The Evening Post, Wellington, 5 January 1934
Retrieved from the National Library of New Zealand web site,
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=p&p=home
LONG CAREER AFLOAT
---
COMMODORE BARTLETT
---
SERVED HIS TIME IN SAIL
---
Surprise at the growth of Wellington since his last visit to New Zealand 28
years ago as commander of the Gothic was expressed by Commodore C. A.
Bartlett, C.B., C.B.E., late R.N.R., and a former marine superintendent to
the White Star and associated lines, who is a round-voyage passenger on the
Mataroa, which arrived from England last night. He has had a long and
interesting career afloat, and on the present trip he is looking forward to
visiting ports he knew as an officer and captain.
Commodore Bartlett first came out to New Zealand in the White Star liner
Doric in the nineties. The Doric, he told a "Post" reporter, was the
flagship for the regatta held each year at Lyttelton. Wellington in those
days was very small. Although he had not been ashore to have a look round,
he had been impressed from the decks of the Mataroa with the greatly
increased area now covered by houses and the number of concrete buildings.
Commodore Bartlett said there would be New Zealanders who remembered Captain
Kidley, of the Gothic. He served under him from 1896 to 1900, and
eventually relieved him as captain.
When Commodore Bartlett severed his active connection with the White Star
Line on December 31, 1931, he had completed twenty years as marine
superintendent, which, it is believed, is a record. It is recorded of the
commodore in one publication that during this period he continually
endeavoured to further the interests of the officers and men of the merchant
navy.
Commodore Bartlett is one of the ever-dwindling band of sailors who served
their time in sail. After six years in the clipper ships of D. Bruce and
Co., Dundee, he spent the following six years with the British India
Company, and in 1894 joined the White Star Line, with which he continued for
thirty-seven years. In 1903 he obtained his first command, and from then
until 1912 at different times he had charge of a number of the more
important White Star North Atlantic ships. In 1912 he was appointed marine
superintendent.
As an active member of the R.N.R. Commodore Bartlett saw service during the
Great War from November, 1914, to December, 1915, on patrol work in the
North Sea, and from December, 1915, to the following November in command of
H.M. hospital ship Britannic. When this vessel, which was one of the best
equipped hospital ships in service during the war period, met her end by
torpedo in 1916 in the Aegean Sea, the Commodore narrowly escaped losing his
life, being picked up out of the water after his command had taken her last
dive. During the war he lost his only son, a midshipman, serving in
H.M.S. Goliath, when that vessel was sunk in the Dardanelles in 1915.
Commodore Bartlett had the distinction of being an A.D.C. to his Majesty the
King from 1919 to 1921. He was one of the founders of the Honourable Company
of Master Mariners, and is now one of the wardens of the company. The Royal
Naval Reserve has also always had his strongest support.
-30-
Retrieved from the National Library of New Zealand web site,
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=p&p=home
LONG CAREER AFLOAT
---
COMMODORE BARTLETT
---
SERVED HIS TIME IN SAIL
---
Surprise at the growth of Wellington since his last visit to New Zealand 28
years ago as commander of the Gothic was expressed by Commodore C. A.
Bartlett, C.B., C.B.E., late R.N.R., and a former marine superintendent to
the White Star and associated lines, who is a round-voyage passenger on the
Mataroa, which arrived from England last night. He has had a long and
interesting career afloat, and on the present trip he is looking forward to
visiting ports he knew as an officer and captain.
Commodore Bartlett first came out to New Zealand in the White Star liner
Doric in the nineties. The Doric, he told a "Post" reporter, was the
flagship for the regatta held each year at Lyttelton. Wellington in those
days was very small. Although he had not been ashore to have a look round,
he had been impressed from the decks of the Mataroa with the greatly
increased area now covered by houses and the number of concrete buildings.
Commodore Bartlett said there would be New Zealanders who remembered Captain
Kidley, of the Gothic. He served under him from 1896 to 1900, and
eventually relieved him as captain.
When Commodore Bartlett severed his active connection with the White Star
Line on December 31, 1931, he had completed twenty years as marine
superintendent, which, it is believed, is a record. It is recorded of the
commodore in one publication that during this period he continually
endeavoured to further the interests of the officers and men of the merchant
navy.
Commodore Bartlett is one of the ever-dwindling band of sailors who served
their time in sail. After six years in the clipper ships of D. Bruce and
Co., Dundee, he spent the following six years with the British India
Company, and in 1894 joined the White Star Line, with which he continued for
thirty-seven years. In 1903 he obtained his first command, and from then
until 1912 at different times he had charge of a number of the more
important White Star North Atlantic ships. In 1912 he was appointed marine
superintendent.
As an active member of the R.N.R. Commodore Bartlett saw service during the
Great War from November, 1914, to December, 1915, on patrol work in the
North Sea, and from December, 1915, to the following November in command of
H.M. hospital ship Britannic. When this vessel, which was one of the best
equipped hospital ships in service during the war period, met her end by
torpedo in 1916 in the Aegean Sea, the Commodore narrowly escaped losing his
life, being picked up out of the water after his command had taken her last
dive. During the war he lost his only son, a midshipman, serving in
H.M.S. Goliath, when that vessel was sunk in the Dardanelles in 1915.
Commodore Bartlett had the distinction of being an A.D.C. to his Majesty the
King from 1919 to 1921. He was one of the founders of the Honourable Company
of Master Mariners, and is now one of the wardens of the company. The Royal
Naval Reserve has also always had his strongest support.
-30-
