NO CHANCE TO ABANDON SHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 2, 3 January 1941, Page 6

NO CHANCE TO ABANDON SHIP.

DASTARDLY ATTACK.

Dead And Injured Carried

In Blankets.

United Tress Association. —Copyright. (Reed. 3 p.m.) SYDNEY, this day. It is now revealed that the German raiders worked together. The Marus flew Japanese colours. The attack on the Kangitane made by the raiders stands out from the survivors' stories as one of the most ghastly incidents in sea war. Without giving any opportunity for the Kangitane to bo abandoned the raiders opened fire.

The Rangitune's quartermaster, L. Valerie, describing the shelling, said: "Stewards gathered the dead und injured up in blankets and carried them to the lifeboats. Two of the ship's stewardesses were killed and a third was wounded. Others helped the women and children and attended wounds.

"Two brothers named Stickfura who were employed in the enginerooni were seen assisting each other, though both were mortally wounded. They were assisted into a boat* whicfi was so riddled with shrapnel that it sank immediately. Two of their mates held them up until a German pinnace rescued them. They died together the same night." Women Herded Together. Describing the quarters allotted themselves and 13 other women, Misses M. Black and F. Mac Donald, both Hangitanc survivors, said the room was 12 by 10 feet. They were never'allowed on deck. At times they were awakened to be cross-examined. The food was very bad and there was no washing .vater. C. Henderson, another Rangitane survivor, said that in the forward hold of the Tokyo Maru about 130 men spent periods ranging up to three and a half weeks. During that, time a machine gun was always trained down the hatch. They lad only bamboo mats to sleep on. The food was abominable and the washing and sanitary arrangements disgusting.