On 29th April, 1941, HMS Dunedin crossed the Equator and the ship's company performed the traditional Crossing the Line ceremony. It is best described by Lieutenant-Commander Sowdon, in a letter to his wife a few days later:

The event that I am now allowed to mention is that we did on a date that I cannot mention (some time ago) cross the line, crossing the equator that is. Of course I had done it before as I did it with you, but I had not seen the ceremony which is customary in HM Ships. I forget if you saw it at Navy Week. Anyhow it's a great occasion for dressing up.

King Neptune was done by Barrat our second doctor as he is a big chap and has crossed the line many times in merchant service. His Queen was a leading seaman. His herald was Lt Beveridge and there was a guard of honour of pirates and the band in all sorts of rigs. The day was dull unfortunately and there was some rain but it was not cold of course.

The show started after lunch, the canvas baths having been rigged up during the forenoon. King Neptune and his retinue went down into the paintshop to which there is a hatch right forward on the forecastle and all the hands crowded by the No I gun. Then up came the herald and shouted to the bridge "ship ahoy". The Captain answered and was then requested to cone down and receive King Neptune as the ship was entering his domain. Then a sort of proclamation was read, and King Neptune inspected the guard of honour of pirates followed by his Queen in long flaxen plaits and a dress which to the best of my knowledge had been found among the rags that are sent on board for cleaning purposes. Then started the presentation of certain orders. The Captain got the order of the empty sardine tine. The Commander [Unwin] who had recently spoken to the men about throwing paper and stuff about got the order of the ash tray. These orders are all on a bit of string and were hung around our necks. Ben Bolt got the order of the gin bottle. I got the order of the scrubbing brush (being mess deck officer). The Pay [Lt-Cdr Skinner] got the order of the sour loaf (a bit of tin cut to the shape of a loaf and "sour" written on it) because at one time the bread was not to good. Mr Lowey got the order of the dud electric lamps. Broadway got a bunch of herbs. And then finally the youngest boy in the ship received a bar of chocolate on a bit of string. He is what you would call a dear little boy and looks about 13, though he is 16, I suppose.

That part over every one went aft to the bath where the King watched and superintended the ceremony. Each man in turn caught by the pirates, was made to sit on a seat and the barber (dressed in chef's hat etc) splashed his face with lather using a large paint brush (lather was water and dough); his assistant stood by with an enormous wooden razor. Then the chap was tipped into the bath and ducked. I having crossed the line before was exempt but to make sure I took the precaution of putting on old socks and gym shoes and emptied my pockets of keys and money. Just tropical shorts and shirt of course. I had a good view of it all and towards the end went nearer to get a closer look when I was seized on and tipped in, much to the amusement of the sailors who thought I was quite unprepared for the whole thing. I hope to be able to send you some photographs of it later on; not taken by myself as you can see me looking on but that is all. Finally Neptune and his queen were both tipped in and the ceremony came to an end.

The photos to which Lt-Cdr Sowdon referred can be see here.