TERRIBLE ORDEAL

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21230, 28 September 1940, Page 10

TERRIBLE ORDEAL

SINKING OF LINER DAYS IN OPEN BOAT TORPEDOING OF CHILDREN (United Pres* Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 27 Their rations and water exhausted after eight days at sea in an open boat, 46 survivors of the City of Benares, including seven boys of the 96 children whom the liner was taking to Canada when a U-boat sank her 600 miles from land on September 10, were preparing to face death when the excited voice of a boy brought them hope of rescue. The lad’s sharp eyes had seen in the distant sky a tiny speck that turned into an aeroplane. It was a Sunderland flying-boat of the Coasta 1 . Command manned by Australians, just relieved from escorting a convoy of ships and on its way home. Miraculously, it sighted the boat and swooped low, dropping all the food the crew had with them and a note saying that help would be sent. It then returned to the convoy and asked the commander of the Royal Air Force flying-boat which had relieved it to make sure the survivors were rescued. Next Event in Drama The next event in the drama was the arrival of a British warship, which picked up the people from the boat. Only one, sailor, subsequently died. The survivors have now landed in Britain and all have been taken to hospital. They include a millionaire Polish shipping magnate, M. Bohdan Nagorski, a Roman Catholic priest, Father O’Sullivan, and Miss Mary Cornish, aged 21, of London. The last-named two were children’s escorts. The survivors agree that the boys owe their lives to Miss Cornish, who, crouched in the pitifully confined space, massaged limbs and improvised exercises to keep the children warm. She was the only woman on board. Miss Cornish spoke highly of the children, who never complained, even when they could not eat the dry biscuits because they were too thirsty.

“The main problem was to keep the boys’ circulation going in the bitter cold,” said Miss Cornish. “Our most popular pastime was planning the meals we would have after we were rescued. We lost all count of time after two days.” Like a Nightmare M. Nagorski said: “After two days we discovered a sail in a locker, and with this and with the aid of the oars we made good headway. Our officer decided to steer east in the hope of reaching the coast. The next two days were like a nightmare. Heavy seas broke over the boat time after time, and it took all our efforts to prevent the children from being washed overboard. “A ship was sighted on the sixth day. We signalled frantically, but she passed on without seeing the lifeboat. The children behaved magnificently.” Howard Clayton, aged 11, said: “We had a terrible time. The first night we saw others floating on rafts, and at daybreak we picked up a number until our boat was rather crowded. Miss Cornish took charge right away and dealt out food and water. We did not have breakfast on any day. The first meal was lunch, when we were given half a biscuit and sometimes a piece of sardine or a little meat. Once a day each of us received one-eighth of a peach and a little water. This had to do all the afternoon. We received another biscuit and water for tea. There was also condensed milk, bur, we did not take it because we discovered it made us terribly thirsty. “Miss Cornish was a wonder. She massaged our feet to prevent them being affected by the water and the cold. The crew of the warship gave us clothes and we had a great time coming home.”

Boy’s Thrilling Story Kenneth Sparks, aged 11, said rowing all night was worst of all. The boys took turns, and also took turns at resting under a sheet of canvas in the bow of the boat, where there was room for three. He added: “I was the first to see the Sunderland. Father O’Sullivan began praying that the aeroplane would see us and all the boys joined in. A seaman signalled and the aeroplane answered. Some of us began to cry. Eve.ryone was lifted aboard the warship. We could not walk, because we had not stood up since getting into .the lifeboat.” The fourth officer of the City oi Benares, Mr R. M. Cooper, who commanded the lifeboat, navigated it by means of a boat’s compass and the sun. He discovered when they were picked up that the boat had travelled 200 miles.