Loss of British Destroyer

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 308, 30 December 1939, Page 3

Loss of British Destroyer

SURVIVORS’ ACCOUNTS LONDON. The first Brtish destroyer to be sunk since the war started went to the bottom two hours after she had struck a German mine on November 13. One man of the crew lost his life, one is missing, and 15 are in hospital, not seriously injured. Alost of the crew were picked up by passing craft, more than 70 being landed by tugs and drifters. Several vere almost without clothing, and most of them were smothered with oil. One of the rescuers said afterwards they were **slippery as eels, and we had our work cut out to pull them towards us.”

On reaching land they \.ere re moved in ambulances, lorries, and can to quarters where they were provided With blankets and hot drinks. A tu;j took the disabled destroyer in tow* but shortly afterwards the warship went down, stern first. The force of the explosion wrecked the destroyer’s radio aerial. Able Sea* man William Eldridge said; “There if not much doubt that we struck a mine. Curious thing is that the explosion occurred aft. I was on duty on ths bridge in charge of the searchlight with the captain. I went down be* low for a cup of tea. “The explosion shook the cup right out of my hand. The bows of th« ship seemed to plunge right out of the water. We were thrown all over the place. There was no panic. We made everything safe, shutting doors and so on, took our place on the upper deck, and then put on our lifejackets. Two hours later our ship rolled over and sank. Some of us had already jumped into the water, thick with oil; others were thrown in as the ship turned over for the last time. We were picked up wonderfully quickly.” Leading Stoker John Mutton told how a number of the ship’s company, instead of bothering about their own safety, searched the ship high and low for Black ’Em, the ship's mascot, a tiny black cat. But it appears that Black ’Em had taken fright from the explosion and had stowed away, and is now presumed lost. Two offeers standing on the deck only a few feet from the seat of the explosion escaped unhurt. Another officer was in his bath, but managed to crawl to safety. One officer, on reaching shore, sent a telegram to his family: “Had a ducking. Am all right.” One of the first boats on the scene was a motor boat with Mr jac« Pocock, the owner, and Mr B. Richards, the engineer. Mr Pocock said: “When we reached the clestrover, about two miles away she was going down stern first, and men with life-, belts on were diving overboard. There) ! was oil everywhere. One cheerful | 'chap swam about strongly. Another; | whom we tried to pull aboard, saic I ‘Don't worry about me, old chap. J'nJ all right. Look after the others.’ W j f aw two or three go under before v. i £ould reach them. Among those \v4 .aved was the captain.”