LINER’S ERRAND OF MERCY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 98, 20 January 1936, Page 10

LINER’S ERRAND OF MERCY

Sick Call Answered

MQNOWAI’S DASH TO LORD HOWE ISLAND Heavy Seas Hamper Boats’ Crews PATIENT HOISTED ABOARD BY SHIP'S WINCH By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, January 19. In a special wireless message to the New Zealand Press Association, Mr. Eric Baumc, a passenger aboard the Mouowai, says: “Shortly before midnight ou Saturday Mrs.’ W. S. Nicholls, in a. semiconscious cnudilion, was hoisted aboard the Monowai, which was lying a quarter of a mile oft Lord Howe Island, iu the North Tasman Sea. The mate of the Monowai, Mr. Ramsay, aud the sick woman’s husband held her in an armchair on a quickly rigged flooring, and they were raised to the upper deck as the steamer dipped aud raised to an enormous ground swell. Six hours after having reached Lord Howe Island the Mouowai took up her running to Auckland, where she will arrive on Tuesday morning.” The deviation of I.lie Monowai ou an errand of mercy is one of the stories of sea courage which will remain in Tasman history. “Faced with heavy seas, the. islanders came to tbc Mouowai in open boats with auxiliary engines, so that one of Hie community might, have a chance for life.

“Iu spite of a long agitation the New South Wales Government had refused to appoint a doctor for the island. Radio told tbc story to all ships and to the Government of Mrs. Nicholls’s plight, and the Monowai. as she carried 382 passengers, Royal Mail and 2500 tons of cargo, and was laden to her Plimsoll, averaged IS knots as she plunged into the deviation of -too miles in heavy seas. Call Answered. “Captain Davey received the call for help on Friday night. By 7.30 p.m. on Saturday the Mouowai was rolling in tfie big seas off Lord Howe Island. Captain Davey, without any charts and without fuss, achieved something iu Tasman seamanship. Lord Howe Island has its shoals and its reefs and its submerged rocks. Captain Davey’s first requests by radio to the Island station, at which the operators, Messrs Stan Fenton and John Olle, b.ad beeu on duty for 48 hours without rest, was for the patient’s condition. The ship’s operator, Mr. Lionel Jones, of Sydney, also without rest from 8 p.m. ou Friday, received details of the more obvious shoals, and Captain Davey then awaited the islanders’ arrival in open boats.

“Lord Howe Island consists of precipitous cliffs, 2800 feet high. There is a 100 yards break iu the coral reef on which the surf breaks incessantly, allowing the islanders’ boats to enter a long lagoon. Two lead-lights usually guide boats at night, but the seas were so heavy that only one was in operation on Saturday. Captain Davey came to au anchorage hall’ a mile off. The leadsmen were in chains, and the crew at their stations.

“On board a special operating table had been made from a big piece of kauri. This liacl been fitted with detachable supports, which could be clamped into place constructed by the ship’s carpenter. An electrician had then constructed, al. the captain's orders, a special electric battery lighting system, which could be taken ashore and fitted at the sick woman’s home should an immediate operation be necessary. All the operating gear was prepared by the ship's surgeon, Dr. Walker, and Dr. Butterfield, a young Hawke’s Bay doctor, who is a passenger, and Nurse Anderson, who has had experience in the Gulf of Carpentaria, offered their services, though warned of the danger of the heavy seas. The shore party was in charge of the mate, Mr. Ramsay, and Included myself. On the lower deck an emergency door was opened, and the lights of a boat were seen occasionally on the top of a great wave. “The Lord Howe islanders are great fishermen, and all their expert boatmen combined to make a dash through the seas. The leading launch was first out. but it broke down and tossed dangerously near the submerged rocks in the darkness. A rowboat took up the running and managed to reach the Monowai, but it could not be made fast owing to big seas. Then the brokendown launch appeared from the gloom, its engines humming again. The operating gear was lowered to the rowboat, and the rest of us, taking a chance with the rollers, jumped into the open launch towing the row-boat. The passengers cheered Nurse Anderson and the two doctors as they took their places. An Hour's Journey. "It took us nearly an hour to reach the reef. Once the rowboat lost its rudder and we had to heave-to, but finally, after an exhibition of magnificent seamanship, we crossed the reef and entered the lagoon. “At the jetty most of the islanders were waiting. Drays took the doctors, the nurse and the operating equipment to Mrs. Nicholls’s home, where her husband and three children were waiting. After a consultation it was decided not to attempt an operation, but to endeavour, if tbe sea abated and the wind dropped, to carry Mrs. Nicholls out to the Monowai and take her to Auckland for observation. "Within three hours, during which time 1 learned of tbe attempts which had been made to obtain a doctor, it was decided to make an attempt to reach the Monowai with Mrs. Nicholls. Under Mr. Ramsay’s directions, wc slung her into a basket covered with blankets and tarpaulins, and carefully balanced the whaleboat. “I have never seen such courage as she showed. .She could barely speak, but she smiled. Without mishap we got back through the huge ground swell. It was then that the superb seamanship of the male, Mr. Ramsay, achieved tbe almost impossible. With assistance he rigged a stage and this was al (ached to a crane on the upper deck. The mate and tbe woman's husband stood one on each side of Ihe patient, balancing (lie crazy stage, and they were safely hauled 10 feet up on board tbe Monowai. The crew were waiting under the cantala's directions

and (he patient was quickly taken to the ship's hospital. "This is the third case at Lord Howe island recently in which the services of ships have been called. Twice the Morinda’s doctor has had to perform operations, and a freighter was called to send a doctor to staunch bleeding.”