FOR GALLANTRY

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20990, 18 December 1939, Page 7

FOR GALLANTRY

HONOURS AWARDED OFFICERS OF CRUISERS “HABIT” OF VICTORY United Press Assn.-—Elec. Tel. CoDyrlgtH) LONDON, Dec. 16 The Admiralty announces that in recognition of their gallantry in the successful action fought by the cruisers Achilles, Ajax and Exeter against the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee, the King has been pleased to confer the following honours:— MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH Knight Commander Commodore Henry Harwood, Commodore in command of the squadron. Companions Captain YV. E. Parry, of H.M.S. Achilles. Captain C. H. L. Woodhouse, of H.M.S. Ajax. Captain F. S. Bell, of H.M.S. Exeter. Commodore Harwood has also been promoted to the rank of rearadmiral, to date from December 13. the date of the action. The Admiralty has called for recommendations from Rear-Admiral Harwood in respect of good conduct and forwardness in the action of officers and men in the squadron under his command. The promotion and honours announced by the Admiralty are assured of enthusiastic endorsement by the public, which has greeted the news of the engagement as a brilliant vindication of British sea traditions. Extracts from the foreign press which have reached London show that the significence of the action is also widely appreciated abroad. Tributes in France

Cordial references have been made in the newspapers of France. L’Ere Nouvelle says: friends once again attained their mastery, their courage, their tactical knowledge and that sea sense which is their second nature.” The skill of the British commanders is the subject of much comment in the neutral press. The verdict which recurs frequently finds typical expression in the remarks of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which says that the bogey of the pocket battleship seems to have been deflated. The same idea occurs in the conclusion reached by the Latvian journal Sewodnia, that the British “habit” of naval victory has been revived. SINKING OF THE ASHLEA CAPTAIN’S STATEMENT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) MONTEVIDEO, Dec. 15 Captain Pottinger of the Ashlea, which was sunk on October 2, said he was given ten minutes to abandon the ship. The crew was transferred to the Newton Beech, which followed the Admiral Graf Spee. Provisions were seized and the Ashlea was sunk with bombs. The Huntsman was sighted and detained and she was followed by the Admiral \Graf Spee for a week to disguise her position because she had wirelessed a warning. She later was sunk with bombs.