CREW OF L55

Hokitika Guardian, 4 September 1928, Page 1

CREW OF L 55

REMAINS - SHIPPED TO ENGLAND. Australian Press Assn.—United Service LONDON, August 31. The “Times” Reval correspondent states: It was as if the heavens mourned, so incessant was the downpour under which the flags of the Government and the Foreign Offices clung dejectedly at half mast, during the progress of the green-hulled steamer “Truro” on which a flag was also av half mast when she sailed alongside the cruiser “ Champion ” to tranship tlie remains of the officers and the crew of the ill-fated British submarine L. 55.

The steamer Truro had come from Kronstadt, where none of her company went ashore, but Soviet officials had escorted her, with a naval pinnace, towing a barge draped with crepe, swathed in evergreens, and bearing thirty-nine coffins, over which twenty Soviet sailors mounted guard with bayonets agloam. All of the Soviet warships had their (lags at iialf mast, and all of their crews dressed ship. The hand aboard the Soviet warship Uaige played the “ Dead March ” as Truros derrick hoisted the coffins, one by one aboard. The Soviet officials bad marked those containing the officers with a small cross. Immediately the coffins had been placed under her hatches, the Truro darted away, while the Soviet warship Aurora’s hand played the “ Dead March ” and boomed out a slow salute, every vessel in harbour at the same time dipping the colours. The Truro on arriving alongside the II.M'.S. Champion, re-opened her hatches to, permit the derricks to hoist the coffins on white wooden trays aboard the cruiser, where four bluejackets bore "them reverently to the quarter-deck. Here four oil-skinucd blue-jackets mounted guard with arms reversed, four ovJreoated marines similarly standing mi the poop. i After the last coffin had been placed on the quarter-deck, all of them were draped in Union Jacks. Hardly had the Truro sailed for London when wreaths began to arrive on the Champion from ashore. Distinguished officials of tlio British diplomatic service and three British air officers participated in the official •coremany, moving along the rows of coffins saluting anil placing wreaths thereon. An Esthoniaii military hand played “ Nearer My God to Thee,” the sailors standing to attention and the civilians standing bare-headed in relentless rain. An Esthoninn ring squad fired three volleys, and then buglers played “The

Last Post.” The mourners then departed, the crew bearing the coffins below us the Champion headed for the open sea. Sho is due at Portsmouth on September sth,