WAKAKURA RETURNS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1046, 9 August 1930, Page 10

WAKAKURA RETURNS

WEEK SPENT AT SEA TRAINING FOR RESERVISTS After a week’s training on tlie Hanraki Gulf with the second section of Royal Naval Reserve members on board, the minesweeper Wakakura returned to Auckland yesterday. Instruction in gun-laying and in torpedo work was given by the commanding officer, Commissioner-Guuner T. E. Brooker, and the second in command, Mr. H. Dean. From Queen’s Wharf last Saturday the ship proceeded to its base at Kawau. As much of the time as possible was spent out at sea. Practical instruction was given in seamanship, mine-sweeping and gunnery, but before carrying out the full-sized shoot, the reservists were given two series of ‘ working up” practices with one-inch aiming, showing great keennesL and carrying out their drill well. Full calibre was fired on Thursday morning on a rather rough sea, but results were quite creditablo in spite of weather conditions. Exactly the same sweep as that used during the war in freeing live mines was brought *uto action during instruction in this branch. Demonstrations in finding the deptli of the sea and the ship’s speed were given to all by means of a patent log and by a deep-sounding machine. Practical seamanship, including wire and rope splicing, and boat pulling occupied the afternoons. The whole of tlie members of the Auckland Division will have completed their training before the end of < >ctobci’.