TRAGIC STORIES OF SURVIVORS

Southland Times, Issue 24239, 24 September 1940, Page 5

TRAGIC STORIES OF SURVIVORS

MANY DIE IN THE LIFEBOATS NEW ZEALANDER 'ls SURVIVOR (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 23, 10 p.m.) LONDON, September 22. A little boy, whose heroism is praised by all in the boat from which he was rescued, was Colin Richardson, from Monmouthshire, whose cheery voice was always audible above the moaning of those suffering from exposure. A passenger said that the boy had to watch women and babies die, and was obliged to drop bodies overboard. He stood with the water to his waist, but did not once complain. A Londoner, Mr W. B. Forsyth, referring to the deaths in his boat said: “I did my utmost, as each body was dropped overboard, to give Christian burial by conducting a short committal service over the water.” One lifeboat, in which 32 occupants left the ship, had only eight alive when picked up. Another had only 14 survivors out of 38.

Colonel Webb, M.P., who was going to Canada in connection with the Red Cross ambulance services, went down with the ship. The commander of the ship was last seen on the bridge shouting to everybody to take to the lifeboats. He also went down with the ship. Roderick Maher, of Dublin, said he was on an upturned boat from 10.30 p.m. till he was picked up about 4.30 p.m. the next day. The evacuee children all came from England and Wales. The victims in several cases represented entire, families. The survivors included a New Zealander, Mrs Lillian Rose Towns, who was an official escort. She was a school mistress in New Zealand, where she married Mr F. G. Towns, or Clapham, an optician, who came to England three years ago. They had arranged to evacuate their daughter to New Zealand. CHILDREN~FOR NEW ZEALAND NO CHANGE IN DECISION (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, September 23. Recent despatches received by the Government indicated no variation in the decision of the British authorities to send a number of children to New Zealand, said the Minister of-Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, tonight. Very complete arrangements had been made for their reception and the satisfactory placing of any who were sent to the Dominion. He added that nominations of children by relations in New Zealand were still being received, as were offers to take any child allotted. Mr Parry said that the sympathy and patriotism that New Zealand mothers had extended to the mothers of England was particularly touching and was warmly appreciated.

NAZIS INDICTED IN URUGUAY

(Received September 23, 8.50 p.m.)

MONTEVIDEO, September 23. Eight Nazi leaders, including Arnulf Fuhrmann, charged with conspiring against Uruguay’s sovereignty, will be tried in the Supreme Court. The indictment of the Nazi Party includes an alleged military plan for the seizure of Uruguay as a German agricultural colony. The Attorney-General, Senor Luis Bouzas, made a charge of Nazi activities in Uruguay under the direction of Julio Dilldorf, Press attache to the German Legation, against whom action is impossible because of his diplomatic status.