HEROISM & PANIC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 July 1940, Page 5

HEROISM & PANIC

SINKING OF ARANDORA STAR BRITONS GIVE THEIR LIVES FOR PRISONERS. BEHAVIOUR OF ALIENS CAUSES NEEDLESS LOSSES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, July 4. Struggling desperately on the sloping decks of the Arandora Star to control the screaming mob of Italians and Germans, 130 British soldiers gave their lives for the prisoners. Only 120 soldiers escaped. “If all aboard had been British, the loss of life would have been a mere fraction of what it was,” said a survivor. Captain Moulton, commander of the vessel, gave his lifejacket to an Italian. He dived into the water at the last minute -and was not seen again. Major Bethel, the military commander, handed his lifebelt to one of his men and continued to supervise the lowering of the boats till he went down with the ship. Similar heroism by the soldiers and sailors relieves the sordid tale of panic and savagery. Two wireless officers who were still at their posts when the decks were awash were drowned. A gunnel’ who survived stayed at his gun till it was practically submerged, hoping to get a shot at the U-boat, which did not come to the surface. The “Daily Herald” says tnere were 1640 internees aboard. Germans who proudly boasted of the torpedoing learnt only today that 968 of their own people were lost. Fifty-nine sailors were rescued from a complement of 110. The ship sank in 20 minutes. The torpedo struck her at 6 a.m. It ripped the ship open and she began to settle quickly. A terrific explosion started a stampede as the internees sprang from their beds and clashed for the lifeboats. “I LET THEM HAVE IT.” A soldier said: “The internees attempted to rush the boats. I took my stand at the top of the stairs. They came rushing up, some of them armed. I told them to lay clown their arms. They refused, so I let them have it. They stopped immediately and handed over their rifles. The same thing happened in other parts of the ship. Had we not taken a firm stand they would have swamped us.” One lifeboat threatened to become overcrowded before it was launched. A young B.E.F. sergeant fixed his bayonet and forced the crowd to form a queue. He stunned those refusing and had them carried to the lifeboat. He was marshalling the aliens when the ship went clown. The troops throughout the ship acted similarly, but the frenzied crowd outnumbered them, fighting to reach the boats and fighting in the water to clamber on to the overladen rafts. Others jumped from the decks to boats already launched and were killed. A soldier with a black eye said: “I climbed on to a raft, and an Italian joined me. He seemed to resent my presence and smacked me in the eye, so I hit him in the face very hard. Then wc kept off Italians who would have capsized the raft by pushing them off with a paddle. “We couldn't halt the internees’ mad rush.” said another soldier. "We had to shoot them and made the rest line up at the point of our rifles.” “Several of our lads were stunned by the explosion." another soldier said. “The aliens grabbed their rifles and attempted to rush us. Wc ordered them to drop their guns. A soldier fired, killing an Italian, and that stopped them.” Other soldiers in other parts of the ship were forced to shoot the frantic Italians. A sailor said they were eight hours on a raft before the arrival of a warship. Their legs were frozen and they could not climb the rope ladder. PLANE BRINGS HOPE. A steward said a reconnaissance plane brought the first hope of rescue when it dropped a note saying: “Keep your chins up. Help is coming soon.” It also dropped a tin with bread and biscuits. “The third officer and I, the only Britishers in our lifeboat, did not see any of that food,” he added. When they landed many of survivors were wearing only pyjamas oi’ singlets. They walked barefoot in the streets to canteens and hostels. An SOS went round the town and within a few minutes shopkeepers and housewives rushed to the docks with clothing and food, and lorries laden with suits, dressing-gowns, shorts, socks and shoes speeded to the hostels. The aliens were again interned. Sixty survivors were admitted to hospital. most of them slightly injured. The conduct of one German strikingly contrasted with that of his fellows. When a lifeboat overturned he took command of the situation, summoned assistance from those round him. succeeded in righting' the boat and started rescuing others from the water. The owners of the Arandora Star say a considerable proportion of the crew of 300 was saved. It is hoped that more survivors will be landed from other ships.