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TEE GERMAN HIGH SEA MURDERS

LOSS OF THE ZENT WIRELESS OPERATOR GIVES HIS LIFE The following letter has been received by Messrs. Dawson and ilaudsley from Messrs. Elders and Ltd., of London, detailing the tragic circumstances under which the steamer Zeut was torpedood at sea:— "We have unfortunately to record the murder of 47 of the crew of our steamship Zent, which left Liverpool on the 4th April, and nas torpedoed -before midnigiit of the next day, 28 miles southwest of the Fastnet. Two torpedoes were fired in rapid succession, the first, tearing away the starboard side of the ship, the second exploding in tho engine room, and tho ship sank at practically • full speed in less than two minutes. "Eleven of tho crow, including Captain Martin, were picked up after being over two hours in the water, by one of H.M. ships, which camo up in answer to the 'H.CtS.' call sent out by Mr. Proughton, the Marconi operator. "The protest noted by tho captain at Queeustown says: 'On' the first torpedo striking tho vessel, tho wireless operator, Mr. Proughton, at once proceeded to his station and sent out the distress call, 'S.U.S.,' giving the position of the vessel by the emergency set of instruments, us the first torpedo had destroyed tho dynamo of tho ordinary apparatus, and Mr. Proughton was never seen again, but he succeeded in sending the call before the ship foundered, and tho brave gentleman's life was sacrificed to iiis duty, and by his soll'-saeriiieing ilcvotion ho was the means of Saving tho 11 sur-. vivors.' "This ship was in ballast, carried no arms, and received no warning, and five minutes' grace would have enabled the whole crew to escape, but. no grace was given, and it is difficult to understand how even a German can. call such conduct anything other than murder. "We liopo we havo not tried your patience by such a long letter, and if wo only bad the loss of a ship to report we should not have done so, but we rtish it impressed a3 firmly as wo can impress it, and spread as widely as possible, that these 47 men did not lose their lives in any action of the war, but were foully murdered by tho Germans, and wo hope that this fact will be carefully remeiiibered in the long days after the war, aiwl that you all fully appreciate that in this the Germans arc showing their true character."

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19160617.2.18

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2799, 17 June 1916, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
412

TEE GERMAN HIGH SEA MURDERS Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2799, 17 June 1916, Page 3

TEE GERMAN HIGH SEA MURDERS Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2799, 17 June 1916, Page 3

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