THE CHARLESTON EVENING POST
Passenger Ship Survivors are landed at Charleston
CHARLESTON, S, C., MONDAY. APRIL 13, 1942.
Passenger Ship Survivors are landed at Charleston
CHARLESTON, S, C., MONDAY. APRIL 13, 1942.
British Vessel Is Torpedo Victim; American Warship Effects Rescue of All Aboard.
By E.M.Collison
Their ship torpedoed by an enemy submarine off the Atlantic coast, 290 survivors of the sinking of a medium-sized British passenger liner were brought to Charleston early Sunday afternoon aboard a United States warship.
Fortunately there was no loss of life among the 95 passengers and 195 officers and seamen of the ill-fated vessel.
News of the sinking and of the arrival of the survivors at Charleston was released today by the navy department.
Reporting that the only fatality was a tabby cat whose three kittens were saved, and that the only casualty was an accidental injury sustained by a passenger as he boarded a life boat, the passengers, after being debarked at the navy yard and being interviewed there by waiting newspapermen, were taken to the Francis Marion and Fort Sumter hotels for the night. The crewmen were accommodated at the navy yard. Arrangements are being made to assist them on their way to their homes.
Women and Children
Thirty-seven of the passengers were women and twenty-four were small children. The youngest was little Peter Wickett, six-months-old son of a British opera star who uses the stage name of Vera Wood. Bringing Peter with her, she was on her way back to England to sing for British service men. The oldest was Mrs. Charlotte Pugh, 86, of South Wales.
The passengers, who included the former acting governor of Hong Kong, N.L. Smith CMG, and Bertram J.R. Barton, a member of the state council of Johore, Malaysian sultanate, were enthusiastic in their praise of the United States navy for the dispatch shown in their rescue, and were also appreciative of the calmness and efficiency of their own skipper, Capt. J.A. Russell “from the north of Ireland” and his crew. Neither Smith nor Barton was at the far eastern points when the Japs invaded their former stations.
Drills Prove Value
The numerous drills through which passengers and crew had been put for such an eventuality, under orders of Captain Russell, stood them well when the actual ordeal of abandoning occurred, asserted members of the ship’s company.
The vessel, according to passengers and crewmen, was hit by three torpedoes, all on the starboard side. Two of them with devastating effect sealed her doom; the other – the second to be fired by the lurking sub – caromed off her steel plates to speed harmlessly by, a dud.
Torpedoed at about 4.30 o’clock Saturday afternoon the ship settled fast in the water but not before all passengers and crew were safely removed.
One of the passengers, Mrs. T.R. Powell, told of an act of heroism on the part of Quartermaster Gibson, who she said, would not leave the ship “until the captain left,” and made sure his skipper was going with him when he went over-side.
The abandoning of ship was carried out with calm efficiency, the only injury being sustained by Barton who accidentally fell on a lifeboat’s oarlock. All of the ship’s ten lifeboats were safely away when she sank.
Quick Work
The survivors were first spotted by a United States patrol plane and were later picked up by the American war vessel which brought them to port, the transfer being made about seventy-five minutes after the British merchantman was struck. This resulted in all of the survivors – including the four kittens – being taken aboard the American ship before nightfall.
“It was a good thing that we were picked up when we were for the wind blew in that night,” said one of the survivors.
He recounted that there was “a heavy ground swell” at the time of the sinking, and that also “there were some combers” but that the sea became worse after the actual rescue had been effected.
Mr. Smith, who retired as colonial secretary of Hong Kong before the Japs attacked Pearl Harbour, but who in that office had served frequently as acting governor of the British colony, spoke of the transfer from ship to smallboat, and thence to the American warship, as “orderly” in spite of the “biggish sort of ground swell.” His daughter, Miss Rachel Smith was with him for the adventure.
Rude Awakening
Mr. Barton in telling of the torpedoing said:
“I was sleeping on the deck and was awakened by the crash. I went immediately to my station. We got the women and children off first. There was not much excitement. Everyone was calm.”
Praising the efficiency of the United States navy, he declared that “it was the fastest thing I ever saw.” He revealed that he was torpedoed in World War 1 in which he had served with the British armed forces, and that for the past thirty years, excepting for the time he was in uniform, he had been in the far east.
The passengers and crewmen were also enthusiastic about Miss Katherine Lacey of Wallesey, England, who wears the British cross, who had been bombed once, and who has now experienced her second escape from torpedo escape at sea. She calmly helped passengers to leave the stricken ship.
Another veteran of sea disaster is Lester Pilbean, a member of the crew, who has now been in five sinkings by torpedo attack.
The submarine struck without warning, though one passenger recounted that he saw the periscope shortly before the first torpedo hit. The sub however did not shell either ship or lifeboats.
Several of the children were playing on the deck when the first torpedo struck. Crashing into the side of the ship with a devastating explosion, it sent a spray of splintered wood and glass about their heads. Fortunately none were hurt.
Other passengers included George H. Davies, London exporter, and John Ferguson McDonald, of the Australian Associated Press. The latter, also representing papers in New Zealand, upon the arrival of local newspapermen was particularly anxious as to how stories were to be filed that he might get off a story to “down under.”
