HEROIC EXAMPLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1942, Page 3

HEROIC EXAMPLE

OF CAPTAIN OF CANBERRA PROMISE OF OFFICIAL RECOGNITION. MADE BY FEDERAL PRIME MINISTER. (Received This Day, 1.10 p.m.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY. This Day. Official recognition of the gallantry of Captain F. E. Getting, of the Canberra, who died in the Solomon Islands action, will be made by the Federal Government. Indicating this, the Prime Minister, Mr Curtin said he had been deeply stirred by the story of Captain Getting’s heroism in remaining at his post although he was mortally wounded when struck by a shell fragment from the first enemy broadside, which hit the Canberra's bridge. “One of the most heroic personal episodes of this war is the story of the last fight of Captain Getting, of the Canberra,” says the “Telegraph,” in a leader. “For courage- and fortitude it equals any episode in naval history. This is the kind of story that should be trumpeted to .the world. Violent death is never pretty, but the kind of fortitude, will, self-denial and gallantry Captain Getting showed transcends the ugliness of modern mechanical battle.”

The paper says the release of the story would be a great help to national morale and would offer no comfort to the enemy, who would not be very confident if he knew there.’ was a Getting on every British ship.