ABOARD THE HOSPITAL SHIP MAHENO.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1486, 16 December 1915, Page 3

ABOARD THE HOSPITAL SHIP MAHENO.

INTERESTING NARRATIVE BY FATHER SEGRIEF. We are privileged to reproduce portions of a most interesting letter written by the Rev Father Segrief, of Wellington, one of the chaplains aboard the hospital ship Maheno, written from Anzac Bay, Gallipoli, under date September 24th : (Concluded from onr last issue.) “Another hospital ship was lying near us in Anzac Bay. I had been aboard her that morning. When men die aboard at Anzac, a trawler comes along early in the morning and takes away the corpses for burial at sea. I have had half-a-dozen such missions.” Referring to the torpedoing of the troopship Southland, the writer says; “The Southland was hit one beautiful morning at 9 o’clock by a torpedo which made a fierce rent and exploded In the hold. The ship began to settle by the head. All hands, who were not killed by the explosion, took to the boats, many of which were smashed on being launched. After a couple of hours in the boats, assistance began to arrive and as their ship was found to be safe enough, they re-embarked and reached Lemnos drawing 33ft by the bow. She was beached and we saw her where she was run aground. We sail the seas in utter confidence with a long row of green lights and our huge cross of red lights blaziug merrily. On our way up from Alexandria to Lemnos, we passed the spot where a few days before a huge troopship, carrying 1100, was done to death by a submarine, 400 were saved. As we passed, we examined three of her upturned life boats and many life belts. It was a very grim and unpleasant experience. That morning we had a parade of all, in life belts, just by way of no harm. The Muratania, carrying 3,500 troops, recently was attacked by a submarine, but as she does 24 knots, she soon left the underboat looking silly. We saw her in Mudros Bay, Lemnos. Oh! she is enormous. I had always longed to see big ships, and I saw them that day. She is 35,000 tons, and is simply a giant. Mudros Bay is simply crammed lull dl every type of craft that floats — from submarines to Dreadnoughts But to crown it all, as we steamed out the net-guarded entrance, we came up to the Aquitania of 52,000 tons —the largest ship afloat which has been converted into a hospital ship at a cost of a quarter of a million. She is the sister ship to the Lusitania, sunk oil Kinsale in May. She has accommodation for 3,500 wounded, and I assure you, we, with our 480 felt mighty small beside her. There are a great many hospital ships in commission out here, our registered number is “30,” Wejhave visited several others and we believe uow what our visitors have told us, that the Maheno is the best-equip-ped in the service. Many ot the others are just rough troop ships converted into hospitals by having the hull painted white. Ours is complete to detail, yet all the time improvements are being made as required. She is a grand little ship, comfortable and excellent at sea. We have settled down into a happy little family party aboard. The doctors are excellent fellows and just grand to get on with—one could not wish for more pleasant company. The ship’s officers are grand young men and give ns complete run of the shipand bridge. I can never sufficiently express my admiration for the devotion and skill of the nursing staff. A finer set couldn't be found. 1 usually go to the operating theatre with my lads. I find it most interesting, and very easy to stick it out when one is there on duty. I have seen, I think, every job in the surgeon’s catalogue—'lrom toe nails to eyes—as well as knowing all about anaesthetics—in fact have given them for bad dressings in the wards. Life on board is very fascinating. All is rush and hurry when the wounded are being brought aboard. There are many night calls. In fact, many of the deaths have occurred in the early hours ot the morning. We never know where we are off to —our sailing orders are always changed at the last minute.” [The Maheno is now on her way back to New Zealand bringing home wounded New Zealanders and is expected to arrive at the end of this month or early in January.]