TORPEDOED !

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 230, 25 October 1940, Page 5

TORPEDOED !

IMAYNARD CANNING'S DESCRIPI TION OF PUNVEGAN CASTLE* SINKING "ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE'! . A graphic description of the torpedoing of the armed merchant cruiser H.M.S. Dunvegart Castle on August 31, is contained in an air mail letter received by his parents, Mr and Mrs A. J. Canning, King Street, from I Mr Maynard Canning, well- ; known Whakatane boy, and a member of the Dunvegan Casi tile's complement for the last 12 months. Mr- Canning describes the events following the tor-. T pedoing, his subsequent rescue i and landing at Greenock; "Strange to say," he writes, "I enjoyed the experience, though I lost a lot of gear. "To start from the beginning,. For the last three months we had been full out on convoy and in that time had only one night's leave: It was getting, quite niomotonous, although I Avas quite enjoying the life. "We had left the convoy,, which was taken over by destroyers, and \vere making for port, 12 hours from Belfast. I had just curled up in my bunk for a nice peaceful sleep .when we were 'tin-fished' at II p.m. I was more or less thrown out of ray bunk, landing on ——"s back, he occupying the lower berth, as he came out of his bunk." We "played 'piggy-back' for a few seconds, grabbed our life belts and made a bee-line for the top deck. " 'Action Stations' was sounded so we had to about turn and; it was not very cheerful going down into the bottom" cf the ship to send up shells and cordite. We sent up enough ammunition and then got orders to go up. "t went to my cabin, grabbed my 'dough,' coat, and one pair of long pants and landed on deck to see the fun begin. "Time to get Going." "We had no target, being night, but waited for orders to abandon ship. I was perched up aft when the second 'tin-fish' was-poked out.It was a good one. The ship heaved over as though, falling upside-down. I took a most spectacular dive and landed on all fours. Trying to stand up was impossible and you just slid down the deck again.

"There was a bit of action after that. The rafts were thrown overboard and the ship's "boats lowered. Two got away on the port side and then the third 'tin-fish' hit us on the starboard. It was delivered from about one hundred yams. I never saw the sub. but saw a streak of phosporus on the water, the streak making amidships. It struck one boat, just, .lowered, and blew it to blazes. "I was on the rail in a second, jriding it like -a racehorse, wondering whether to wait for the ship to turn over or get in the 'drink.' Fortunately the ship came back oh an even keel. "It was a wonderful sight to see the explosions. Huge waves washed along the starboard side and rafts which had been made secure were taken with them. It W36 time to get going. I slid down on to a raft and l planted l myself in the middle. I was set, but not for long. I looked up and saw fellows coming down. The raft soon took a flip arid l | "into the, drink we went. There were too many for my liking so' I made off in search of the rafts washed away. "Very Sensational." "I yelled to my cobber to come but he was not having any. It was not very -nice swimming for something you could not see but 1 thought it was the best .» bet. The one hundred yards seemed like one hundred miles and I have never been so pleased as when I spotted a black object on the crest of a wave. It was a raft and I crawled in together with an officer and then another four chaps came along. "Wc set off from the stern of the ship, four swimming and three in the middle, paddling with their hands. After about a.,quarter, of an hour one joker started to yell that he had cramp, so'l got out—Because I reckoned I could swim. -I- never got back again but whenever the raft turned.-over the officer and the other two birds always ended up in the middle. Hanging on to the sides to get our chests out of the .water (Continued at foot of next column)

put too much weight on the thing and whenever a big wave happened along the raft did' another flip. Very sensational. Go down; come up spluttering and then take up our position once more. After two horns of swimming we were clear of the Ship and stopped. "The ship was on fire how, the flames rapidlj' spreading after a huge! explosion It was a marvellous sight Explosions followed every few minutes. Them the ship broke in half, the bow going down to.be followed a miniite or two later by the stern.; The oil on the water was blazing. Landed. "Two 'planes flew overhead, giv-ing-us great heart. Daybreak came and we were. picked up by a lifeboat, packed in like sardines. . Seven hours in the 'drink' and very pleased to be above water. .1 'felt pretty fit after a cigarette but some of the chaps Ave re exhausted.

"On the destroyer " which ■ picked us up we had an issue of rum* dried our clothes and gave us a good feed, which together with the sleep Ave managed to get betore hitting port, was all very nice. Wearrived at Greenock at 11 o'clock. that night, thus making it just 24 hours since we 'got the works/ We had a quick change and a special train took us to London. No shave; turncd-up sailor's jersey, plus uniform suit that would not lit. and a split lip. But I was happy and "die! not care a 'darn.' ' ''At present T am slaying at'NeWr *- land's Hotel, Russell, Square, quite handy, to the city. I met Percy Bollard in New Zealand House yes- . tenlay and it looks as though I will have- many appointments with theN.Z/s over here. ' ; "I might wait and see what the Admiralty has to offer, which wait will probably be a month, or so. lit the mean-time I might see what, is going on in the Merchant. Service. A fortnight's 'beach' ,and I might want to do anything*" ' />■' >