FAULT ATONED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 February 1940, Page 7

FAULT ATONED

TWO ACHILLES MEN ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE GALLANT CONDUCT IN EXETER. I IN RIVER PLATE BATTLE. j <Bj Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. February 27. An astonishing tale of two New Zealand ratings from H.M.S. Achilles who found themselves by chance in H.M.S. Exeter during the River Plate action against the Admiral Graf Spec and covered themselves with glory, was told tonight by Captain W. E. Parry, officer commanding the Achilles. He described the incident when replying to a toast at the Auckland Anniversary Regatta Committee’s prize night gathering. “After, spending some time ashore in Rio de Janiero,” said Captain Parry, "I came down to the wharf to get my boat off to the ship. I found it was not there and, after some time, I managed to get another boat. When I got to my ship I was told the reason why my boat had not been waiting for me. "It appears that two seamen on leave had taken the fast motor-boat and gone ashore. They were not back at 8 a.m. when we sailed the next day and we went without them. Of course, in the Navy, desertion is a serious offence and I found myself faced with the unpleasant possibility of having to call a court martial. “The men later made their own way down to Montevideo and they finally picked up the Exeter, with whom we had a rendezvous, but they were still with her when the action started. I RESERVE PARTY OF TWO. “By jove. the two New Zealanders were perfectly splendid. They came up from the flooded magazine, where they had done great work, and when they reached the mess-decks an 11inch shell came inboard and burst, making a terrific shambles. Then these men formed themselves into a rescue party of two, cleared up the decks, carried away the wounded, and covered themselves with glory. "What can you do with men like that,” asked Captain Parry. "Courtmartial them? Anyway, I can say they were not court-martialled. This shows you what my boys were like. The whole ship's company were too wonderful for words.” "I think the sight of the 11-inch shells of the Graf Spec were more terrifying to me than to my men,” said Captain Parry. “They are the most frightening things I have seen. The splashes are as high as the masthead. THE HEEL OF ACHILLES. “You know.” he said, “the tale of Achilles, after whom our ship is named. I think one of the best stories of the action concerns a marine who saw one 11-inch shell hit the water astern of us. “ ‘Blimey.’ he said, ’he’s after our heel’.” Captain Parry said that, in the list of honours awarded to the Achilles appeared the name, of Lieutenant G. G. Cowburn, who had received the D.S.C. It was mainly due to him that the Achilles managed to escape being hit. Speaking of the reception given his ship by Auckland. Captain Parry said he had been writing to one of his former captains, now Officer Commanding the China Station. In the letter he had reminded him of the reception which used to be given the then Prince of Wales. “I never thought I would see anything like it given for me and my men,” said Captain Parry. "It was really an extraordinary sight, and I shall never be able to thank Auckland enough.”