AN EPIC OF THE ARCTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 400, 14 July 1928, Page 9

AN EPIC OF THE ARCTIC

ITALIA’S CASTAWAYS RESCUED HEROIC DEATH OF SCIENTIST ZORA AND CECCIONI SAVED WITH OTHERS TWO names of heroes must stand alone in the annals of Polar exploration—the names of Captain Oates, an Englishman, and Professor Malmgren, a Swede. Oates, one of Captain Scott’s men, walked out to a blizzard and his doom rather than be a burden to his companions ; Malmgren, his legs frozen, sank to the ice, made his companions go on without him, and died in that lonely waste. The story of the Krassin’s rescue of the castaways is a thrilling one. (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (United Service)

Reed. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Friday. The Russian ice-breaker Krassin, in addition to picking up Commander Viglieri’s party of Italia survivors, rescued Captain Gora and his sledgedriver, Vandongen. Commandant Maddalena had failed to find Captain Sora, who set out in search of Professor Malmgren’s trekking party. Maddalena saw Sora’s trail, and was convinced he had fallen a victim to polar bears. A Moscow message says that all of Commander VigliePi’s party are well, except one member, who has a broken leg. They were on the ice-floe where they have been marooned since the disaster to the Italia on May 24, The Krassin is going on to search for the seven members of the Italia’s crew who were carried away in the envelope of the dirigible, also for Captain Amundsen and Major Guilbaud. Captain Ravozzoni conducted a fruitless six-hours’ search for the latter yesterday from Tromso on board a Marina seaplane. The sealer Braganza is setting out to the rescue of the aviator Chuknovsky. The health of General Nobile is improving. His terrier Titina, who is his inseparable companion and was saved, with him, is now in excellent spirits. Dispatches from Rome state that on Thursday night Commander Viglieri and his companions were rescued and taken on hoard the Krassin. The wording of the message recording this fact—a wireless telegram from the Italia’s supply ship, the Citta di' Milano, was ominous. It suggested that a further casualty or casualties had occurred. Later reports from Moscow state that when the Krassin yesterday af ternoon was three miles from Commander Viglieri’s party, passing the scene of the disaster to the Italia, several men were noticed giving signals. A reply was sent from the ice-breaker that she would pick them up on her return journey. Professor Samoiloviteh, who is in charge of the Krassin relief expedition, says he believes the signallers are the Alpine Chasseurs' who were sent to search for General Nobile and his companions. Commandants Mariano and Zappi are now reported to be ill. A NOBLE SACRIFICE THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE MALMGREN’S HEROISM (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (United Service) LONDON, Friday. The rescues carried out by the expedition on the Krassin add another thrilling chapter to this tragic Arctic story. All the Italia’s crew are now accounted for except those who were carried away in the envelope of the dirigible. It is feared that these have perished through the airship burning. The wording of the message from the Krassin is regarded as confirming the death of Signor Ceccioni, one of the Italia’s engineers. The late professor Malmgren performed the greatest act of heroism and self-sacriiice in the Polar regions sin<se Captain Oates walked into the blizzard to die. That is the verdict of the London newspapers. Weakened as a result of a broken hand when the Italia crashed, the professor grew more feeble until there came a morning when he found that both his legs were frozen. Commandants Mariano and Zappi would have remained with him, but Professor Malmgren implored them to leave him. Reluctantly, they consented. The professor was left in the bitter loneliness of the Arctic, near Brocli Island, to face the fate he had chosen in order that his friends’ chance of safety might be greater. Oates and

Malmgren both sacrificed their lives for their comrades and faced death rather than be a burden. Commandants Mariano and Zappi clambered on to an iceberg which drifted with the wind. They remained there until they were rescued. They say that during their long ordeal they saw no fewer than eight airplanes. They nearly went mad because none of the airmen noticed them. A RUSSIAN HERO Another hero is the Russian aviator, Chuknovsky. He sent a wireless message to the Krassin after his forced landing saying: “Never mind me. Save my four companions.” He added that Tie had rigged up his wireless set and had found food cachets. Babushkin, the Russian airman from the second Russian ice-breaker, the Malygin, is repairing his airplane skis with a view to making an early attempt to rescue Chuknovsky and his companions.