LIGHT ON DECK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 145, 20 June 1940, Page 11

LIGHT ON DECK

LIFEBOAT PUTS BACK. RESCUE OF A FIREMAN ■ "The explosion occurred about 3.40 a.m. and the last lifeboat got away about. 4.15 a.m.," said Mr. B. Lament, of Sydney, a steward. "I was in the last boat to get away. We pulled away for about 150 yards, and then noticed a light flashing off the shelter deck. We immediately put back and took off a fireman named Murray, who had gone below to see if there was anyone left behind in the engine room, turn off the steam and shut the fires off. We took him off, made eure there was no one else aboard, and then went to wliere the captain's boat was. The captain's order was for all boats to keep together. This they did with every boat under sail. Passengers and erew alike were in good spirits and one crowd was singing "Roll Out the Barrel." It was fairly cold, but everyone behaved admirably. It was round about 7.50 a.m. when we saw the first "plane and this cheered everyone up immensely. It was not too long after that a power launch came up and told us to head for an island, where we would be picked up and taken in tow. We had provisions in our lifeboats and plenty of blankets, some of the boys even * gettin;- eiderdowns out of the cabins."