LOSS OF THE LAURENTIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1917, Page 6

LOSS OF THE LAURENTIC.

MANY FROZEN IN OPEN BOATS.

TWO NEW ZEALANDERS KILLED.

London, Feb. 13. The White Star Liner,' Laurentic", taken over by the Admirality as an auxiliary ship, left port early in the evening of January 25. Within an hour of her departure she struck two mines, s.nd became a hopeless wreck. The crew numbered 475, and, with the exception of one or two men who may have been killed in the explosion, all took safely to tile boats. The terrible tragedy occurs red at this point. So intensely cold 1 was the night that when the boats were picked up no fewer than 349 men were found frozen to death.

Captain. R. A. Norton., who was in command, told the Coroner at the inquest on the victims that the ship was steaming full speed ahead, and no lights were showing. Then came the explos-, ions, first abreast of the foremast on the port side, pnd the second abreast of the engine-room on the port side. "I tried to send a wireless call for help," he said, "but found, the second explosion had stopped the dynamo. All the men got away safely iii the boats. Tlie best of order prevailed after the explosion. Officers and men lived up to the best traditions of the Navy. About forty minutes after the explosion, before leaving the ship, I went round the vessel below, with Mr. Porter, the chief steward, who had an electric torch, and satisfied myself that there were no more men in the ship.'' The chief naval officer of the district said that one boat picked up the afternoon following ■ the disaster contained I' 7 frozen bodies. Another boat contained five survivors out )f twenty, the remainder being frozen. The jury returned a verdict of death from shock and exposure. Tehre were at least three New eZalanders on board, of whom two lost their lives. Engineer-Sub-Lieutcnant 11, C. Hurley, Nelson,, is in London, but Engineer-Lieutenant-Commander George R. Rutledgc, R.N.R., and Sub-Lieuten-ant Laurence W, BeJI, R.N.R., were lost. An ex-student of the' School of Engineering, Canterbury .College, Commander Rutledgc was a son of Mr. C. Rutledgc, of St. Albans, .Christclmrch. He had bceii an engineer on board the lonic and the Cedric, and, when war was declared he was transferred to a warship as ention oamt/lasi October. Lieutenent Bell joined the," New Zealand Expeditionary Force in tjie early days 6f the war,'and served iivjthe Field Ambulance as a private gi anted Iffl disehaige, in ordei to take a commi4jon in the Roval JSa,val Re