CAPTAIN ROBERT DARROCH

Chronicle (Levin), 3 May 1947, Page 6

CAPTAIN ROBERT DARROCH

A LIFE OF ADVENTURE AND EXC1TEMENT

It is tough luck to have gone through a long life at sea„ through bwo wars, through mine-fields, raider cordons,;,- . and black-out nsks, gtll without a single mishap, and then to finish' on the rocks, especially such rocks as Barrett's Reef, at the ; entrance to Wellington Harbour/'Says an Australian newspaper. Due to that piece of bad luck, Robert Darroch, as skipper of the "Wanganella," has lately come in for much publicity. After nineteen. days o'n thereef, the "Wahganella" was successfully floated off, but as a result of the Marine Inquiry Captain Darroch's certificate was suspended for three months. The penalty seems rather like a nominal one and may be taken as recognising .tlie lcmg and unblemished career of Captain Darroch. It may be taken too, perhaps, as tacit admission that there is some doubt in the minds of many nautical men regarding Barrett's Reef Light, placing and character of which, it is understood, were the subject of contention between the Harbour Board and the Marine Board prior to its establishment. It is safe to say that in the '"Wanganella" misadventure Captain Darroch has the lively sympathy of everyone who has known his kindly temperament, nice sense of humour, genial manner, and the soft Scots burr of his voice. He was born in Greenock, on' Pirth of Clyde, September 22, 1877, went to school, ran away for a trip on the small schooner "Agnes Kelly" to Ireland, was sent back to school on his .return, but at 14 went sea-faring in earnest in windjammers. In the "Otterburn" he became third mate, made his first visit to Australia, and in 1899, first met Miss Frances Thomson, whom he married in 1905. After a trip to Scotland to" get his second-mate's ticket, he

returned to Australia, joined the Huddart Parker Line, and became captain of the "Wanganella" in 1939. During the 1914-18 war he was engaged in war-cargo ships, and throughout the 1939-45 .war, in "Wanganella," was first on the passenger run and then, when the vessel became a hospital ship, continued as captain and saw service in Sitigapore, JJ/tlddle East, Italy, New Guineaj • Borneo and other partS. ' ■ "N" V . In 1940, -while sailing down the New Zealand coast, ; and keeping close in, to avoid mines, he got word of: the sinking '.of the "Niagara," mined off Whangarei. He sent out the launch, which towed boats, five of them, containing most of the, "Niagara *s" passengers and crew, and brought them to safety. : But that is merely one incident in a life crowded with excitement. Captain Darroch has nearly frozen round; The Horn, and nearly roasted in such ports as Sahta Rosalia, in Mexico. He has frozen in the Hudson, at New York, where he leapt overside into the river thick with floating blocks of ice to rescue a man from drowning. -He saVed his man and was himself hauled aboard unconscious and ice-coated. He has rounded up sheep, two valuable rams, in Wellington Harbour. They had fallen overboard and were swimming strongly away from shore when he swam out and headed them back to land. He has saved twenty persons from drowning and is holder of two medals and a certificate for life saving. Although there were variations in the position of the Barrett's Reef Light as shown on various charts, ' and although Captain Darroch further maintains that the light should be at least 400 yards further east, he takes the decision of the Marine Court with philosophic cairn. That is not surprising. It is difficult to imagine any circumstances which could arouse anything of bitterness in a personality so understanding and so genial.