THE SINKING OF THE HAMPSHIRE

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

THE SINKING OF THE HAMPSHIRE

LAST SIGHT OF LORD KITCHENER OFFICIAL REPORT BY THE ADMIRALTY • The High Commissioner reports:— London, June 15, 9.i5 p.m. The Admiralty states:—"As the result of the inquiry into the Hampshire disaster, the evidence shows that .the vessel was proceeding in a heavy gale off thewest coast of the Orkneys. At 7.30 p.m., aftor striking a mine, she settled by the bows and sank in fifteen minutes. The ship's company went to the stations and made unsuccessful attempts to lower the boats, one of which was broken in. halves. "As the men moved to their,stations, Ix>rd Kitchener appeared, accompanied by -a naval officer. . The latter called out: ,'Make : way for Lord Kitchener!' and ■ both went on to the quarter-deck. Subsequently four military officers were seen on the quarter-deck. "The captain called for lord Kitchener to come forward of the bridge into the captain's boat'. No one is able to say whether Lord Kitchener , entered the boat, or what occurred to the boat. No one saw the boats clear tho ship. "A large number of. the crew used lifesaving -belts and waistcoats, which kept them afloat- Three rafts, with about from 50 to 7Q men on each, cleared the ship. ' _ In 'daylight to about 11 p.m. (there is a prolonged twilight in these latitudes), though the rafts with these' krge numbers of men got safely away, in-.one case out of over 70 men, six alone survived. The survivors all report that the-' men gradually dropped off, and even died on board from exhaustion and exposure to cold. Some of the crew must nave perished trying to land on the rocky coast after such long exposure.' Some died after landing,' "In forwarding the report ,of the innuiry- into the Hampshire disaster,'-the Comraander.-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet says':—*l cannot adequately express the sorrow felt by me personally and by the officers and men of the Grand Fleet generally at the fact that so distinguished a foldier and 'so great a man should lose' his life whilst under -the care of the Fleet/" ~. .. . ... THRILLING STORY BY A SURVIVOR' HOW KITCHENER MET HIS ' FATE. By Telegraph-Press AsEociation-Copyriuht - - (Rec. June 16, 8.40 p.m.) .London, Juno 16. . Seaman Rogerson, a survivor from the Hampshire, gave evidence that it was not true that Lord Kitchener's boat was overturned. "Ho did not leave the ship. I saw '.Captain Saville help the boat crew to clear- the way to the galley, and heard hiin calling to Lord Kitchener to go to the boat, but owing to' the noise of the wind and the sea, Lord Kitchener apparently failed to hear him.

"When the explosion occurred, Lord Kitchener walked calmly from the captain's, cabin and climbed the ladder to the quarter-deck. I 6aw him walking quite, coolly, and collectedly, talking' to two officers. All were in" khaki, without' overcoats. Lord Kitchener was not the least perturbed, but calmly awaited the preparations to abandon the 6hip, which were proceeding in a steady and orderly way. - "Owing to the rough weather, no boats could be lowered. What the people on shoro .thought w.ere;'.-'boats were three rafts.' ' Some of the men got into the 'boats, thinking -that if the ship went down the-boats would float, but tne-ship sank by the head, . turning a somersault forward, engulfing the boats and those on board.

"When I sprang on to a raft, Lord Kitchener ~wjis;" stillTstarboard,' at the side of - talking to", bis officers, and not giving any outwarC sign of nervousness. So little time elapsed between my .lenving the ship and the sinking that I feel 1 certain that Lord Kitchener went .down with her, standing.'on the . deck." . : , • •'

Rogewon- h'a<] ' terrible experiences' on the- raft.The battering of the sea killed' many," "while -otliers died in the feaffrf cold.. "An almost'overpowering desire to sleep overcame us. We thumped each other on the back, as no sleeper ever .woke.- The fury of the sea dashed the raft on the rocks with tremendous force." . * "1 am not. sure how I got ashore. It was impossible for a submarine to have torpedoed the Hapipshire in 1 such weather. Probably a mine exploded under the forepart of the ship. .'lt was hard luck for the Hampshire, to .come through the Battle of Jutland and come to such an end." -.Other survivors state, that the weather was so rough that the two destroyers which' were escorting the Hampshire were sent back.