H.M.S. PURIRI SUNK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 May 1941, Page 5

H.M.S. PURIRI SUNK

WHILE SWEEPING MINES IN HAURAKI GULL' I OFFICER & FOUR MEN LOST THREE OTHERS INJURED. | REMAINDER OF CREW SAFE. One officer - and four men lost their lives when a minesweeper, engaged yesterday in minesweeping operations in lhe Hauraki Gulf, struck a mine and sank. Three ot hers were injured. The remaining members of I lie crew, comprising five officers and 19 men. were saved and were uninjured. The following statement was issued by the Acting Prime Minister. Mr Nash: "The Government deeply regrets to announce lhe loss of’ H.M.S. Puriri. H.M.S. Puriri was commissioned as a minesweeper in the 25th (New Zealand) Minesweeping Flotilla as recently as April 19 last. She was engaged in mine-clearance operations in the Hauraki Gulf, when unfortunately—at about 11 a.m. today (Wednesday. May 14) she struck a mine and . sank immediately. •■The Government deeply regrets that one officer and four men are missing and must be presumed to have lost their lives. Two men are injured and one bruised, and were brought into harbour in charge of a medical officer. The two injured are now in hospital. The remaining five officers and 19 men have been saved and arcuninjured. ■'The Government is sure that the whole population of the Dominion will join with it in expressing their deep

sympathy with the relatives of the; lost officer and mon in this, the first casualty to a New Zealand warship The relatives will, however, derive comfort from the fact that these men lost their lives in the performance of their important and dangerous duty." The following is the list of casualties: — ' Missing and Presumed Dead. William Douglas Blacklaws, Lieutenant, R.N.R. (N.Z.). Next of kin, Mrs Ruth Aline Blacklaws. 35 Argyle Street. Herne Bay. Auckland (wife). Leon Purkin, Able Seaman. Next of kin. Mrs Mary Marioty, Te Hoe. Putaruru (mother). John Richardson, Steward. George Edward Roy Hobley, Steward. Next of kin, Mrs Dorothy Hobley, 55 Grippiehurst Road. Sandringham. Auckland (wife). Barndt August Matson, Stoker Potty Officer. Next of kin. Mr Benjamin Matson. Whenupai. Auckland (father). Injured. Norman Bernard Dunning. Able Seaman. R.N.V.R. Next of kin. Mrs Arabella A. Dunning, 4 Konini Road. Hataitai, Wellington (mother). Duncan Rex Stewart, Able Seaman. Next-of-kin: Mrs Beatrice Stewart. 247 Haven Road, Nelson (mother). Harold Martin West, Able Seaman. Next-of-kin: Mr Noel Hartley West, 11 Fitzroy Road. Napier (-father). Dunning is suffering from bruises and has left for his homo. Stewart is injured and in hospital. West is seriously injured and in hospital. The survivors wore taken to Auckland by the coastal steamship Gael, which was met on arrival by an ambulance. Of the two injured men sent to hospital, one was deeply unconscious and the other, though obviously in pain, was joking with the ambulance men. Lieutenant Blacklaws had been given command of the Puriri for this one sweep, the regular commanding officer being ashore on sick leave. Lieutenant Blacklaws was formerly an officer in the service of the Union Steam Ship Company of N.Z.. Ltd. H.M.S. Puriri was built as a- cargo motor-ship by Henry Robb. Ltd., at Leith, for the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Co., Ltd., of Nelson. She was launched on October 25. 1933. and ar- ! rived in New Zealand early in 1939. i She was taken over by the Navy Department last year, and fitted out in Auckland for minesweeping duties. ’ She was a vessel of 927 tons gross ' register, 188 feet in length by 35 feet - in width, and was designed to carry 1 800 tons deadweight on a mean draught ■ of 11 feet 6 inches.