WIMMERA TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 July 1918, Page 5

WIMMERA TRAGEDY.

FURTHER DETAILS, SURVIVORS ARRIVE IN AUCKLAND. By Telegraph.—Press Association. j Auckland, June 29. The explosion wrecked the after part of the Wimmera, and the stewards had to escape through the little hatchway known as the "Glory Hole." Some of the passengers in the cabins aft, though blocked by wreckage, were able to get out uninjured. The saloon stairway was smashed and it is very likely that some of the passengers were pinned in their cabins by wreckage. One boat launched on the windward side of the Wimmera was stove in, and sank with three stewardesses and a number of women passengers. These are believed to have been drowned. The Wimmera survivors arrived here by the Clansman this morning and were accorded a hearty welcome by the authorities and the public. Every assistance possible was rendered them. All are well excepting a steward named Corner, who had his collar-bone broken by falling timber wlien the disaster occurred. One lady was limping owing to lier feet being cut by broken glass. They wore a great variety of clothing. Captain Fleming distributed orders for clothing on behalf of the Shipwreck Relief Society. The crew were looked after by the Seamen's Union and the Harbor Board, The survivors are enthusiastic in praise of their treatment by the Maoris after they landed, and loudly cheered Miss Kelman, a lady passenger, whom they call the New Zealand Grace Darling, because she assisted to row their boat from the wreck to Bowline Bay. The survivors state that Captain Kells displayed the utmost coolness and courage. One heard him say to the passengers in the boats: "Stand by; we will have you back to breakfast in the morning." Auckland, Later. A party of 30 landed at Mangonui in No. 1 lifeboat. They rowed till daybreak, sailed most of the next day, and finally landed after a 48-hours' trip. They lived on biscuits and water, but did not complain of hunger. The members of the party speak in lushest praise of Able Seaman Donaghy, who took complete charge of the boat. He is credited with bringing them safely ashore, though the sea was rather rough and tho position of the heavily loaded boat perilous. On landing they were welcomed by the Maoris, who took them to the Native settlement, and housed and cared for them to the utmost. SURVIVORS' NARRATIVE Si. HEROISM OP THE WOMEN. UNDER GREAT HARDSHIPS. Auckland, June 29. The calm courage and heroism of the women made a deep impression on Mr. D. Bradney, of Auckland, an officer on leave from the Union Steamship Co., who was on his way to Sydney. Mr. Bradney said that, aa far as lie could make out, the explosion occurred at 5.10 a.m. His bunk wa3 directly over the explosion. He had been wakeful, and was reaching into the top bunk for a blanket whan he heard the explosion and felt the shock. The ship seemed to stop dead, as later information showed she did. In the darkness he groped about for his gear, but failed to find it, and tarried on deck, passing along the alleyway to the saloon companionway, where he met several of the ladies coming out in perfect calmness. "They were bricks." He could talk for a month about them, so heroic were they, surpassing the men. He changed his mind at this stage and decided to return to his cabin to find an overcoat, but he was turned from this object through the fumes, which to suffocate him, He assisted in getting No. 5 lifeboat out, which was accomplished after great difficulty. A heavy sit a was running, and when the boat left the steamer's side with her complement of 25 the water was just beginning to lap tho main deck of the Wimmera, which was settling down heavily at the stern. They got safely away from the ship's side, and stood off about a quarter of a mile to be safe from suction. All the time the tide was taking them further away from the ship. At about 6.30 they saw her silhouetted against the moon. It was a beautiful sight, lying right down, the yellow funnel showing out against the moon. She seemed to right herself some few minutes later, and then took a heave by the stern and the bow Btood right on end out of the water, and went down in a shower of sparks, presumably from the fires. They hoisted their sail then, and, with a fair wind, headed towards Cape Maria. j WHEN DAY BROKE. i

It was about two hours later that day broke. They had women and children in the boat, all very scantily clothed, some of the children having practically nothing on them hut their Eight dresses, and seas were coming over them. They did what they could to make them comfortable. Shortly after he got into the boat he was practically overcome with the combined fumes he had encountered, also with cold and the movement of the boat. They eventually landed on Tom Bowline beach, about 12.30. They carried the women and children ashore, rigged a tent with sails, and gave them biscuits and water. Another boat came in two or t'liree hours later. Between that time and 5 p.m. there were four boats on the beach, the last arriving just about sunset. The second officer left for assistance, and a number of men went scouting. Afterwards two Maoris [ arrived on the scene and the party set (out for Munro's. Just as they got off the beach night fell, and they had to go up what was practically the face of a cliff, through brush and scrub, the children and women bein,? barefooted. (Here he interjected with a remark that the women and children were absolute heroes.) They eventually got them to the top of ] the cliff. Some of the men, he said, were worthy of the greatest praise for carrying the children. They lost their way on top of the hill, and as it was coming on to rain they built a fire and got the women and children into the scrub. About a quarter of an hour later they heard Maoris and Mr. Munro (constituting the search party) calling out. The party had red flares from tho ship, and these they burnt, while other* lower down the track did likewise, and

