Christening of Islands Interest
pp. 53-55 · Read in the full issue
O r N November 2, 1952, the christening of Pamela Anne, the daughter of ; Commander(S) and Mrs. J. G. Batchelor, took place in St. Patrick’s Church, Manoel Island, Malta, the Ship’s Chapel of HMS Phoenicia. Mrs. Batchelor will "be better remembered as Miss Dawn Mac donald of the staff of the Western Pacific High Commission before her marriage in Suva, Fiji, in December, 1950.
The date of the christening was of special significance as the New Zealand Cruiser Bellona was in Malta for one day only on her way back to New Zealand from the UK and, as a long standing engagement, the ceremony was performed by her Chaplain, the Rev. W.
R. Castle, RNZN. It was while Com mander Batchelor was serving in Bellona on the New Zealand Station that Pamela Anne’s parents met.
She wore the Christening robe which had been made in New Zealand 60 years before for the Christening of her grand father, Captain N. W. Macdonald, now the Master of RCS Kurimarau in the service of the WPHC. Padre Castle used as a dipper from Phoenicia’s bell (doing duty as a font) a gold-lipped shell which he had collected in Rabaul, New Britain, during his war service there.
At the reception afterwards in the
Ward Room of HMS Phoenicia several guests well-known in the Pacific were present and included Captain G. V. M.
Dolphin, DSO, RN, of HMS Bellona, Mrs.
R. C. H. Webber, once Miss Gwen Cochrane of Suva, Fiji, standing proxy as godmother for Miss Pamela Macdonald of Suva, and a number of Officers from HMNZS Bellona.
When HMNZS Bellona returned to Auckland in mid-December conclud ing an extensive cruise to Britain, she had aboard 10 Fijian soldiers who had joined the ship as passengers at Singapore. Eight of the men were on the sick list and the other two were returning to Fiji to train re inforcements.
Mr. G. Grove, manager of the Madang, NG, branch of the Com monwealth Bank for the past twc years, has been transferred to Aus tralia. Mr. R. Bird will succeed him in Madang. During his stay in Madang, Mr. Grove has taken an active interest in the Madang Club and the Golf Club.
Chaplain W. R. Castle christening Pamela Anne Batchelor.
Eighteen months ago the young patients of Makogai Leper Hospital, Fiji, formed a scouting unit which hday totals 22 Wolf Cubs, 26 Scouts, nine Rovers and five warranted Scouters. This Christmas money received from the Port Nicholson Cub pack of Wellington, NZ, a field for competition amongst them.
The Wellington club received a message of warm appreciation in early January.