THE TAHITI’S SUBMARINE

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1930, Page 3

THE TAHITI’S SUBMARINE

War-time memories are fading into the past, and there may not be many New Zealanders who can recall the thrilling adventure "which befell the steamer Tahiti in the English Channel one foggy morning l in January, 1917. The tale is told by Mr J. B. Reade, now a PonSOilby resident, but at that time a. member of the Royal Army Medical Corps, and one of those on hoard the Tahiti when she was steaming from Newport South Wales, to Plymouth, in order ,to embark troops for Mesopotamia. The ship was armed with a single 18-pounder gun, niount-r-d astern as a weapon of offence or defence against submarines. Not tar away were two tramp steamers, one of which mounted a “pom-pom.” Suddenly tlie staccato outburst of the quick-firer some distance ahead announced the appearance of a submarine, but the fog was too thick for the men on the Tahiti to see what, was going on. Fortunately the fog lifted a moment later, and the enemy could be clearly seen. The Tahiti’s first shot fell short, but the second, ranged by Chief. Officer Plowman, scored a direct hit, and the U-boat went to the bottom. Mr Reade recall's that on this voyage the Tahiti was commanded by Captain E. G. R, Evans, formerlv of the Scott Antarctic expedition.