THE ILL-FATED MARQUETTE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1494, 8 January 1916, Page 3

THE ILL-FATED MARQUETTE.

BETTER FROM A SURVIVOR. Mr J. Chrystall, of Foxton, received a letter this week from his only brother, James, who, as one of the No. 1 Stationary Hospital .staff, was aboard the ill-fated Marquette when she was torpedoed while on her way from Alexandria to Salonika on October 23rd. last. The following is an extract from the letter : “We left Alexandria for this place on Tuesday night, the iSth., by the troopship Marquette. The New Zealanders on Board were 36 nurses, -12 officers, and 143 men. We also had with us the whole of -the hospital equipment carefully stowed away in 600 cases, besides packages of bedding and tents. All went well till Saturday morning, when at 9 o’clock, within 60 miles of Salonika, a torpedo struck the ship, and she rapidly commenced to fill, and sank in twelve minutes. Twelve precious minutes to effect our escape. The boats were instantly lowered. The - most unfortunate thing happened in the lowering of one boat, the majority of the nurses being upset . into the water. When all the available boats had gone, there were a number of us left. The order came quickly : “Every man for himself.” My station, with a number of others, was right up in the forward part of the ship. At this moment the vessel was foundering rapidly, the waves washing over our deck, so we just slid into the sea. It was rather exciting for me, not being much of a swimmer. It has been said that a drowning man will grasp a straw. I acted equally foolish. Being a rope within my reach banging from the sinking ship, I grasped it, and hung on. I felt quite resigned, realising that I was doomed. The uppermost thoughts in my mind were about you all at home. Then the great ship rushed forward, and diving drew me for a considerable dis- - tance. Then a swiit current of water rushed upward, and again shot me above water. This must have been caused by the bursting of the boilers. There were a number of boxes floating around, so three of us managed to catch hold of one box, but it kept overturning in the water with every big wave. A horse and a mule swam round madly for a while endangering our position. During the day we helped other struggling men to reach our box. When the rescue boat came it found eight men clinging to one box. I shall never forget the cries that reached us over the drifting miles of wreckage’ The nurses, although on rafts, suffered extremely. Ten of these brave, noble heroines had succumbed, through exhaustion before help came. Altogether there were about 100 lives lost. We were taken on board the rescue ship at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, being over seven hours in the water, and every moment like an eternity. A number of us soon came round through the warmth of the stokehold. Since then we have been treated most j[. kindly. I thank God for His goodness In sparing so many of us, and learn by this that He has work for us still to do. We are starting a hospital again here, and hope ere long to be in a position to tend the wounded, hoping to ease a brother’s pain as much as we are able.”