GALLANT SEA RESCUE

Shannon News, 21 October 1927, Page 3

GALLANT SEA RESCUE

DASH TO SINKING SHIP. ENGINEER'S THRILLING STORY. To a Tyne-built vessel has fallen the honour of upholding British tradition of the sea. The Steamer Aurigban, built by Messrs. Palmers, of Jarrow, in 1916, and now owned by the Burm,ah Oil Co., Ltd., when south of Mangalore, received a wireless message from the Homestead, an American vessel in distress, and at once dashed to render' assistance. Mr. James Hunter, a South Shields man serving as engineer on the Aungban, tells a thrilling story of gallantry. "I need not enlarge upon the storyof th e disaster," Mr. Hunter wrote, ''except that we made th-e crew as comfortable as possible during the three days we had them with us. Dashed against a rock, her keel ripped up, the stricken Homestead tossed for hours in high seas and a terrific gale, her pumps choked by the fierce inrush of water.

Her master, Cap'ain Chapman, strove desperately to get the ship into shallower waters, not only to clear her from the usual track of ships, but also to be able to drop anchor in a shallow region for rendering future salvage possible. : In the meantime the Homestead's S.O.S. signals had been picked up by the Aungban, which promptly raced to the assistance of the stricken ship, and although from 40 to 50 miles away at the time ; drew alongside the Homestead, whos e plight was rapidly becoming worse, in less than five

hours. What Captain Chapman had failed to do Captain C. F. S. Reid, master of the Aungban, attempted. Two efforts to tow the Homestead were made in vain, the ropes snapping each time, for the heavy ship .was awash to the foremast, and sinking fast. The day drew on, and as evening approached, it was seen that rescuing the ship was impossible. Still the Aungban circled round and round the sinking Homestead, and finally the crow of 37 American sailors, after saving most of their belongings, was J ransferred to the British ship.

Captain Chapman and two of his officers still clung to their charge, even though the waves were enveloping her and washing right over the-.n. Sorrowfully tlrey left her, and. in their turn, were taken aboard the Aungban. The cargo unfortunately, which consisted chiefly of manganese, was lost.

A human note to the s'ory is that the skip's P'ets? a dog and a monkey, were not forgotten in the general confusion, but were rescued with the crew. Tire Aungban arrived at Bombay on July 24, and both rescuers and rescued were given a great reception by the large crowd which thronged the wharf to see the arrival.