HEROES INDEED.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 278, 22 November 1915, Page 6

HEROES INDEED.

TRIBUTES TO AUSTRALIANS ON TORPEDOED SOUTHLAND. SYDNEY. November 21. The censor has released the following description by a subaltern of the attack on the transport -Southland. The meseaje was sent from London on November 13: — 1 "Suddenly, at ten in the morning, a eentry shouted, 'My God! a torpedo!' We watched the line of death getting nearer, until there was a crash and tho old ship reeled. Then the order was heard, 'The ship is sinking. Abandon the ship.' "Without a cry or a sign of fear, or more hurry than a brisk march, nnd singing 'Australia Will Be There,' the orders were carried out. I cannot cay how magnificent they were. The men went to their stations, lowered the boats in an orderly and careful manner, i and took their specified places, the injured men going first. "1 and another subaltern went round the ship, collecting the injured and opening the bare and smashing all thn spirits in case of panic. After a thorough senrch we returned and helped to lower the boats, and left with the last boat along with the general and his stafT. "Of the 1600 soldiers aboard, we lost only one officer and 38 men, whereof 12 were killed by an explosion. We lost Brigadier-Colonel Linton, a fine man. "I should like to write to every paper nnd say that never can men faced with ; death ' show greater courage, more nobility, and a braver front than the Australians and New Zcalanders aboard j the Southland." The officer likens them to the marines aboard the Birkenhcad, and adds: "We ] knew them to be brave in-a charge; now . we know they are heroes indeed. Long , live in honour and glory the men of the > Twenty-first and Twenty-third Australian Infantry." , An Australian soldier, describing the attack on the Southland, said that there were 2000 men aboard. She wait torpedoed just before the morning inspection. The men were already paraded on the decks, and they fell in. Tho companies nearest to the boats got away quickly and quietly, and the other companies waited quietly, four deep, with, their packs at their feet. There was no noise whatever. Some men began to take off their boots and coats, others emoked and joked. When the last boat was away, the captain thought be could beach the vessel, and called for volunteer stokers. Ten soldiers, including a lieutenant, returned, etripped except for their bre.cche3 and boote, and went 'below. They had to raise steam from 801b to 2001b pressure. -Tho transport Southland, 11,899 tons, carrying Australian and New Zealand troops, wae on her way from Alexandria to Anzac, when, about September 3, she was torpedoed. She did not sink, and reached port later under, her own steam.