BRITISH EVACUEE SHIP TORPEDOED
AMAZING COURAGE-NO WHIMPERING HEARD OVER 60 SURVIVORS LANDED IN SCOTLAND (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 2, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 1 A British evacuee ship carrying children and other passengers to Canada was torpedoed by a U-boat. The children, who were aged five to 15 years, gave an amazing demonstration of courage and sangfroid. There was no crying or whimpering. One eight-year-old child declared: “We don’t want Hitler to think that he can beat us that easy.” The children went to bed at 7.30 p.m. on August 27. Within 3£ minutes of the ringing of the alarm-bell after the ship was struck by a torpedo every child was at the boat station wearing a life-jacket and an overcoat. The boat drill they had received and their coolness enabled them to carry out orders in the darkness.
It was found that the holds were filling, so the children were ordered to the boats. EvtAyone got away safely except the purser, who was injured fatally when he missed his step entering a boat.
Most of the children landed clad only in pyjamas and overcoats. Although full details of the mishap are not yet available it is known that the ship was not sunk. Over 70 children were landed at a Scottish port.
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Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21207, 2 September 1940, Page 8
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216BRITISH EVACUEE SHIP TORPEDOED Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21207, 2 September 1940, Page 8
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