“EVANS OF BROKE”

Taranaki Daily News, 14 May 1921, Page 11

“EVANS OF BROKE”

FAMOUS EXPLORER’S HEROISM.

London, March 11

London to-day is stirred by the news from Hongkong of the gallant rescue work at a wreck which was done by H.M.S. Carlisle, commanded by Captain E. R. G. R. Evans, who is now usually popularly known as “Evans, of Broke” in memory of his Channel engagement with H. M. S. Swift, in 1917. when six German destroyers were defeated off Dover.

While on her voyage from Singapore to Amoy, with 1100 Chinese passengers, the Hongkong Company’s s.s. Hong Moh was wrecked on the White Rocks at Lamoch Island, on the southern coast of China, on 3rd March, and more than 800 are believed to have been drowned. H.M.S. Foxglove rescued 28 of the survivors. The British light cruiser Carlisle, which happened to be in the vicinity, immediately proceeded to the scene of the disaster and took off an additional' 220 of the survivors, including the ship’s officers, and proceeded with them’to Swatow. No one was on board when the warship left the scene of the disaster.

Sterling rescue work was performed by H.M.S. Carlisle, and the rescued men are wonder-stricken at the amazing heroism of Captain Evans, who labored unceasingly for six hours, and was personally instrumental in saving 100 of them from drowning. Captain Evans put oQ‘ from his vessel in a motor-boat, defying the raging seas, and when he found it impossible to get alongside the wrecked steamer, plunged into the water with a life line, on which many of the coolies were brought to safety. A little time afterwards his motorboat’s propeller fouled a piece of wreckage, and the small craft was at the mercy of the seas for many minutes. Jumping into the water again, Captain Evans freed the propeller from the obstruction, and the motor-boat continued its heroic work. Captain Evans himself dragged out of the water many of the Hong Moh’s passengers, who were in an exhausted condition.