The ship’s company was appreciative of the reception given them in Charleston. Debarking at the navy yard they were taken in charge by a trained naval group, H. de C. Harsten, British vice-consul, and Red Cross workers, who, despite short notice, managed to get together a real meal for the nearly three hundred survivors, and also a big supply of sandwiches, cakes and coffee.
By E.M.Collison
Their ship torpedoed by an enemy submarine off the Atlantic coast, 290 survivors of the sinking of a medium-sized British passenger liner were brought to Charleston early Sunday afternoon aboard a United States warship.
Fortunately there was no loss of life among the 95 passengers and 195 officers and seamen of the ill-fated vessel.
News of the sinking and of the arrival of the survivors at Charleston was released today by the navy department.
Reporting that the only fatality was a tabby cat whose three kittens were saved, and that the only casualty was an accidental injury sustained by a passenger as he boarded a life boat, the passengers, after being debarked at the navy yard and being interviewed there by waiting newspapermen, were taken to the Francis Marion and Fort Sumter hotels for the night. The crewmen were accommodated at the navy yard. Arrangements are being made to assist them on their way to their homes.
Women and Children
Thirty-seven of the passengers were women and twenty-four were small children. The youngest was little Peter Wickett, six-months-old son of a British opera star who uses the stage name of Vera Wood. Bringing Peter with her, she was on her way back to England to sing for British service men. The oldest was Mrs. Charlotte Pugh, 86, of South Wales.
The passengers, who included the former acting governor of Hong Kong, N.L. Smith CMG, and Bertram J.R. Barton, a member of the state council of Johore, Malaysian sultanate, were enthusiastic in their praise of the United States navy for the dispatch shown in their rescue, and were also appreciative of the calmness and efficiency of their own skipper, Capt. J.A. Russell “from the north of Ireland” and his crew. Neither Smith nor Barton was at the far eastern points when the Japs invaded their former stations.
Drills Prove Value
The numerous drills through which passengers and crew had been put for such an eventuality, under orders of Captain Russell, stood them well when the actual ordeal of abandoning occurred, asserted members of the ship’s company.
The vessel, according to passengers and crewmen, was hit by three torpedoes, all on the starboard side. Two of them with devastating effect sealed her doom; the other – the second to be fired by the lurking sub – caromed off her steel plates to speed harmlessly by, a dud.
Torpedoed at about 4.30 o’clock Saturday afternoon the ship settled fast in the water but not before all passengers and crew were safely removed.
One of the passengers, Mrs. T.R. Powell, told of an act of heroism on the part of Quartermaster Gibson, who she said, would not leave the ship “until the captain left,” and made sure his skipper was going with him when he went over-side.
The abandoning of ship was carried out with calm efficiency, the only injury being sustained by Barton who accidentally fell on a lifeboat’s oarlock. All of the ship’s ten lifeboats were safely away when she sank.
Quick Work
The survivors were first spotted by a United States patrol plane and were later picked up by the American war vessel which brought them to port, the transfer being made about seventy-five minutes after the British merchantman was struck. This resulted in all of the survivors – including the four kittens – being taken aboard the American ship before nightfall.
“It was a good thing that we were picked up when we were for the wind blew in that night,” said one of the survivors.
He recounted that there was “a heavy ground swell” at the time of the sinking, and that also “there were some combers” but that the sea became worse after the actual rescue had been effected.
Mr. Smith, who retired as colonial secretary of Hong Kong before the Japs attacked Pearl Harbour, but who in that office had served frequently as acting governor of the British colony, spoke of the transfer from ship to smallboat, and thence to the American warship, as “orderly” in spite of the “biggish sort of ground swell.” His daughter, Miss Rachel Smith was with him for the adventure.
Rude Awakening
Mr. Barton in telling of the torpedoing said:
“I was sleeping on the deck and was awakened by the crash. I went immediately to my station. We got the women and children off first. There was not much excitement. Everyone was calm.”
Praising the efficiency of the United States navy, he declared that “it was the fastest thing I ever saw.” He revealed that he was torpedoed in World War 1 in which he had served with the British armed forces, and that for the past thirty years, excepting for the time he was in uniform, he had been in the far east.
The passengers and crewmen were also enthusiastic about Miss Katherine Lacey of Wallesey, England, who wears the British cross, who had been bombed once, and who has now experienced her second escape from torpedo escape at sea. She calmly helped passengers to leave the stricken ship.
Another veteran of sea disaster is Lester Pilbean, a member of the crew, who has now been in five sinkings by torpedo attack.
The submarine struck without warning, though one passenger recounted that he saw the periscope shortly before the first torpedo hit. The sub however did not shell either ship or lifeboats.
Several of the children were playing on the deck when the first torpedo struck. Crashing into the side of the ship with a devastating explosion, it sent a spray of splintered wood and glass about their heads. Fortunately none were hurt.
Other passengers included George H. Davies, London exporter, and John Ferguson McDonald, of the Australian Associated Press. The latter, also representing papers in New Zealand, upon the arrival of local newspapermen was particularly anxious as to how stories were to be filed that he might get off a story to “down under.”
The ship’s company was appreciative of the reception given them in Charleston. Debarking at the navy yard they were taken in charge by a trained naval group, H. de C. Harsten, British vice-consul, and Red Cross workers, who, despite short notice, managed to get together a real meal for the nearly three hundred survivors, and also a big supply of sandwiches, cakes and coffee.