Naval vets honoured

Veteran Bob Batt receiving a kiss from his daughter Fiona Dryland. Photo / Doug Sherring

Four surviving veterans of one of New Zealand's most famous naval battles joined nearly 600 sailors and thousands of well-wishers in a parade on Auckland's Queen St yesterday to mark the Battle of the River Plate's 75th anniversary.

HMS Achilles was the first New Zealand unit to strike a blow against the enemy in World War II, when it engaged German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee off the coast of Uruguay on December 13, 1939.

Achilles was manned by 312 New Zealand Navy personnel. The Auckland event, which started at 11am, re-created Achilles' homecoming parade in 1940.

Veterans of Achilles led proceedings in four vintage cars. Among them was Bob Batt, pictured with his daughter Fiona Dryland.

The 92-year-old was just 17 when he went into battle, with his role being to ensure the Achilles' four-inch guns were at the right elevation.

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"You were too busy getting on with your job to be scared," he said.

Batt said he was "proud and honoured" to be alongside fellow veterans John Thomson, Harold Heffer and Roy Wade yesterday.