BRAVERY AT SEA

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23248, 7 February 1941, Page 9

BRAVERY AT SEA

AWARDS TO MERCHANT MARINE BRITISH CREW’S STRUGGLE TO SAFETY (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) RUGBY, February 5. A stirring record of adventures on the high seas lies behind a series of awards announced to officers and men of the mercantile marine. The story of Captain Kippins, who has been appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire, and of Able Seaman Light, who receives the George Medal is typical, but no more courageous than the many other deeds which have been recorded.

Captain Kippins’s ship was torpedoed at night in the North Atlantic. With a strong gale blowing and a high confused sea it was hard work launching the boats and keeping them from being stove in. After making a thorough search to see that none was left behind, Captain Kippins took command of No. 2 boat with 26 men.

During the night two men were seen in the water and were only rescued with great difficulty. In the heavy seas, the boat was almost overturned. Four men were thrown overboard and were rescued, but the mast, sails and several oars were lost and the boat was filled to the thwarts. She was righted and two more men were picked up. The anchor was lost and all through the night the men had to work at thg oars. The next day, as the sea went down, the 'tired men made a sail from part of a boat cover and hoisted it, using a boat hook as a mast. Several ships were sighted as the boat sailed east, but they failed to see the signals. For 14 days after that,.often in heavy seas, exhausted and running short of water, the boat’s crew sailed and rowed, in spite of weakness, cold and hardship. At last, a merchant vessel was sighted and the boat’s crew were rescued Throughout this heroic voyage Captain Kippins never faltered. His inspiring leadership heartened his men and brought them to safety after facing for many days what seemed to be certain death. Derelict Taken in Tow Another boat, of which Able Seaman Light had taken charge, also got away from the ship. Some vessels were sighted, but they failed to see the lowlying boat. The weather became worse and they had to shorten sail. Heavy rain squalls caused the exhausted crew great hardships. Able Seaman Light kept his men in heart and they sailed on until a lifeboat was sighted with no oars, sails, or any sign of life except a canvas tent amidships. This boat was found to have 16 men from a torpedoed merchant ship on board. Able Seamen Light towed the derelict boat, in spite of rising seas ond wind, which made continuous baling necessary, They sighted an unknown rocky shore and decided to stand off until daylight, but the boats were driven out to sea again and they saw no more of that coast. In a dead calm, the men rowed all day till they were worn out. In the towed boat, the men were giving up and Able Seaman Light went over into it and himself massaged two men and gave them his stockings and dressed their wounds. Later, in his own boat again, he massaged the deck boy. who was in agony, arid bound his feet with strips of blankets. . After 10 terrible days of privation, exhausted and in danger, they sighted a British ship. She answered a flare from the boat and came to the rescue. Able Seaman Light’s courage, leadership, self-sacrifice, and stout thus saved not only his own crew, hut 16 men whose boat he had towed.

Wrecked Aeroplane Found.—A message from Camp Borden states that the Roval Canadian Air Force has discovered a wrecked aeroplane in ice on the Nottawasga river, Ontario. It is believed to be the missing machine piloted by Aircraftsmen C. M. Ross from Melbourne, and C. T. Arthur, of Mount Gambler, South Australia. Both were doing blind-flying tests when they disappeared on Tuesday night. Montreal, February 6.