Devotion to Duty

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 21, 6 December 1929, Page 8

Devotion to Duty

Heroic Wireless Operator HE4vy storms in the English Channel recently resulted in the total loss of the steamer Molesey, which was driven ashore and wrecked with the loss of eight lives. The survivors, who were rescued after a weary night spent on the wreck with heavy seas crashing over the vessel, told an epic story of the devotion to duty of Wireless Operator BH. King. At the height of the storm the ship’s steering gear failed, and King immediately commenced sending out signals of distress to any vessels which happened to be in the vicinity. No response was received, but the messages were picked up by stations all over England. Millions of listeners heard appeals broadcast from the London stations asking any ship in the vicinity of the Molesey to send, if possible, visual or radio signals to the disabled steamer, which was rapidly drifting towards the rocks. No assistance was forthcoming, and as the vessel struck mountainous seas swept her from bow to stern. Under the terrific impacts the wireless cabin rocked and started splitting. Undeterred, King stuck to his post and calmly continued sending out S.O.S. messages. The cabin, which was receiving a terrific battering from the huge seas, was fast breaking up. Suddenly the shore stations listening to the appeals were startled when the transmissions ceased in the middle of a message. The wireless cabin, with its heroic occupant, had been swept bodily overboard. . Towards dawn, a lifeboat which had been gallantly struggling with terrific seas throughout the night succeeded in > reaching the wreck and rescuing the survivors.