THE LOSS OF THE AVENGER.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1917, Page 1

THE LOSS OF THE AVENGER.

LETTER FROM CHIEF ENGINE ER. Mr Shanks, of Fort Chalmers, has received a letter from Mr J. Dunlop who was chief engineer of the armed cruiser Avenger when she was torpedoed in the• North Sea. Special interest attaches to the vessel, as she belonged to the Union . steamship Company, and a number of the members of the crew were New Zealanders. Mr Dunlop writes . We were steaming full speed (18 knots). We had 35 look-outs on the ship at the time, but not one of them got their eye on the periscopes until the explosion took place. The torpedo struck ns right on the afterbulkhead m the engine-room, the greaser on watch being killed outrio'ht —the only one of a crew of 375. Two of the engineers on watch got badly shaken and cut, and they had to go to the hospital. Me were simply helpless in the engine-room as the water filled that compartment in less than five minutes. We thought there was a possibility of saving the ship, but the water got info No. 5 hold somehow and the ship started to settle down aft, as though some bulkhead had carried away. The submarine came quite close up to us after all the boats bad gone, and we started pounding him with Our 3-pounders, which served to keep him below the water. I don't think he had another torpedo left, because he had every opportunity of sending another one into us. Shortly after this the torpedo destroyers came to our rescue and picked up the floats rvit-li tin n human cargo. Ibe submarine was seen again bv the. destroyer, which crave chase. The submarine was not seen again after that, so ive hops lie got his deserts. There was an enquiry into the loss, and the captain and officers of the Avenger were complimented on keeping up the glorious traditions of the British Navy.