SHIP UNDER FIRE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20119, 13 December 1939, Page 3

SHIP UNDER FIRE

ESCAPE OF KARAMEA ATTACK BY SUBMARINE GRAPHIC STORY TOLD VOYAGE FROM DOMINION The hazards experienced by the 8000-ton cargo ship Karamea in evading ihe heavy shell (ire and torpedoes of a German submarine during a voyage from New Zealand to .Britain, are described in letters received from Mr. Barry Abbott, a young Aucklander who was a writer on the ship. Mr. Abbott, who left by the Karamea shortly before the outbreak of war to join the Colonial Service, after studies at Cambridge University, is the son of Mr. R. Atkinson Abbott, of Remuera.

Writing on the day of the incident, Mr. Abbott stated that he was awakened at 4.20 a.m. by the emergency signal. At that time a submarine passed between the Karamea and an accompanying ship, the Loch Avon, firing two torpedoes, one of which struck the Loch Avon. The other was avoided by the Karamea as the result of the first office!' swinging the helm hard to to port. The torpedo passed within 10ft. of the bow. French Slftp Shelled “We could not do anything but run, and so it was full speed ahead," Mr. Abbott continued. “In the meantime the submarine had left the Loch Avon and attacked a French boat. She was slower than us’, so the submarine shelled her at pointblank range and then put a torpedo in her. It was absolute murder, as none of us had anything with which to retaliate. We could sec it all astern of us—a flash when the shells hit and then a terrific burst of foam and smoke when the torpedo struck “Then ’.he submarine put after us. With her surface speed greater than that of our ship, she soon got within range and opened fire. Shells were soon landing on both sides," a good few aft and one or two ahead. The last she fired was in a dead line' about 100 yards ahead, and some of the splinters landed on the forecastle.

“It was at this singe that the chief engineer saved us. The steam pressure had got up to the safety tape, but he gave the ship the whole lot. That did it. and the old ship was pounding along at 18 knots, faster than ever she had gone before. Sing-Song on Deck “After a while the submarine stopped shelling and was bent on overhauling us and so all was quiet,” Mr. Abbott said. “It was at this time that I got out a saxophone and we all had a sing-song on the deck. It seemed to do good and brought back a lot of the good spirit into the men. The men were wonderful and there was not the slightest sign of panic at-any time. While the shelling was on, the captain showed the extremely great presence of mind to alter course to the’ spot where the last shell had landed, and thus we escaped hits. “Then at last we got the news that destroyers were on the horizon astern,” he added. “The wireless operator had been sending out messages from time to time for four hours from the time the first torpedo had been 'aunched, but had not had much in the way of replies.” Success of Destroyers. Writing several days later, Mr. Abbott stated that they had heard the passengers and crew of the Loch Avon were safe and had been taken to England. The submarine had been four miles from the Karamea when the destroyers came up, and it was learned that the British warships had sunk the marauder. They had received no news of the safety of the crew of the French vessel. Advice recently received in New Zealand stated that the master of the: Karamea, Commander E. T. Grays'ton, D.S.C.. R.N.R., had been awarded the 0.8. E. for distinguished service in saving his ship from enemy attack in the Atlantic. Commander Grayston, who is well known in the New Zealand trade, has been in the service of the Shaw Savill and Albion Company for many years. He is the first merchant officer in the New Zealand trade to be decorated for distinguished service in the present war.