STORY OF ATTACK

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21208, 3 September 1940, Page 5

STORY OF ATTACK

BRAVERY OF CHILDREN “ROLL OUT THE BARREL” STATEMENT BY GERMANY (United Press Assn.— mec. Tel. Copyrlg-nt) LONDON. Sept. 2 Mr C. H. Hindley, chief escort of the children, described the torpedoing. “The liner shuddered violently,” he said. “We soon had four lifeboats away. As there was no sign of the ship sinking it was thought wiser to recall them, but it was too dark to signal. We noticed then that the bulkhead of No. 3 hold had burst and the hold began to fill with water. Therefore we decided to abandon ship and leave behind a skeleton crew. Altogether 24 lifeboats were lowered, and a motor lifeboat ferried the others to the rescue ships.” The chairman of the Oyerseas Reception Board. Mr Geoffrey Shakespeare, spent the whole of Sunday with the children. In a message to the board he said the children came ashore from the rescue ships singing popular songs, the most popular being “Roll Out the Barrel.” Sailors and others who had looked after them were enthusiastic about their behaviour, and reported that they bore themselves like Guardsman on parade. All the children, added Mr Shakespeare, were in high spirits and were inclined to be proud of the thrilling adventure they had had. The desire that this interruption should not be llow d to rob them of their trip overseas was general. A company of youngsters from Newcastle was particularly worried lest what had happened should prevent them from again starting off on the trip to a new home overseas, and their ferventlyexpressed desire was that their par- ! ents should not worry, but should permit them to make another voyI age. Could Not Differentiate A message from Berlin says it | is authoritatively stated that I Germany is not aware of the torI pedoing of the evacuee ship, but | if it is true, Germany is not responsible, because after declaring a total blockade against Britain she could not differentiate in the treatment of ships.