the party was located and thoy eft out 011 the walk to Munro's in single file. The women experienced great iardsliips all the way. SECOND STEWARD'S STOBY. The second steward, E. Curtis, had an extremely narrow escape, being imprisoned in his cabin, and 'he bears the marks of the injuries sustained. He says he was thrown to the floor of the cabin in the after part of the ship. He waft dazed by the first explosion, being brought to consciousness by feeling water flowing over his head. The second explosion occurred immediately, and he was precipitated into the adjoining cabin, the partition of which had evidently been smashed by the first explosion. The doors of the cabin were blocked, and he had to smash the skylight and scramble through. By this time the water was knee sleep and was pouring down the hatchway, but (he managed to reach the trap door leading to the saloon deck. In the struggle his pyjama suit was torn off, and he secured! trousers in the wireless operator's room. He reached the deck as the last boat left, but was taken aboard. When in the wireless room the operator was trying to send a message, but the steward said t'ho wires were down. He did not see the operator again, and thought Jie had stayed at his post and gone down. OTHER EXPERIENCES. The absence of excitement was the feature that impressed the fore-cabin steward, W. S. Smeed. He said that ten castaways were first seen by a Maori shepherd, who toot them to Munro's homestead. John McFarlane, AS., was on the lookout at the time of the explosion, which appeared to him to occur between No. 3 and No. 4 hatches. No 4 collapsed immediately, and the topmast stay was carried away at the moment when he was standing with a leg on either side of it, Directly afterwrds the wireless operator, A. vho is missing, ran out of his room' exclaiming, "The wireless is busted.", ,McFarlane was in the crew of the last boat to leave, and saw the captain busily superintending the placing of people on board. Immediately, after casting off, the donkeyman (I>. Baekstedt) was found afloat and taken on board.

t Captain ICell. chief officer Nichojl, and third officer Brooks, saya IfeFarlane, > acted like heroes in tlie final »cene, , thinking of nothing but duty and re* • sponsibility. Probably we were the last " to see them alive, and it was JCellj who ' urged me into, the boat. Previously I 1 had seen him directing passengers, to several boats. After he had done all ' possible on the starboard aide he came ■ across to the port side and helped us, 1 There can be no doubt at all that' he stood by the ship and went down with her. EFFECT OT EXHJOSION, The majority of the survivors agree that there were two distinct explosions, occurring between Nos. 3 and 4 hatches on the after-part of the engine room. Fortunately, no one was actually berthed over the spot. The explosion wrecked the social ball and staircase leading to it; the Bhaft tunnel was shattered and the shaft broken, letting the i water into the engine room and flooding . the dynamo, with tSe result that all the lights were extinguished. The Wimjnera remained on an even keel for ten minutes, and then heeled to port until her funnel was lying on the water. She then partly righted herself before sinking by the stern, twenty minutes after tha explosion. It is thought that the safety of the stewardesses was due to the fa«t that they were attending to the passengers at the time, otherwise the explosion, occurring near their room, would have prevented them going forward. The stewards, who were berthed further aft, were forced to climb out of the storeroom hatch to the deck. i GETTING TEE BOATS AWAY. The wind was blowing strong from the south-west, and there was a rough sea, with a heavy ground swell. The vessel was fairly steady while the boats were being launched, which accounts for their getting away without much damage. Of the eight boats carried, six were on the boat-deck, five of these getting clear of the ship, the other being smashed in swinging out and being swamped when the vessel heeled over her. It is fairly certain that the stewedesses were lost in thisjboat, as some survivors say that tjhey saw them in it. The fourth engineer was also engaged in swinging out this boat and was not again seen. Of the two smaller boats on the after-house, one, it is stated, was destroyed by the explosion, and the other was too small to be of much use. So far as can be gathered, no rafts were on board. SECQNID QWrfIERiS ACCOUNT. . Mr. Wilson, second officer (and the senior officer saved), states that he was asleep when the explosion occurred. Dressing hurriedly, he made for the boat-deck and took charge of No. 5 boat on the starboard side. After he got it swung out, he placed the women and children in it, taking all there were on the boat-declc. At that time the boat was lowered, with about thirty people" aboard., The boatswain, who remained to let go, at this point jumped into the sea, being picked up. Wilson's boat stood by until the pteamer sank and there was no hope of rescuing anyone. Sail was then set and a course steered for the North Cape. When near land, he saw the smooth beach of Tom Bowline Bay, and decided j to land, which was safely performed at midday. Number 6 boat arrived at one , o'clock, followed by others at 2.30 and 130. Everything for the comfort of the , women was done, and Wilson organised j parties to scour the district for assist- ) ance. With the seamen, he climbed a ( point overlooking the bay, in which two boats were anchored. As darkness was approaching, distress flares were obtained, and with these the attention o£ the Iboats was attracted, and two boats were sent on shore. Commander Kiely picked up Wilson .and his companions, s and sent a message to Wellington. On « the boat reaching Tew Bowline Bay, it £ was found that the other survivors had t left for Monro's, Wilson, Kiely, and t two of the boat's crew set out with c blankets, coats, tea, and other comforts J at midnight, and when halfway to the 1 homestead Wilson collapsed, and the 3 others proceeded without Jiirn. Ha steftt 4 on the ground till daylight, dad then * joined the others. I

