MOTHER TELLS OF SEA DRAMA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 237, 13 November 1940, Page 2

MOTHER TELLS OF SEA DRAMA

Called to a lifeboat station when a ship in the convoy was torpedoed during the voyage to Australia. Mrs M. S. Thomas tied her lifebelt to that of her small daughter lesr they should have to jump into the sea. Although Mrs Thomas was able to refer laughingly to the incident when she arrived in Sydney with her two years old daughter, Sandra, this tense moment occurred during a drama which shocked the worlds—the torpedoing of the first liner which carried evacuee children from England.

"We had a narrow escapc," said Mrs Thomas, formerly Miss Molly Cremer, of Melbourne. '"We were in a large convoy and our liner was the largest. We did not get the torpedo, but as the ill-fated ship was alongside us, it was judged that our vessel, as largest, was undoubtedly the one meant to be sunk

"The children on our ship took it so matter-of-factly that they grouched about being dragged out of bed at an unearthly hour. There was no panic. Lights were put out immediately and the boat sped 011 a crazy zigzag course. We turned north a great distance. "Although the torpedoed vessel sank, we learnt afterwards that ail the children were saved." The liner was three days aw'ay from the protection of the convov : and those on board lived under a great strain. Young Sandra's most beloved war treasures are her silver identification disc, won; as a bracelet and her novel "siren"' suit, a warm airraid shelter outfit in wine coloured corduroy, which zips up the front.