THE MARQUETTE TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1915, Page 6

THE MARQUETTE TRAGEDY.

R'i'VIVING NURSES AT ALEXANDRIA. A resident of Dunedin has (say* the Ota;» Daily Times | received a letter referring in the following terms to the return to Alexandria of the New Zealand nurses who escaped death in the ■ destruction of the Marquette, on which was the New Zealand No. 1 Stationary Hospital: / "While at dinner wo heard the survivors of the wreck had returned, so I jumped into a gharri and drove down to see them. I knew so many of the' girl?, and had had absolutely no news I was so afraid Sister Georges would have gone down, knowing she was such a bad sailor. It was an awful feeling going into the hotel wondering whom of them all yon would find there. There were 13 Christehurch sisters'on board, all of whom I knew well. I feel very sad about Sister Lorn» Rattray; it will cause quite a'stir in Duncditi, I expect. One of the girls told me she was most horribly upset, aU being in the water for 1 "about eight hours, and Miss Rattery got terribly exhausted, and died of*heart failure. They had helped to hold her up for some time; it seems awful after battling for such a time. 'Sister Hildyard was in charge at Akaroa, do you remember? The other Christehurch sister was Sister Rogers, She left hospital some time ago .and was district nursing. All the girls had most pathetic tales to tell. Sister. Hildyard sang "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," and saying "Are We Downhearted?' in the hope of cheering the others up, but she was tipped out of her boat so many times that she got exhausted, and died of heart failure. Three destroyers—two French and one British picked thein up, and put them to bed, dried their clothes and gave them hot drinks and hot bricks, and were awfully good to them. I imagine their feelings when in the water to see six or seven transports pass them and not pick them up, but they are not allowed to stop for anything. "The wireless operator only had time' to give the S.O.S. signal; the ship was 1 gone in 10 minutes, and although they-ajl got lifebelts without any panic, the boatk seem to have been difficult to manage, they all either tipped np or got swamped. ; Sister Hodge's boat was tipped up while being lowered, and fell ever so many feet. She was on the starboard sfde, and the ship was sinking, nose first, with a great list to port. If it had been dark l don't suppose any of them would bin - been saved. They saw the periscope of the submarine in the water for some hours after. "Dr. Acland even lost his clothes ill the drying process, and landed in Salonika in a patient's royal blue sorgo* suit. He was most wonderfully good " to the girls. They were going to stay in Salonika, but decided there were not' enough of them well enough to can? on a hospital, and the matron (Miss Cam-' eron) is very ill; she was injured In the* chest. "I gave them a little monetary sistance, and was glad to be able ta>do it, as they hadn't a rag except wkat' they stood in. Over £IOO was collected ; among the sisterß, and the New Zealand ' Bank gave them £5 each, and I exptei* New Zealand will do something for tbwn, .< They were all in borrowed shoes of vvi'rj ous shapes and sizes, and no hats. I fcadd the Christohurch survivors to tea day, and they did seem to enjoy, it, tor) much. They liave the moat traffe tUM| to tell, and it must have heu t «*•*] awful experience. They were on to , 4*83 4s«a sfttf-twa Muiw> vl