ON THE SEA.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 October 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

GERMAN TRANSPORT STRIKES A MINE. Received 8.50 a.m. STOCKHOLM, Oct 22. Tlie German transport Hapsburg, of 10,000 tons, struck a mine going to Riga from Danzig. A number of lifeboats capsized, and a hundred soldiers were drowned. The Hapsburg reached Danzig badly damaged.

THE ARCH PIRATE. VON TIBPITZ ARRAIGNED. {LONDON, October 21. Captain Persius, in an article in the “Berlin Tageblatt” violently attacks Admiral von Tirpitz, asserting that tho naval programme created the real ground for the Avar. The German battleships were always inferior to the British, and von Tirpitz frivolously assumed .fhc fearful responsibility of the submarine campaign. All attempts to hush up his guilt would fail miserably, and the public would eventually punish him.

SERGEANT S. FORSYTH, V.C.

HONOUR TO A DEAD NEW ZEALANDER.

Received 9.20 a.m.

LONDON, October 22.

The Victoria Cross has been awarded to Sergeant Samuel Forsyth, New Zea- j land Engineers, for conspicious bravery and devotion to duty. In an attack nearing its objective, Forsyth’s company came under heavy machine gun fire. Through his dashing leadership and total disregard of danger three machine-gun positions were rushed and the crews taken prisoners before they could inflict many casualties. During the subsequent advance Forsyth’s company came under heavy fire from several machine-guns, w T hereof he located two by a daring reconnaissance. In an endeavour to gain support from a tank Forsyth was wounded, but in the face of heavy fire he endeavoured to lead the tank to a favourable position The tank, however, was put out of action. Forsyth then organised the tank crew and several of his men into sections, and led them to a position where the machine gunners could be outflanked. Always under fire, he brought about the retirement of the machine guns, and enabled the British advance to continue. At this moment a sniper killed Forsyth. Throughout, his courage, coolness, and great power of initiative proved to be an invaluable incentive to all, and he saved many casualties.