ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO Saturday April 19, 1924

First baby for Castlepark

who are our guests at the moment, are not concerned with political decisions.

They, like the men of any other navy, are professionals, dedicated to following careers at sea with all the possible hazards that ensue from such a decision.

Above all, they are technical experts. And they are spending long, hard hours afloat or submerged testing every tiny detail of the new submarine. It will be some weeks before the

Chileans are finally satisfied that all is to their liking and up to specification.

The submarine, when it is accepted, is to be called the O’Brien in memory of a famous naval officer who helped the Chileans to throw off the Spanish yoke and lay the foundations of the modern republic.

The Chilean officer in charge of the trials is Commander Arturo Garcia – a good-looking dark, smiling man.

He told the Courier: “While there are one or two things to be sorted out, we are very well pleased so far with the course of the trials.”

We asked him how things were being carried out. “Half the crew are Chileans and the other half come from the Royal Navy,” he replied. “It’s a little overcrowded on board.

“You see we’re carrying so many technicians that we have 30 more people at sea than the normal complement of the submarine would be.” Were there, we asked, any language difficulties? “None that matter,” said Commander Garcia. “We carry out the trial conversations in English. Then at night my countrymen and I get together and work out in our own language any misunderstandings that may have arisen. And of course, there’s always Tod to help out.”

Tod is Lieutenant-Commander Tod Slaughter, RN, who is on the staff of the Admiral, commanding Britain’s submarines. He has been detailed as liaison officer for this operation.

Lieutenant-Commander Slaughter also thought things were going very smoothly.

We asked him about the submarine: “It’s a conventional submarine, very similar in type to the Oberon class in use by the Royal Navy.”

The Chileans are evidently enjoying the hospitality which the Wee Toon is ever ready to offer and so are the men of the Royal Navy.

And no one this week at any rate could or would speak ill of the weather.

Recently the population at Castlepark, the new Corporation houses, was increased by the arrival of a little son to Mr and Mrs John Wareham.

This being the first birth in the new houses, Hon Treasurer John Smith, convener of the Housing Committee of the Town Council, has very thoughtfully recognised the event by presenting the baby with a silver spoon.

The spoon bears the following inscription:“Presented by Hon Treasurer Smith, Convener of Campbeltown Housing Committee, to David F Wareham, first child born at Castlepark - 4th March, 1924.”

It is an interesting coincidence that the baby is the first grandson of Councillor James Wareham.