TORPEDOING OF THE SOUTHLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1915, Page 8

TORPEDOING OF THE SOUTHLAND.

THE CENSORSHIP AGAIN. AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received Nov. 12, 10.35 p.m. Sydney, Nov. 12. The following announcement lias been officially released to the press by the 3ome authorities: — ''On September 2nd, the transport Southland, from Alexandria, was torpedoed in the Aegean Sea and was beached at Mudros the same night, under her own steam. The troops aboard were transferred to other transports. There were some casualties, those reported being nine killed, two slightly wounded, and twenty-two missing, who are believed to be drowned. The Commonwealth Defence Department announces that the troops aboard included Australian units, and the casualties already published of these show that a colonel died from shock, nine other men were killed, and nineteen are missing.

SUNK IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. Further particulars of the sinking of the transport Southland, the flagship of the fleet of troopships which was em ployed to convey the 21st Headquarters Division of the Australian Infantry to Gallipoli, and on board of which were a number of New Zealanders, is described in a detailed account recently received from Brigade Sergeant-Major D. Ecktoff, of the New Zealand Howitzer Battery, sth Reinforcements. "I have had my first taste of war," he says, "and I can tell you I am no liar when I say I did not like it. We were .43 all told, amongst about 1600 Australians. On the third day out, when everybody was looking.forward to getting into the fighting line in a few hours, our bad luck commenced.

"Some now say that a suspicions looking trawler had been dogging us for two days, but this is certain—she made off when we got it. The 'it' wa9 a torpedo from a submarine at about 9.45 in the morning of September 2, when we were about two hours' sail from Lemnos. We were standing outside our cabin, after just having talked the matter over with our officer about our landing, and were going aft at ten to draw our rations for landing, when there was a bang, and someone shouted, 'She's got it,' Of course, yon know what would happen—a mad rush for boats and lifebelts. V 7 ours truly got his lifebelt, and forgot to tie it, so that it was useless to him. Luckily, we had had boat drill the day before, and knew where our boat was, but the crew who were to lower the boat got very excited. I will say this, though —they realised the danger more than we did, for after the first excitement passed over the troops did not seem to care a dump.

"The first four boats that were launched were capsized, including ours. They were lowering ours very slowly, when one end got blocked; consequently the other end paid out quickly, and, instead of holding on to the rope, the man let go, and there we were—43 of us—struggling in the water. I still think I am the luckiest beggar in the world, as I managed to get my feet clear at the time and went over backwards into the water, coming up alongside the transport. About five strokes brought me alongside another boat, which I got aboard.

"It was a case of everyone for himself, and chaos prevailed in the boat, crowded to the gunwale for a few minutes. However, we 'screwed our lids on' and decided to row for an island about ten miles distant—at any rate to get away from the ship in ease she went down suddenly. Well, to cut a rotten story short, the submarine fired another torpedo, which missed by yards, and our gun (a 4.7 naval) having had a shot at her. she eloped. The transport had a hole in her about 28ft. by Bft, and she was struck just a little too far forward to make a job of it. 'The captain and officers and engineers behaved as white men should, and never even deserted their posts, which, as it turned out, was the most sensible thing to do. After rowing about four miles from the ship, expecting each wave to swamp us, we sighted smoke from a dozen vessels which had answered the 5.0.5., and after four hours' exposure to a hot sun in a cramped and crowded boat we sighted a small oil pinnace belonging to a warship, chewing up miles of ocean in our rear. It was a great sight, I can tell you. We could have hugged that naval officer in charge. Coming up quickly, and unconcerned and cool as a cucumber, he said to us: 'Keep quiet, and I will tell you what to do.' And we did it. Result—he took us in tow and landed us on a warship. "Of course, we thought we were the sole survivors of the New Zealanders (there were eleven of us in my boat and 39 Australians) Later we were taken by a tug to our present address, and everything in the garden is lovely. On coming aboard, you may imagine my feelings on seeing twenty-five of our boys, in all sorts and conditions of clothing, bogging into hot tea, etc. "Next day our officer and three men came to light, leaving us only three short.

"I'm sure I am not meant to be drowned, and beyond a nasty gash behind the left ear, caused by a rope, I'm just as good as new. I just feel like Sunday morning after a good football game."