CROWDED HOURS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 85, 4 January 1935, Page 10

CROWDED HOURS

A Very Gallant Gentleman

EVANS OF THE BROKE Some Imperishable Memories (By Fairlead.) One crowded hour ot glorious lite, Is worth an age without a name. The Polar Journey. Twenty-four years ago—on January 4, 1911—eight Englishmen had reached, after a terrible journey of 750 miles in 65 days, a point only 146 miles from the South Pole. Mercifully, they did not know then that they hajl been forestalled by nearly a month. They coma not all go to the Pole —they had not sufficient food. Lieutenant E. R. G. R. Evans, Chief Stoker William Lashly and Petty Officer Thomas Crean were told off to return. “We frequently looked back until we saw the last of Captain Scott and his four companions, a tiuy black speck on the horizon; and little did we think that we should be the last to see them alive, that bur three cheers on that bleak and lonely plateau summit would be the last appreciation they would ever know.’-

Back across the dreary wastes of the Polar plateau plodded Evans and his two companions. A blizzard held them up for three days Before reaching the head of the Beardmore Glacier. By the time they reached the foot of the glacier on January 30 they had been fourteen weeks out from the base, aud Evans had developed scurvy. While the hauling power thus grew less, the leader had to make up for loss of speed by lengthening the working hours. He put his watch on an hour. With the starting time thus advanced, the actual dally marching period became twelve hours. The situation was saved and Evans flattered himself on his ingenuity. But Lashly and Crean knew it all the time, aud no word said I Finally, Evans could march no further, and Lashly and Crean pulled him lying helpless on the sledge. .The two men had marched nearly 1500 miles since November 1, their strength was nearly spent and:at last they were held ■up in a blizzard on February 17. Next day Crean set out alone and tramped to Hut Point, 34 miles away. Lasluy stayed to nurse Evans and most certainly saved his life till help came four days later. -Crean reached Hut Point after a lonely march of eighteen hours, but blizzards delayed the rescue party under Dr. Atkinson, and it was not until February 22 that they got Evans and Lashly safely to the hut. When they returned to England, Lashly and. Crean received the Albert Medal a', the hands of the King. Four years later Crean sailed with Sir Ernest Shackleton in the memorable boat journey of 800 miles from Elephant Island to South Georgia.

Tlie Fight of tile Broke and Swift.

The night of April 20, 1917, was line, but heavily overcast, with no moon — in every way a likely night for another German destroyer raid in the Strait of Dover. The usual British patrols were out, while the flotilla leaders, Swift, Commander A. M. Peck, and Broke, Commander E. R. G. R. Evans, C. 8., were patrolling off Dover. At 11.10 p.m. there was a sharp burst of firing off Calais and 20 minutes later ca.me a swift bombardment off Dover. The Swift and Broke, increasing to full speed, at once steered for the gun-flashes. The raid had been made by six large German destroyers, two of which shelled Calais while four had fired upon Dover, the flotilla reforming later. At 0.50 a.m. when the Swift and Broke were seven miles east of Dover, a line of six destroyers steaming fast on an opposite course, was sighted on the port bow. Tlie Germans at once opened a heavy fire, to which the British ships replied. At the same time they increased to full speed. The Swift put her helm hard over with the intention to ram one of her opponents. Blinded Ip- the gun flashes, Commander _ Peck lost sight of the enemy for a few 'seconds and.passed astern of the Germans, though not before firing a torpedo at the fifth ship, which probably took effect. Altering course out of the wake of the Swift, Evans in the Broke also fired a torpedo and either it or that from the Swift hit the fifth ship full amidships. Then, under heavy tire, Evans put his helm 'over and drove the Broke straight for the rear enemy destroyer nt 27 knots. The German; G 42, increased opeed, flames pouring from her funnel an she strove to escape. With a grinding crash and the screech of tearing steel, (lie Broke’s sharp bow tore into h.:r opponent’s side abreast the after funnel. Tile terrific impact hurled the Gcman over nearly' on her beam ends. One of tlie enemy’s torpedo-tubes stuck into the Broke’s side . and wa»' torn from its mounting, while tlie latter’s guns at maximum deprewsion poured shells into the hapless ship. . A hand-to-hand fight took place on the |Broke’s forecastle as the desperate Germane clambered over the bows. A cordite fire tinder her bridge lighted up th" Broke, which was heavily shelled ami badly damaged bj> one of tlie fleeing enemy destroyers, and -sustained 57 casualties of whom 21 were killed. A tshe'l in the Broke’s boiler-room severed tlie main steam pipe and she was gradually brought to a standat.il'. The Swift pursued the flying Germans liptil she too was badly damaged. She then returned to the assistance of the disabled Broke and both ships, after rescuing 140 officers and men from the two destroyers that had been sunk, waited until dawn before leturning to Dover, the Broke having to be towed in. Evans and Feck received the D.S.O and were promoted to the rank of captain. The senior engineer officer* of both ship,-* received promotions, while nine other officers- mil 25 petty officers and men were awarded D.S.C. medaland 34 officers and men were mentioned in dispatches. • « » The Story of the Hong Moh. On March 3, 1921, the steamer Hong Moh. with over 1100 Chinese coolies on board, ran on a reef north of Swatow in a heavy gale. Many of (he coolies were swept overboard and drowned. The steamer Shansi. Captain Robert Turn- 1 bull, stood by for nearly two days mil I

