LOSS OF H.M.S. EAGLE

Evening Star, Issue 24291, 4 September 1942, Page 2

LOSS OF H.M.S. EAGLE

ONE NEW ZEALANDER ABOARD (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) . LONDON, September 2. Tho only New Zealander in the aircraft carrier Eagle was Sub-lieutenant H. E. Dutliio, of the Fleet Air Arm, who belongs to Epsom. Ho was 20yds from the ship when sho went down. He was wearing a “ Mae West ” life jacket, and swam for half an hour before being picked up by a destroyer. “ I had just gone down to my cabin in order to pick up my gear, because 1 was about to begin a flight, when four torpedoes hit the ship almost simultaneously with a terrific explosion,” Lieutenant Duthie said. “ 1 remember my mirror breaking, and then I dashed up to the flight deck because the ship listed heavily almost immediately. I Availed for a Avliile, hoping that the ship Avas not going to sink, but the list continued, so I began to slide down a ropo on the ship’s high side into a lifeboat, but the Eagle was sAvinging over so rapidly that tho lifeboat was lifted np from the Avater. I jumped into the sea, Avhich was oily but Avarni, and began swimming as quickly as possible, remembering the stories of suction, but there Avas no suction, and I su-aa" two men step off from the rudder as the Eagle sank, and then swim away.”

Lieutenant Duthie was with the Eagle during a previous Malta-bound convoy, Avben ho avas credited with shooting down a three-engined Savoi Machetti bomber, probably another, and assisting in the destruction of a third. “ One morning,” he said, “ two of us Avero patrolling when av© saw two of those bombers. Wo got both, one going down in flames. I Avas Avith the same pilot that evening when wo srav 17 Savoi Machettis flying in tight formation. Wo both attacked tho rear aircraft, and it went doAvn flaming. Tho other pilot’s oil tank was hit, so he left. 1 used up the rest of my ammunition by firing at another bomber. I saw its starboard engine burst into flames. Enemy fighters arrived, so I left quickly.”