Jun, Jul, Aug 1962 - Navy League of Australia

CHINAChinese ('41111 m unist warshipsmay be s«*nt TO the Mediterraneanin the lM'ar future.According to tin* CommunistChinese Party magaziuc, " K*M1Flair."' tht* vrarsbipN will escortChinese nerebanl vwutela takingsupplies to Albania. Thismove follows tht* formation ofa Sinn Albanian Shipping Company."Red Flag;*' Npeaks ofthe rompany as giving eeonomiesecurity to tht* "heroic Albanianpeople"'! According toone report. "Red Klajr" alsostates that "It would be foolishnot to supplement this with thesecurity for vessels belongingto the company.'*If China docs send navalvessels into the Mediterranean.it seems certain that they willbe baaed at Valona. the chiefover the horizon. The Germans had made a verythorough job of it. She burnt fiercely with smallexplosions every few minutes as the flamesreached some new compartment, presumablycontaining explosives. Towards midnight weapproached within a few miles of the pyre, ant)then turned away and resumed our variouspatrols. That night we relaxed and misbehavedourselves ami. for the first time, neglected ourdawn action stations. And thai was that.The following briefer description of the saintperiodwas contained in a letter to the Compilerfrom Captain E. I). (J. Lewin. who as CommanderLevin was pilot of the A.JAX aircraft:I personally found the first two days patrollingoff the Plate after SPEE had enteredMontevideo particularly trying. We were allkeeping wateh-and-watch and. additionally.Kearney and I did a dawn pntrol over the Plate22Albanian port. This base wasformerly used by six submarinesof the Soviet Navy.which were ordered out lastJune, a few mouths before theHnal split in diplomatic relationsbetween Russia and Albania.Reactions to this news seemto have been slow, but Yugoslavofficials in Belgrade scoffedat the idea that the supplyships would need protection.Yujrosliiv opinion is th;.t therumour was circulated tobolster Albania s positionagainst the present wave ofRussian attacks.Russia, too, is searching fora new naval base in the Mediterranean.President Nasser ofKgypt recently denied reportsthttl Russian Naval vessels werebaaed in Egypt. For sometime now it has been suggestedthat Russian submarines, amipossibly surface vessels, arebased at Sue/, and Alexandria.When the Russians lost theirnaval base in Albania it seemedlogical that they should turnlo Egypt ami ask for theseprivileges.In recent months though, relationsbetween Kgypt anilRussia have been far fromcordial.. -._ .KEEL LAYING OFGUIDED MISSILEDESTROYERThe keel of the fifth guidedmissile destroyer of theCounty class was laid at theGoran, Glasgow, yard of theFairfield Shipbuilding and KngineeringCo. Ltd., on Thursday,31st May.When it is subsequentlylaunched, the ship will benamed FIFE.The main machinery contractorsare the Fairfield Shipbuildingand Kngineering Co.Ltd.. who will also manufacturethe main gear boxes. Themain engines, consisting • >.'(J.6. gas turbines and steamturbines, are being manulaeturetl by Harland and WolffLtd. of Belfast under licencefrom Associated Electrical Industries,Trafford Park. Manchester.The FIFE will be equippedwith the Mark 2 Sensing.which is an improved versionof the ship-to-air weapon atpresent being installed in thefirst four ships of the class.This will be the first timean II.M. Ship will bear thename FIFE. the principlebeing followed by the AdmiraltyShips' Names Committeewhen recommendingthese County class names isto spread I hem territoriallythroughout the country, payingparticular attention toareas of Naval, general shippingor other special interest.t«> make sun SPKK had not sailed overnight—this, of course, before the quite excellent reportingsystem off Montevideo had become established.I was so tired by this time that I wasconstantly falling asleep in the air. which wasnot gtmtl for either Kearney's or my nervoussystems.Of the actual scuttling. I do not know if thegrandstand view which we had from the air wasmore impressive than it was from the ground.but it was quite Wagnerian. SPEE was silhouettedagainst the sun. which to us had notyet set, and the fantastic series of explosionswith which she destroyed herself still stick inmy mind. On return to the Cruiser Squadron.Kearney and I were much incensed by beingkept waiting while it got darker and darker,and it was not until after we had landed amiACHILLES steamed past in the midst of a massMaori war dance that we appreciated the veryhigh spirits which our squadron mates were in.THENAVYHIGH HEELS FOR WRANSHeathen of the Women'sRoyal Australian Naval Serviceare to be allowed to wearhigh heel shoes with theiruniforms.The Minister for the Navy.Senator Gorton, said that thetash ion change had beenapproved for use in certaincircumstances. However, highheel shoes would be anoptional extra for the Wrans,am] would not be part of theService's clothing allowance.(living details of the fashionconcession, the Director of theW.R.A.X.s.. Chief Officer JoanStreeter. said thai Wranswould be abb* to wear highheel shoes with their uniformsexcept when actually on dutyat Naval establishments. Onthese occasions they wouldusually be wearing theirworking dress, and would continueto wear flat heel shoes.The flat heel shoes would alsobe uniform dress for all ceremonialoccasions.Chief Officer Streeter saidthe decision on hi*-h heel shoeswas expected to appeal tofashion-conscious girls in theService. The shoes approvedby the Service would havemedium high heels, and exaggeratedstyles would not bepermitted. The Wrans couldwear white high heel shoes inthe summer, ant I black courtshoes with their winter uniforms.One of the first officialappearances of tin* new Wranfashion was at the CombinedServices Display in Sydney,when Wrans on duty worehigh heel shoes.P&O COMMODORE CHIEFENGINEER RETIRESThe retirement is announcedof Mr. I>. C. Campbell, CommodoreChief Engineer of theV & O Steam Navigation Companv.Mr. Campbell's Inst shipWHS' the 29.664-ton ARCADIA.in which he served from.March. I960, until March ofthis vear.Mr. J. \V. I!. Towlcr. ChiefEngineer of the 24,000-tonCHUSAX, hiis been appointedCommodore Chief Engineer tosucceed Mr. Campbell,Daniel Colin Campbell wasborn on 27th April. 1902. atBarrhead. Renfrewshire; hishome is now at Worthing,Sussex. He served his apprenticeshipwith Alexander Chapman& Co. and Dunsmere &Jackson Ltd., and joined P &JULY, 1962. . ._O in 1925 as Assistant Engineerin the 7.912-ton CHINA.During the years prior to thewar, he served in variousP & 0 cargo ships, and hadone spell of duty as FourthEngineer of the famous passengerliner RAWALPINDI.which was later sunk in theepic action bv the Germanbattleships S( HARNHORSTand GNELSENAU.In August, 19.18. Mr. Campbellwas appointed Third Engineerin CANTON. Thefollowing year he was servingin the same capacity inMALOJA when war wasdeclared. He signed Admiraltypapers, and did not return tothe Company's service untilOctober. 1946.AT YOU* SERVICEfor YourHolidayRequirementsINFORMATION ANDBOOKINGSCall or TelephoneHOWARD SMITH TRAVELCENTRESSYDNEY:247 Gaorga Straat Talaphona: 27 SillMELBOURNE532 Cotllni Strict T.lephor,.' 42 37MPOUT ADELAIDE:3 Todd Strut Talaphona: 4 1441FKEMANTLE:I Mouatt Straat T.l.phon. L 1071NEWCASTLE:14 Watt Strut T.l.phor, t: 2 4711CAIKNS:II Abbott Strati Talaphona: 21 IS/4BALLARAT:cnr. Lyd