NIMROD LOST IN STORM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1962, 8 April 1919, Page 1

NIMROD LOST IN STORM.

END OF FAMOUS SHIP,

LADY SHACKLETON’S REGRET,

The career of a ship made famous by her use in tho exploration of the Antarctic was closed by the foundering of Sir Ernest Shackle!on’s exploring ship, the Nimrod, near Yarmouth, about midnight on January 20th.

Only two exhausted sailors, found on the shore next morning, were left to tell the tale of the disaster. The Nimrod was oh a voyage from Blyth to Calais with coal, when she struck in heavy seas on the dangerous Barber Sand, off Caisfer. Rockets were bred, and all available flares burnt, but before the lifeboats launched from Caistcr and Yarmouth could reach the spot the Nimrod had been battered to bits, and her crew of twelve were battling witii a stormy sea in weather below freezing point. A. lifeboat broke loose and drifted out of sight without an occupant,. Eleven men were (hen left with the remaining boat, but it capsized and eight men were lust. Two survivors clung on to (he keel until by strange chance the boat righted, and they wero eventually driven to the beach. Searches were made by patrols, but only portions of the wreck were discovered.

'Wlu'ii informed of 11m wreck, Lady Shackleton said; “Sir Ernest will, 1 know, bo deeply sorry to hoar of (ho sad tale of the stout old ship, lie had a strong fooling of sentiment for it, and it seems sail (hat after withstanding the ferritic violence of the Antarctic storms and the buffeting of the ice Hoes she should ho dashed to pieces so near home, i little thought that she would come to such a sad end.’’ The Nimrod visited New Zealand on several occasions in connection with (lie Antarctic Expedition. She arrived at Lyttelton from England on November 23rd. DOT. and on New Year’s Day, DKIB, in low of the steamer Koonya (then commanded by Captain Evans, of the t’nion Company), site set out for the Antarctic. Tim Koonya lowed tier to (tie pack ice, a distance of 1,510 mites, and on account of dm severe strain caused by this, the Nimrod was docked at Lyttelton on tier return on "March Stb, 1008. The little vessel .returned to (ho Antarctic at the end of Unit year to take off members of the expedition, returning to Lyttelton on Aland) 251 h, 190!). About four months later she set sail for London, via Sydney and Monte Video, having rendered valuable service to the expedition, despite the fact that she was only 352 tons gross register, and np to that time had been in commission for 43 years. She was latterly owned by an Antwerp-firm, carrying" on business under the title of “The Steamship Nimrod, Ltd., and was engaged in the coal trade between Hull and Grimsby and northern porks of France. .