GERMAN LINER SINKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1922, Page 10

GERMAN LINER SINKS.

PANIC AMONG PASSENGERS. PLUCK OF AN ENGLISHMAN. HIGH PRAISE BY GERMANS. The one' Englishman aboard the sinking German liner Hammonia, off Cape Finisterre, with its terrifying list and huge waves breaking over the decks, lived up to the proudest traditions of British sea heroism. He was Mr. W. H. Jubb, aged 32, of Parrock Street, Gravesend, where his wife and four children are living. He was bound for Mexico City. He, almost alone among the crowd of panic-stricken passengers, kept his head and helped to aid the bewildered women and children. He dived into the boijing sea to rescue a baby, made repeated dashe® below to bring clothing; held in check ugly rushes for the boats, and kept calm while others flung themselves overboard. “UNCLE BILLY’S PLUCK.” When the rescued, totalling 545 out of 575, were landed at Southampton from the Kinfauns Castle on September 12 Mr. Jubb was surrounded by German women passengers, who referred to him affectionately as “Uncle Billy.” “He helped us by being —what you call it?— British,” said one of them with tears in her eyes. “I do not know what we should have done without him. He is a real gentleman, and helped the women and children. When we were clinging to the rails of the Hammonia, the deck of which was at a very dangerous angle, it was he who helped us into the lifeboats.”

Mr. Jubb was nursing a golden-haired baby, who seemed very disinclined to leave him. hut he wa® induced to tell his experiences. “The day before the accident.” he said, ‘‘the weather was very had. The sea was running mountains high, and the Hammonia was tossing about, to such an extent that passengers in deck chairs were rolled right over.

“When the. S.O.S. signal® were sent out, many of the women were so alarmed that they made their way on deck with just the few clothes into which they were able to scramble'. I coaxed the poor souls to come on to the upper deck, where they would be in less danger of being precipitated into the water. The deck of the Hammonia was sloping terribly, the starboard rails being under water. One woman screamed ‘Save my boy,’ and I saved him and also prevented a young woman from falling overboard.

JUMPED OVERBOARD IN TERROR. “People were hanging three deep to the rails all along the port side of the ship. Many jumped overboard in sheer terror, including women with babies. One —a Spanish woman—tied four babies together in the hope that they would float and be saved, but I believe they were all four drowned. “A number of Spaniards were rushing about, weeping and wringing their hands. I went to help the officers to lower the boats, and, seeing the boats swung out, a few of the Spaniards made a rush for them. A German third officer—a fine fellow—shouted out, ‘Women and children first,’ a cry which was unheeded by the Spaniards, who had to be beaten back. “Boats were lowered to get away with women and children, but some were unfortunately smashed by the violence of the storm, and two others capsized as soon as they touched the water. When the Kinfaun® Castle came in sight I was so overjoyed that I started to sing ‘Tipperary.’ The crew of the Kinfauns Castle were simply magnificent, and there was not the slightest confusion aboard that ship. There were no lives lost after she arrived. I made sure I was going down, and I said to myself, ‘My God, I will be an Englishman.’ ” “There was a lot of comment on board the Kinfauns Castle,” said a member of the crew, “when we found that the first boat that we picked up was full of men, while we could still see. women and children on board the doomed ship. The first man up our ladder was a German fireman, and the speed with which he jumped in order to be the first to get to safety nearly caused others in a collapsible boat to be thrown out.”

“One collapsible boat,” said another member of the crew of the Kinfauns Castle, “came alongside practically full of water, with about 20 people in it, and little children practically up to the neck in water, clinging pitifully together.” Both the captain and passengers of the German liner, however, speak very highly of the conduct of the crew.