NAVAL V.C.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17685, 24 July 1919, Page 6

NAVAL V.C.

SON STEERS SHIP WITH FATHTTR-.

DEAD BESIDE TTTM

Two posthumous awards of the V.C. to naval officers were announced in a. supplement, to the London Gazette in May. Lieutenant-commander Geoffrey Sax too White, R.X., left Mudros in the El - on January 27. 1918, to force the Narrows and attack the Goeben, reported to be aground after her sortie. E-14- could not find her, and on the inornins of January 28 fired a torpedo at an enemy ship. A heavy explosion followed, all t.ho lights in El - went 1 out, and sho sprang a leak, but dived. ■ Later,. she got out of control, and as the air supply was nearly exhausted Commander White brought her to tho surface. Sho run the gauntlet- of the batteries on both shores for half an hour, was badly damaged. Commander White then turnei towards the 4 shorc in order to save tlie orevr. and remained on <lcck until he waa killed bv a shell.

After nearly four years, Lieutenant Frederick Parslow, R.N.R., is awarded tho V.C. for gallantly when in command, of the horse transport Anglo-Californian on July 4, 1915. The ship was unarmed, and was shelled by a submarine for an hour and a-half. Lieutenant Parslow stopped the ship to got some of the crew away, and then, receiving a message from .a destroyer, started again, and held on for half an hour. He was killed, but two destroyers arrived, forcings the submarine to dive, and tho ship was saved. His son. Sub-lieutenant Parslow, R.N.R.. won the D.S.C. for steering the ship bank to port while the father lay dead beside him on the wrecked bridge.