'Fine type of sailor’

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33815, 11 April 1975, Page 8

'Fine type of sailor’

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P. J. TAYLOR)

Captain Henry Moar, who began his seafaring career from the Shetland Isles at the age of 12 and a half, was decorated by the United States Government for gallantry at sea while a teenage able seaman, and was harbourmaster at Greymouth for over 20 years, died on Tuesdav. lie was 83. During World War One he was torpedoed twice within a few months in the English : Channel, and was also on 'ships at the Gallipoli landing. After the war. he moved to New Zealand, sailing in the Inana on the Wellington-New Plymouth trade before joining the Union Company. He sailed on the inter-island passenger vessels. Wahine and Mataroa, and on the coastal traders, Opihi and Kakapo. in which he first saw Greymouth.

Appointed a signalman at the Greymouth signal station, he was promoted after 18 months to deputy harbourmaster. Twelve years later he was appointed to succeed

[Captain F. W. Cox as i harbourmaster. When he| I retired in 1957 he had had 133 years service with the! Greymouth Harbour Board. Captain Moar’s award for: i gallantry came when he was an able seaman on the British steamship Afghanistan when he was one of the volunteers: for life-saving duty on the ! ship’s boat sent to the relief of the American schooner: Jennie Thomas after its distress signals had been observed. This was November 16, 190$, and the Jennie Thomas, with a load of timber, was 31 days out from Savannah. Georgia, bound for Philadelphia. normally a voyage of about eight to 10 days. She had been blown off- , shore and so badly strained that, after making water steadily for some days, she became water-logged and unmanageable. The Jennie Thomas’s crew of seven was constantly at , the pumps in the effort to ' keep her afloat, and her hoist- ■ ; iing engine was disabled/ making it impossible to raise sail ; When sighted by the I Afghanistan, shs had drifted/

to a point 256 miles to the eastward of Sandy Hook and appeared to be in imminent danger of sinking. The ship's relief boat was lowered in heavy seas, and taken alongside the distressed ship. Because of the dangerous seas, the boat’s officer wanted to stand by until dayight. However, the captain of the Jennie Thomas reported that his crew was too exhausted for further pumping and the vessel was extremely unsafe. Operations were then starred to take off her crew. Two trips were needed to i land the company of the Jennie Thomas aboard the Afghanistan. Mr Moar. together with the other volunteers from the Afghanistan was later reported to the President of the United States (William H. Taft) for this meritorius service, and the United States Government designated them to receive its gold medal as the highest possible testimonial to their gallantry. The medal, inscribed with the record of Mr Moar’s heroism, was forwarded ro the British Government, and then to the port of he Havre,

lin France, where Mr Moar > was then serving in the i vessel Le Coq. The British Consul General at Le Havre, Harry L. Churchill, made the presenj tation at the consulate on June 15. 1910. to Seaman I Moar in the presence of Captain F. W. Peterson of the iLe. Coq, and British and United States Embassy ! officials. A contemporary report : said that the medal was : pinned on Seaman Moar by The American consul and i congratulations were given ‘ him by the assembled com(pa'ny. “Captain Peterson spoke in the highest terms of his lability, his clean record and his courage in the face of danger. Seaman Moar who is now only 21 years of age, is a fine type of the British sailor and undoubtedly has a future in the merchant service.” Capiain Moar, who had . continued to live in Grey- ; mouth after his retirement, was a keen member of the Greymouth R.S.A. Captain Moar, whose wife died several years ago. is i survived by a son and five daughters.