SENSATIONAL END

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 440, 22 May 1937, Page 5

SENSATIONAL END

NAVAL REVIEW BROADCAST Announcer In Tears Press Association —Copyright. London, May 21. The Broadcasting Corporation’s description of the fleet illuminations sensationally fhded out after four minutes, although it wlas scheduled for 15 minutes. The commentator was Lieut-Commander T. Woodroofe, a member of the corporation’s outside staff. Lieut-Commander Woodroofe began: “The fleet is all lit up—l mean with fairy lights when I say lit up; I mean outlined with tiny lights.” Then there was a pause during which murmuring wits heard. He resumed: “Now they’re gone; the whole fleet’s gone. Two hundred ships were here a moment ago and. now we are left between sea and heaven. The whole fleet’s blo'tfted out. A few minutes ago it was all lit up by fairy lights and now the whole damn—sorry. The -whole thing has 1 gone.” Here the broadcast ended abruptly. The corporation was immediately inundated by telephone inquiries asking why the description had ceaseci. Lieut-Commander Woodroofe, who had broadcast descriptions of the fleet review earlier in the day, issued a s.tatemen‘t to the News Chronicle: “I had been taking the strain of broadcasting fronj Spithelad throughout the day. I had been broadcasting the whole show. To-night when I went to the Nelson’s foretop to give descriptions of the illuminations I was so overcome by the occasion that I literally burst into tears and repeated myself many times until I found I could say no more.” The Daily Mail states it is understood tfie governors of the Broadcasting Corporation are- considering the matter to-day. Lieut-Commander Woodroofe spoke from H.M.S. Nelson. He joined the corporation as 1 a special comment a tor 'two years ago.