SINKING OF A BIG TRANSPORT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3092, 24 May 1917, Page 5

SINKING OF A BIG TRANSPORT

AFRICAN NATIVES ON BOARD LOSS OF OVER 600 LIVES ; The War Office recently announced that 'the Prime Minister.of tho Union of South Africa had mado the following statetaent in Parliament:— , "It is with deep regret that I have to announce to the House the ead news that the transport Mendi, carrying the last batch of the South African native labour contingent (tho rest have been safely landed in France), collided with another vessel during passage from tho United Kingdom to , Havre and sank within 25 minutes. The collision took place twelve miles from the Isle of Wight on Wednesday, February 21, at 4.5? a.m. The escort's 'searchlight was ineffective owing to thick fog, but survivors were picked up ly various vessels. "I am sorry to say that the toll is a heavy one. Two European officers, ten European non-commissioned officers, and 191 natives have been saved; one-Euro-pean non-commissioned officer and eignt : natives, though apparently rescued, are reported to have died as a result of accident; and three European officers, six European non-commissioned officers, and •607 natives who until yesterday were unaccounted for must be presumed to have been drowned, the total loss thus being ten Europeans and 615 natives, or C 25 lives in all. . "The difficulty of obtaining aiitnonno information, under the circumstances, has been the cause of delay in publishing the doleful tidings, but as the Army ouncil is making a simultaneous announcement of the details I havo pven to the House-these boing all that are available-and as delay might tend lo arouse nriworthy suspicions that the .Government is in the position oi toncealing facts I have deemed it right to take the earliest opportunity ot informing the House. I wish also to say that I at once communicated with the High Commissioner asking him to Bee that everything poseible was done for the comfort, care, and well-being of the survivors, and wo are assured that ihis is being done. "Tho surviving officers are: Captain ■Hertalor, of the medical unit, and Lieutenant Van Vuuren, of B Company , details, 4th -Battalion, while the following Son-commiseioned officers have been saved :-Sergeant-Major Nicoll, Sergeants Mitchell, Thomas Hamilton, FitzPatrick, fiolmes, and Sykes, of C Company, sth Battalion; Sergeants Hitgo and Savage, of B Company, 4th Battalion; and Serjeant Davie, of tlu) medical unit. The officers who have thus lost thoir lives are Captain John- Walter Maclean and Lieutenants Ernest Henry Richardson and Samuel Em.slie. of C Company, sth Battalion, the non-commissioned officers being Sergeants, T. A. Ford, R. Knaggs, and B. A. M'Tavieh, of C Company, sth Battalion; Sergeant C."H.' Botha, of B Company, 4th Battalion; and SergeantMajor T. IC. Tumor, and Staff Sergeant A. Cockrell and A. B. Botcs, of the medical unit. "Particulars of nativo survivors are being communicated to our B-ecord Office, who will then be in a position to advise relatives of those natives who must be presumed to bo drowned. Magistrates and Nativo Commissioners have been instructed to inform chiefs, headsmen, and people of this calamity so that they may know the truth and not pay heed to idle and mischievous stories, which, as -cxperionco has unfortunately proved, may be sedulously circulated. The Imperial authorities will pay compensation to nativo beneficiaries in duo course on the scalo recognised in our Union Lawe."