A NARROW ESCAPE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2625, 22 November 1915, Page 6

A NARROW ESCAPE

NEW ZEALANDER. ON TORPEDOED . TRANSPORT. Some interesting details in reference to the torpedoing of a transport—probably the Southland—are contained in a letter written by Gunner D. M'Lcan to his aunt, Mrs. Neil M'Leani Levy. Street, • Wellington. The communication is dated "Anzao, 22/9/15." "We left camp at Cairo after being there for a month," he says, "and wo were about five days out when the torpedo caught up. I was l.ving down in my bunk when I felt the bed give a terrible shake. Next I heard and saw the explosion. It caught us right under our sleeping quarters, and- blew the • second row of bunks from mine into matchwood. The explosion occurred right under the hatchways, blowing the four decks of hatches right into the air. I was very nearly suffocated with the fumes. I had a stiff climb up a wet oily chain before I reached the deck, but once in t'he fresh air I felt all right. I had a,narrow escape down below. Two ; of our boys were caught in; the explosion, and very nearly blown to pieces."

I mado my way along deck to the New Zealand lifeboat, to find tliat it was just being lowered. I hopped in, and all at once I felt tho boat go from under me, and I shot down) down, down; thinking • all the time that I would never come to the top again. The crow had let ono end of the boat go with a, run, and there it was hanging vertically in the air. When I did roach tho surface I was minus my lifebelt. I had received a smack on the elbow, and this was beginning to get sore and stiff. Thanks to being a fair swimmer; it did not take me long to get, to the boats, although I had all my boots and clothing on. When in the boat I got hold of an oar and started pulling to keep myself warm, and it was then I felt comparatively. safe; although there were twenty too many in tho boat. We were rowing about five and a half hours before we wore picked up by a French torpedo boat. ' On board they treated Us well, giving boxes of cigarettes out and making us hot coffee. That night we.were taken into a harbour and put on board a large liner. Three days later, after we had been equipped, we proceeded to this place.

"I was not sorry to get ashore here, although the bullets were landing around us. I still had a feeling of torpedoes. It was a sad: day the day after wo were torpedoed, when we found out how many /were missing, and who they were. We had all been a jolly party. We were all in the Headquarters Staff, and were the only Now Zealanders . aboard. It was hard luck our boat being,torpedoed, for we lost nearly everything we had. and what we did got back was spoilt by water and ashes._ I lost a bagful of delicacies, which I was taking to Gallipoli."