Award To "Awatea's"

Captain

IN recognition of the way in which he commanded the Union Steam Ship Co.’s “Awatea” when she was attacked in North Africa, in November, 1942, Cap tain G. B. Morgan, DSO, DSC, has been awarded Lloyd’s War Medal for bravery at sea; Captain Morgan was bom in New Zea land in 1886 and joined the Union SS Co. in 1909. He won the DSC while serv ing in the Royal Naval Reserve in the last war, and on the recommendation of the Admiralty was awarded the DSO for his part in the North African landings.

He is now serving overseas on another' ship.

After landing her troops at Bougie and beating off earlier air attacks, the “Awatea” was escaping from the harbour when a large number of dive-bombers and torpedo-bombers attacked her. Hit twice by torpedoes and three times by bombs, the “Awatea” was eventually abandoned, burning fiercely. Her anti aircraft guns put up such a stern defence that the admiral in charge of the opera tions remarked that she fought like a battleship.

Hon. V. W. T. McGusty, CMG, QBE, Director of Fiji Medical Services, has been appointed Colonel (Medical Corps) in the Defence Force of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate.

Captain Raymond Perraud, former Nou mea Magistrate, who left with the Pacific Battalion in May. 1941, recently was killed in action in Europe. He served in Libya, Tunisia £nd Italy, winning the Croix de Guerre at Bir Hacheim and the Liberation Cross quite recently in Europe.