from her that boarded and wrecked the German raider, Seeadler, von Luekner’s shin.

The Encounter escorted the troopship Bernina with troops for the cap ture of Rabaul, and during, 1926 she was patrolling the Malay ArcUipohg'i. However, the position became so serious because of the shortage of ships that the vessel was recalled io guaid the coast cf Australia, which at the time was absolutely without naval protection. When not guarding the shores cf Australia the Encounter a a escorting transports as far as Colombo, At another stage of the war she was disguised as a ~ trader, and fho went in search or another Gerimni raider, the Mntuug'U The raidm'were causing considerable concern, and the Encounter was’ here, there auu everywhere, going as far as Fiji a-’id Fanning Island. After the war the Encounter became a training ship for boys arid for stokers and made many cruises in Australian waters. Many of the present oe; sr.nnel of the Royal Australian Navy received fheir first soa training in he", and when she was retired as a depot ship in Sydney there were many regrets, for she was generally voted to be the most comfortable of flouting homes. Finally she was replaced byl another vessel, and then the old Encounter was taken to the ship-breakers and- everything of vclne was taken out bfere she was towed to 1 r k>t resting place. The Emounte" d'od hard. It was hours after t! 3 seacocks had been removed when she tank, gracefully and silently.