rescued 38 Chinese and all the European officer*, except Captain Holmes, who was drowned.

The wireless incissage sent out by the British Consul when the Shansi arrived there was intercepted by Captain E. R. G. R. Evans, of 11.M.5. Carlisle, and Commander Brady, of 11.M.5. Foxglove, and both ships rushed to aid the Hong Moh. At first the sea was too heavy for boats to be launched, and a few Chines; were rescued by means of rafts, Later the boats were tried and more men were saved, but the crews were utterly done.

Anchoring the Carlisle a mile to leeward, Captain Evans and Commande" lon Tower took a inotor-launeh with a cutter and a raft in tow and got alongside the Hong Moh, which by this time had broken into two. Knotting a line under his arms one man,swam from the launch to the forepart of the ship from which he rescued the few survivors. That night the launch and the cutter saved some 200 lives. Next morning, alongside the Hong Moh, the launch got a liu'.foul of its propeller and the same man went over the side and fought until he was quite exhausted, trying to free the rope. Seaman Whitehead completed the task and. by daybreak on March 7, the last survivor of the Hong Moh had been rescued. Two Chinese fishermen in a tiny sampan had helped gallantly and saved a few at a time.

With 221 survivors the Carlisle sped to Hong-Kong, where in ten brief paragraphs Captain Evans made his repur. to the Commodore. But not one word did he say about the man who had swum with a line to the forepart of the ship nor did he mention hi.w the same man had, struggled to free the launch’s propeller. but he gave full credit to Seaman Whitehead.

But Commander Tower, of the Carlisle, wrote to his commanding officer (Capt. Evans) requesting him to forward "the following statement”' with his report. It being, "the. wish of all officers and men of H.M. ship under your command that your personal work at the wreck should be reported to higher authority.” The “Following statement” revealed that the man who had been ignored in the cap tain’s official report was Captain Evans himself. He declined to forward the “following statement.” Ultimately, however, Ihe Commodore got nt. the truth of the matter and secured th.- statement which was- duly forwarded to the'Commander-in-Chief of the China Station, ViceAdmiral Duff, who in a letter to the .Admiralty, tyrote that “Captain Evans performed an especially gallant, act which I desire to specially bring lo the notice of their Lordships.” Their lordships communicated the faces li. Lloyd’s, who wrote: “Hitherto it has been the custom for Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea to be struck in silve r and bronze only, but the conduct of Captain Evans appears to be of such outstanding merit that the committee have eleeided in his case to award a gold medal as a mark of their admiration of his exceptional lira very and inspiring exninple.” That medal was duly presented. while Commander Tower. Commander Brady, Mr. John Dewar and Seamen Whitehead and Eldrett were awarde<l silver medals. Captain Evans went out of his way to pay a special tribute to Captain Turnhull of the Shansi, Which liad stood by the Hong Moh for two days, and tlie latter was also awarded Lloyd's silver me<lal.

Created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Balli, of which he lias been a Companion (military) since 1932 mil (civil) since 1913, Vice-Admiral Sir I'M ward Evans, K.C.8.. D 8.0. is to-day Hie most decorated officer of the Royal Navy. He is an officer of the Legion of Honour (France), of the Order of Leopold and tiie Crown if Belgium, of the Order of St. Olaf of Norway, of the Military Order of Savoy (Italy), and of th- 1 Order of the Tower and Sword (Portugal). In addition to two British medals for Antarctic explore-ion and those of many geographical societies, he also holds three medals for saving life at sea, the United States Navy Cross the French C"oix de Guerre, the Belgian Croix de Guerre and Hie Medailie Civiqne of Belgium. Sir Edward Evans Ims been Com mauder-m-Chief of the' Africa Station since 1933.