STEWARDESSES' TALE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 145, 20 June 1940, Page 12

STEWARDESSES' TALE

CALM AND CHEERFUL. WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST. Cheerful and philosophical, in spite of their disastrous experience, the three stewardesses from the Xiayaia were scrambling into clothes, beggetl and borrowed, when they were interviewed this morning. They had all lost everything except the clothes they were wearing at the time of the explosion, ana they lad had to supplement them with garments lent by fellow-steward-esses on the rescco ships.

<t,. Tributes to the-.'.splendid behaviour of all on fobard were paid by'three women, aid they had nothing but praise for Captain Martin and the crew. "There was absolutely no panic. Everyone acted like a true Britisher, from the captain to the firemen's boots!" said Mrs. McMahon. "Captain Martin had drilled and trained everyone so thoroughly that they all knew exactly what to do, and ■where to go. As for ourselves, well, we knew our job was to look after the women and ehildrn, and we hadn't time to think of anythin" else." Mrs. King was fortunate in having ar overcoat, for at the last moment" s3ie had been told to go baek and get something warmer. "When wo struck the mine I jumped out of bed in my long -nightgown, nearly tripped over it'in mj haste, and rushed up to help the passengers into warm clothes and assemble! them on deck. Naturally we were j worried about the bituies and children, ; ?but they were really wonderful," she ea.id. "•.':" "It came quite, naturally as to what I we had to do," said Miss Herring, "just' as it would to any woman who had been trained for her work." . Not a few tears were shed ae they watched the ship going down for, to Mrs. McMahon and. Miss Herriug the Niagara had been "home" for 14 and 15 years respectively. "She sank so quietly, not even a bubble," they said. "However, in the boats, everyone sang eonge, and although it was bitterly cold the time passed quiclfly." None of the stewardesses had ever had a similar experience, but they expressed not the slightest fear of returning to sea. "We. are veteran sailors by now. It's all in the day's work," summed up their attitude.