SWIMMING THE CHANNEL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 7

SWIMMING THE CHANNEL.

MDLLE. SION'S ATTEMPT,

A SPLENDID PERFORMANCE.

PARIS, August 5,

A Frenchwoman, Mdlle. Sion, entered the water at Cape Grisnez yesterday morning in an attempt to'swim'the English Channel.

She was compelled to abandon the attempt at 9.40 p.m. when she was only one mile and a-quarter from Dover owing to the effects of the coldness of the water.—(Reuter.)

A PLUCKY WOMAN

COLONEL FREYBERG. V.C,

" TINY " COMPELLED TO DESIST.

(Received 12.30 p.m.)

LONDON, August 5.

The Channel swimming season commenced sensationally. Madame Sion, after the pluckiest struggle and a display of wonderful endurance, was beaten by the coldness of the water. She was badly stung on the legs and arms in a shoal of jellyfish, which were of exceptional size, with Sin tentacles.

Madame several times cried out in alarm at" the jellyfish. Her chief food was chocolate and tea from a feeding bottle floating on a cork.,

She was most reluctant to leave the water, as she was not utterly exhausted, but yielded to her husband's persuasion. She recovered quickly, and intends to make a second attempt on Monday. Lilian Harrison and Gertrude Erderle are to make a joint attempt from the French side on Saturday. Colonel B. C. ("Tiny") Freyberg, V.C., D.5.0., was under the shadow of the cliffs when he. gave up. He seemed certain to succeed,' but finished _very exhausted, making no headway. He was unable to understand the directions from the boat. Colonel Freyberg was compelled to give up the English^short at Kfrigsdowh" at one o'clock' "afternoon. He was abreast of St. Margaret's Bay at 12.30. He was exhausted and unable to make headway, although sheltered by an accompanying tug. He once drifted back 30yds. The occupants of the motor boat cheered and shouted. "Not that way, old fellow!" but his condition was such that he did not appear to understand.—(A. and N.Z.)

Col. B. C. Freybergr. V.C., is the most famous X.Z. soldier. While studying as a dentist in Philadelphia a revolution broke out in Mexico, and this gave Oiim his first taste of soldiering. Tn the Great War he first joined the Naval Brigade, and performed ' a remarkable feat by swimming ashore in the Dardanelles. His career in France is like a romance. He became a brigadier-general before he was 28, and his deeds are famed throughout the world. He was wounded /nine times. After the war he became an officer in the Grenadier Guards.

The first person to swim the English Channel was Captain Matthew Webb, who crossed from Dover to Calais in 21 hours 45 minutes, on August 24 and 25, 1875. Thomas Burgess, a Yorkshireman, swam from the South Foreland to Le Chatelet, near Cape Grisnez, in 22 hours 35 minutes, on September 5 and 6, 1911, Several unsuccessful attempts by both men and women were made iii 1922. On August 6, 1923, Henry. Sullivan (U.S.A.) swam the Channel in 27 hours 25 minutes, and on August 11. 1923. E. Tiraboschi did it in 16 hours 23 minutes. C. Toth swam it September 8 in 16 hours 58 minute^.