VESSEL WITH CHILDREN

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1940, Page 7

VESSEL WITH CHILDREN

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

NAZI BARBARITY SHOWN

Received 10 p.m. London, beptember Zd. A S a result of one of the most appalling sea tragedies sinee the outbreak of the war 83 British children who were on their way to new homes found a grave in the storm-swept Atlantic when a German torpedo struck the ship on a wild, stormy night. This heart-rending tragedy was revealed by the arrival of survivors at a northern port. The attack occurred about 10.30 p.m., when most of the . children were in bed. The torpedo struck the ship in the part allotted to them, killing many outright. The remainder were bundled to the deck, scantily clothed for an ordeal of many hours on rafts and lifeboats, some of which were waterlogged with the high seas raging. Many, separated from their parents and escorts, slipped to death from the arms of strangers who vainly sought to shield them from the storm. Only seven of 90 children survived the ordeal. The ship carried besides the children 101 passengers and a crew of 209, of whom 294 perished. The last woman to leave the sinking ship actually stepped off the deck into the sea, where fellow passengers helped her to a raft.

'All the survivors paid a tribute to the navy. "When we were taken on board they took tff our shoes and gave us their own warm socks," one said. "We were given a hot bath, brandy and sailors' clothes, while ours were dried." A little boy whose heroism was praised by all in the boat from which he was rescued was Colin Richardson, from Monmouthshire, whose cheery voice was always audible above the moaning of those suffering from exposure. A passenger said the boy had to watch women and babies die and was obliged to drop the bodies overboard. He stood with water to his waist and did not once complain. Roderick Maher, of (Dublin, said he was on an upturned boat at 10.30 p.m. till he was picked up about 4.30 p.m. the next day. Many Die in Boats. A Londoner, Mr. W. B. Forsyth, referring to the deaths; in his boat, said: "I did my utmost as each body dropped overboard to give a Christian burial by conducting a short ,committal service over the water." The lifeboat, in which 32 occupants left the ship, had only eight alive when picked up. Another had only 14 survivors out of So. The torpedoing occurred on September 17, and the ship sank in 20 minutes. A warship rescued 113 survivors, among whom was Professor J. P. Day, of McGill University, Toronto, who was unconscious when picked up. The captain, a doctor and a nurse were lost, and seven of the nine people who were in charge of the children were drowned. Included in the missing is Colonel J. Baldwin-Webb, Conservative member of the House of Commons. Colonel Webb, who was going to Canada in connection with Red Cross ambulance services, went down with the ship.

The commander of the ship was last seen on the bridge shouting to everybody to take to the lifeboats. He also went down with the ship. The child victims on the ship in several cases represented entire families. All came from England and Wales. The survivors included a New Zealander. Mrs. Lillian Rose Towns, who was an official escort. She was a schoolmistress in New Zealand, where she married Mr. F. G. Towns, of Clapham, an optician who came to England three years ago. They . had arranged to transfer their daughter to New Zealand. Some 2714 children have so far been iaken safely overseas.