FOUR NIGHTS IN A WRECK

Shannon News, 24 September 1926, Page 2

FOUR NIGHTS IN A WRECK

- * BRAVE RESCUE BY JAPANESE. The ga.lant work of a. Japanese destroyer, a cruiser, and two steamships in attempting to rescue the crew of the Ellerman liner City of Naples (5,739 tons) which struck a hidden rock and broke in two during a storm in the Pacific on JuneJ 15, last, is described in a letter written from Yokohama by Mr. W. G. Ellison, the ship’s wireless operator, to his wife in Belle Vue-road, Leeds. Mr. Ellison says that after the ship broke in two just behind the bridge, the whole of the crew thought the end had come, but the poop part, on which the men had assembled, remained wedged fast in tike rocks. He had sent out an 5.0.5., and they had to wait through the night. He continues: — Nothing showed up till evening, when two Japanese ships, Chefoo Maru and Iro, came up, but were unable to help us in the raging sea. Chefoo Maru signalled us to wait until morning. What a night of sheer terror for US once more revivedour hopes and Chefoo Maru began to try to do something for us. Dangerous Seas. Then she lowered a boat, but the sea was still too rough for it to live, and at 10 o’clock the Japanese destroyer Urakabe came along, but she was too bulky for rescue work in those dangerous seas. She therefore left it to the Chefoo Maru to carry on, which that gallant ship did by every device in her power, but the sea was still too high. Towards evening—the third of our terrible ordeal —Chefoo Maru sent us a Morse message by siren to say that she must depart, and wishing us good luck.

We were naturally downhearted at losing our, best friend, but we lined up at tile rail and gave lier captain a big cheer. He had failed to rescue us, but his seamanship and daring were magnificent. We had thus to sit* down for one more night on our little poop. The next day the destroyer Uralcaze came up at full speed, followed by the cruiser Kasuga. The destroyer soon had one of her lifeboats out, and by means of a wire sling 27 men were lowered into the destroyer’s boats. Then came the cruiser Kasuga and all the men were later transferred abroad her.