toe mussing. ■ The following is a list of the" umanfag passengers:—TMegdames Jongs, SoWberg and infant, B&roett, Peter, MDonald and ohUd« jMite Joau, Mesm Qnbam

: and Peter; total, JO. Crew: . Kell, Officers Nieliol and Brookes, Engir neers Collier and Mowatt, .Wireless Officer Bomont, Stewards Verge, Greaves, • Woodard, Stewardesses Newton, M'Mil" lan, and Robertson, Seamen ilulvenna ' and Benson, Fireman Tildsley, Night" watchman Cross; total, H 5. Grand total i miesipg, 20. | DELAY IN PUBLISHING NEWS. i ;■ PRESS AGENT AT FAULT. ■ | Christchurch, last Night \ Asked if he could explain the reason ' why the Otago Daily Times had an opportunity to print the news of the leu , of the Wimmera in advance of the other . newspapers in the Dominion, Sir June? j Allen stated' that it was past midnight , on Wednesday last when he received the - , news in Dnnedin, and he handed it to . the Otago Daily Times and gave the | necessary authorisation for its publics * tion. Early on Thursday morning he • sent a telegram to the Naval Actvise? ; authorising him to release the newsApparently Sir James was under the impression that the news he hod handed to the Otago Daily Times would have been sent out as a Press Association message by the iDunedin agent. At any, ' rate, he saw no reason why the inform mation should have (been withheld. 1 ' « TWO KtBVMHJS WRECKS. " GREAT LOSS 01 ME. WAIRARAiPA and eletgamitk. The northern coast of New Zealand has been the scene of two previous serious shipping disasters, both attended with considerable loss of life, during the past quarter of a century. The Union Company's steamer iWaira-. rapa was wrecked on the Great Bonier . bland in October, 1994. The vessel, which left Sydney for Auckland on the evening of Wednesday, October 24, went ashore shortly after midnight on Sunday, October 28, and Captain Mlntosh ' and 128 of the passengers and crew lost tbeir lives. All went well- until Her arrival off Spirits Bay, close to the North Cape, when a heavy fog, continued all the way down the coast, came down. When the vessel struck on Miners' Point, the north-westernmost point of the.Great Barrier, the passengers were in bed. All were speedily aroused, and lifebelts were Served out to them. There ensued heartrending scenes. The greatest difficulty was experienced in launching the boats, but a considerable number , got aahore on the life-rafts. None of the survivors saved anything. They were on the rocks for over 30 hours, 'being then discovered by some Maoris, in boats, who took them off, and landed them at Catherine Bay. Later they were brought to Auckland on the Argyle, arriving in port early on the morning of November 1. Numbers of the dead were buried in the vicinity of .the wreck by a police party. Thesf graves have recently been put in order by the Government. A. prqposal .has Men made that a monument .should be erected on the spot The wreck of the steamer Elingamite, owned by the Huddart-Parker Company, took place at the Three Kings in a dense fog on the morning of Sunday, November 0, 1902. The vessel carried about 180 passengers and crew. The majority of those on board got into the boats and rafts, hut a few 'were drowned at tho wreck- On the day following the wreck, a boat, with 62 surveyors, reached Houhora, but it was Monday night before they reached a telegraph office, and on the neiwa being received, some six .vessels promptly went put to search for other survivors. A party of 78 were , picked up off the Middle King and a , party of 11 off the Great King on Tues- ' day afternoon, the former having reached land on the Sunday night, 'Bus accounted for. all the survivors except oat boat and one raft, and on the Thursday, afternoon HJHS. Penguin picked up the raft 60 miles from the scene of the • wreck. Tift raft had started from the wreck with 16 men and one woman on board, and in four days and some hours had drifted more than 60 miles in & north-easterly direction- The rait was without water, and the only provisions consisted of two apples. By the time ' the Penguin sighted the raft, the woman,' who was a stewardess on the steamer, and three of the men had died, while four other men, becoming demented, had . jumped overboard. The boat, which was ( < provisioned with some tins of biscuits, was never recovered. Altogether 45 lives were lost. * t