COMMANDER WORSLEY

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1924, Page 1

COMMANDER WORSLEY

HOW HE SAVED HIS CHEW. LONDON, October 7. One has never to wait very long before hearing of some new adventure :n which Commander Frank AYorsley is the central figure. Between official Antarctic expeditions he seems to have a prelercnee for ships of doubtful seaworthiness. Before going on the last Shncklcton Expedition he was engaged sailing a cockle-shell of a vessel up to Iceland and hack. Among other things, on one occasion lie had to put a chain round the hull of Die vessel and attach the two ends to the mast. This was to prevent the mast from being blown overboard. On that occasion lie managed to get the tiny vessel hack to safety after a very tempestuous passage.

For some months lie lias been away from London. Probably only u few triends knew of his whereabouts. But now’ it transpires lie lias been sailing the four-masted schooner Kathleen Annie (3.32 tons) between Bremen and Newfoundland. One night recently he left Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, for Newfoundland, hut immediately encountered a fierce gale. The vessel, in the darkness, with the seas running mountains high, struck on the Green Holms, a low-lying portion of hind off Edny Island, in the Orkney group, and 1m?gan to break up. Ite'.alising the ship’s plight- and the peril of his crew, Commander AYorsley dropped from the bowsprit into the raging sea with a line which he made fast ashore. Ho then struggled hack to tlie ship, and by means of Hie rope the whole crew gaineel the shore in safety. The ship be-

came n total wreck. The commander and his men were exposed to the gale and were then taken ofr by Hie steamer St. Magnus, and taken to Kirkwall.

Tn speaking of the werck Comm nailer AYorsley said that when the ship struck it was so dark that lie could see nothing. He rail a line ashore because lie was afraid the ship would go to pieces. “I ordered the men one by one to jump for the rope,” lie added, “and haul themselves up Hie rocks. The orders to jump were given at moments whi’n T juelgoel that the breakers had receded to their maximum, and 1 also allowed for the natural momentary hesitation to make the leap. By the time each man was in the water- he had the assistance of the oncoming waves to bear him shorewards. One man, in his excitement, grasped the wrong rope. It almost- cost him ids life, but some of the crew already ashore, ran into the water and seized him.

'llio schooner, it appears, which is owned hv a London firm, called at Kirkwall for repairs. She was carrying tt cargo of entile spirit.