H.M.S. VICTORIOUS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 October 1943, Page 2

H.M.S. VICTORIOUS

SERVICE IN THE PACIFIC

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. October 22. The manner in which the British aircraft carrier Victorious went to the Pacific to serve side by side with the American Navy was described m London today by her commander, Captain Lachlan D. Mackintosh, D. 5.0., D.F.C. The Victorious went first to a north Virginia navy-yard, where the ships personnel was royally entertained, and then was taken through the Panama Canal, “with a shoe-horn.’’ At an American base in the Pacific, the Americans (“this was an instance of their trust and fairness.” he said) gave Cantain Mackintosh his lull seniority. He took command of a squadron which included one of the latest American battleships and a fleet o destroyers. “I took them 400(1 miles, and on my way back I had under my command even a later American batlieshin,” he Sll Thc Victorious then took part in various ooerations, creating a carrier record by remaining at sea for 28 days. In the course of these operations, Captain Mackintosh said, he had never worked in such complete harmony as with American officers. He was pleasantly surprised at their efficiency, as many had joined the service only since the outbreak of war. As evidence of their complete co-oper-ation. he said that during offensive sweeps of the Pacific a squadron of pilots and planes was transferred to an American carrier while a squadron from the latter came to the Victorious and operated from her. It. was a tactical necessity, but . the tactical experience gained was invaluable and the knowledge of operations hnd- tactics exchanged would be of the

highest importance when Britain, AusIralia and New Zealand mobilise their forces for full-scale action in the Pacific.