SAD CALM AFTER STORM

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 871, 15 January 1930, Page 9

SAD CALM AFTER STORM

SHIPPING SUNK WITH MANY LOST LIVES BRITAIN’S WORST GALE LONDON, Tuesday. At least 39 lives have been lost in the worst gale in Britain’s history. The worst disaster was the tug St. Genny, attached to the Atlantic Fleet, which was sunk about 32 northwest of Ushant, in the Bay of Biscay, with a loss of three officers and 20

The names of the three officers drowned are: Lieutenant C. F. Paul, Commissioued-Gunner P. Lean, and Mr. C. Burren, boatswain. Mrs. Paul, of Gillingham, widow of Lieutenant Paul, who was in command of the St. Genny, is left with four children. Sljo was too distressed by the calamity to be interviewed. A friend of Mrs. Paul’s said the Admiralty’s telegram announcing the disaster arrived as the family sat down to luncheon. Just previously Mrs. Paul had expressed anxiety about her husband being afloat in such weather. But for the presence of her friend she would have undoubtedly collapsed. The bereaved woman broke the news to her children, but only the two eldest seemed to understand. Lieutenant Paul was 47 years old. He was high-spirited and full of pranks. He joined the Navy in his boyhood, reached commissioned rank and served at the Dardanelles. Shipping battled with the greatest seas known for years. The Cardiff steamer Forester was driven on to the Portland breakwater and sank after having been blown right through the Atlantic Fleet, which was anchored in the harbour. The disabled vessel careered madly among the battleships, missing collisions with them by inches. The Weymouth lifeboatmen gallantly rescued the crew of the Forester.

The highest wind velocity in yesterday’s gale as officially reported was 102 miles an hour at Pendennis Castle, Falmouth. The coastguardsman at Beachy Head declares the velocity there w*as greater, but he had no gauge to measure it. Some trees were uproooted which had withstood tempests for more than two centuries. Twelve large elms were blown down in the long walk at Windsor. They were planted by Charles 11. A British official wireless message says the lost tug St. Genny belonged to Chatham. With the tug St. Cyrus and the sloop Snapdragon she had left Portland on Saturday for Gibraltar for service with the Atlantic fleet in the forthcoming manoeuvres. She was a vessel of only 425 tons and was used for towing targets at gunnery practice. The Atlantic fleet was to have sailed from Portland today, hut owing to the bad weather its departure has been delayed for 24 hours. Several of the ships lost their pinnaces and other boats in the gale.