FREYBERG'S CHANNEL SWIM.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 218, 15 September 1925, Page 8

FREYBERG'S CHANNEL SWIM.

* .... i—:— GALLANT ATTEMPT FAILS. THRILLING LAST STAGE, Without preliminary booming or any training in the limelight of publicity, Lieut.-Colonel Freyberg, V.C., entered the water at Cape Griznez at 8.20 on the night of August 4, to swim the Channel. He battled bravely for IGJ hours, and was beaten when only a quarter of a mile from the Kent coast at Kingsdown (between the South Foreland and Deal). Colonel Freyberg, Y,C„'has added a new epic to the glorious tales of the sea. For nearly eight miles—from the Shakespeare Cliff at Dover round the coast to St. Margaret's Bay—and for nearly two hours he was within two miles of the coast. He was exhausted, but he swam on gallantly. He got within a mile of land at the South Foreland, but the tide was too strong for him. The Admiralty tug Langdon, which had accompanied him from France, shielded him as much as possible from, the strong tide along the coast, but even in the shelter of the tug he could make no headway when he had reached St. Margaret's." At one period (about 12,30 p.m.) he drifted back 30 yards, and he did not seem to know where he was. People in a motor boat shouted, "Not that way, old fellow," but he did not seem to understand. They called again, encpuragipg him with their remarks, and he took the right direction again. But not for long. At 1.5 he gave up. He was then only a quarter of a mile from the Royal Marine shooting range at Kingsdown. It was pathetic to see him, taken from the water on to thp tug. He was beaten, but he. had failed gloriously.