NAVAL RATINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1933, Page 6

NAVAL RATINGS

A number RETURNING home

AUCKLAND, May J. 3. About 106 imperial ratings, including several warrant officers, left by special train for Wellington this afternoon en route for England by the Rangitata. These ratings have been “on loan” to the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy for the last two years'. The first pinnace load of sailors left the Diomede at '5.30 p.m., after the ceremony of the transfer of F. Burges Watgon’s broad pennant from the Diomede -to the Dunedin. This ceremony made the Dunedin the official flagship. ! As the Commodore was piped on board the new flagship, where a guard was mounted on the quarter deck, the pennant was broken at. the .masthead. The scene on the Diomede at 9 o’clock this* morning was °ne of hustle and bustle. Sailors were seen bringing itheir kits and boxes up from below and piling them on deck | and the faces of all were beaming. | befitting the occasion of their r o- I turning to their relatives. Th-> officers who left this /afternoon wore: —Captain M. J. C. do Meric, Captain of the Dunedin, Commander A. W. Clarke, Surgeon. Commander W. P. Vkary, Lieutenant-Commander V. F. Boyle. ’ Lieutenant G. E. BinghnmPowell, and Captain J C- Wcstafl. Royal Marines, -all of the Diomede!' Two other officers, Engineer-COmma'nder' i'V". 35; Kern ball and' Paymaster-'Co'm'-mander W. E. H- Jolly, will not depart fo r England until May 27, when they will sail' by tlie Ruanjn e .