ORDEAL ON LINER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20112, 5 December 1939, Page 3

ORDEAL ON LINER

ATLANTIC HURRICANE WAVE CREATES HAVOC MANY PERSONS INJURED AUCKLANDERS SUFFER The ordeal which passengers on the United States liner President Ilarcling suffered, when she _ was struck bv a gigantic wave during a hurricane in Ihe Atlantic, in October, was described by Mr. R. Riffkin, of Auckland, who, with Mrs. Riffkin, was among those on board. Several people were washed overboard and a large number were injured, Mr. and Mrs. Riffkin themselves suffering bruises and sprains from which they have not yet fully recovered. The hurricane was the climax to a voyage of excitement. On the night of October 13, the President Harding turned back to the assistance of the French tanker, Emile Miguel, which had been attacked by a submarine, 200 miles away. Tanker Found in Flames Just after midnight the liner came upon two lifeboats containing the 3(5 members of the crew of the torpedoed British freighter, Heronspool, and took them on board. The Emile Miguet was found in flames but the President Harding left, soon afterward as other ships were in the vicinity and Hie crew had been rescued Two days later the hurricane began and for two more days all on on board lived a life of terror. The huge wave that wrought havoc tlrroughout the ship was encountered early on the first night. The liner heeled over to an alarming angle. Furniture was wrenched from its fittings and thrown across cabins and public rooms, said Mr. Riffkin Crockery was smashed into tiny pieces. A life-boat, was torn away and ladders between decks were pulled from their fixtures. Cabin berths were wrecked. Hurled Across Deck Amid Hi is confusion, passengers were thrown about unmercifully, he added. In his own case, he was hurled out of a chair, thrown across a deck to the rail, and tossed back again. He grasped the ieg of a broken sofa, but did not remember anything more until he came to later in one of the public rooms, where lie was receiving attention Mrs. RilTkin did not fare so badly, but she was considerably bruised, when furniture in the ship's library was thrown about.

Until the liner reached New York, some days later, five doctors and other members of the crew and passengers, who had come through more or less scathless, worked almost unceasingly in attending the many who had suffered injury, Mr. Riffkin said. Their efforts were especially commendable as the ship continued to toss and there was only limited space in which to work as there were many more passengers than usual. A further handicap was the lack of adequate medical supplies.