NAZI ATROCITY AT SEA

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21225, 23 September 1940, Page 8

NAZI ATROCITY AT SEA

83 CHILDREN’S LIVES LOST LINER SUNK WITHOUT WARNING BEAR THEMSELVES BRAVELY LIFE-BOATS SWAMPED (United Press As^n.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 23, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 22 One of the war’s grimmest tragedies occurred when a large passenger liner taking children from Britain to Canada was torpedoed without warning in the Atlantic. High seas were raging when a torpedo from a Nazi U-boat holed the liner, causing it to sink in twenty minutes, with the loss of 83 of the 90 children who were being taken to safety. The children were aged from five to sixteen years. Altogether 291 lives of the total complement of 406 were lost and 113 survivors were picked up by a warship. The heavy se?,' running at the time caused many of the lifeboats to be swamped. The disaster took place 600 miles from the land, and rescue operations were made more difficult by the pitch darkness. Heavy rain and hail added to the general confusion that reigned just after the boat was struck. However, the children bore themselves bravely and obeyed instructions faithfully. Some had been killed by the explosion and two died just after reaching the rescue ship. , Only two of the nine prople in the official escorting party were rescued. It was the first disaster under the children’s evacuation scheme. Previous to the disaster nearly 3000 children had been taken to safety under the scheme. The children came from Middlesex, London and Liverpool. Every possible precaution had been taken before the voyage. Amongst those who perished was Colonel J. BaldwinWebb, M.P. for Wrekin.