STEAMER TASMAN

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 271, 12 August 1938, Page 7

STEAMER TASMAN

Gallantry At Shanghai

Commemorated

EVACUATION OF REFUGEES

By Telegraph—Press Association

Auckland, August 11.

Commemorating the gallant part played by the ship in the historic evacuation of refugees from Shanghai on August .17 last year, a bronze plaque in the smoking-room of the South Pacific Line’s passenger steamer Tasman is a proudly treasured battle honour. The Tasman, which arrived at Auckland on her first visit to the Dominion, was previously in the Royal Packet Navigation Company’s service from the Orient to Java and South Africa ami saw a considerable amount of hostilities on the China coast.

A brief inscription in Dutch on the plaque recalls the part played by the Tasman in the war zone. It reads: “In remembrance of the evacuation of Dutch women and children from Shanghai, August .17, 11137." When British ami American warships and other foreign shipping were speedily removing their nationals from the grooving holocaust of Shanghai, the Tasman was entrusted with the transport of Dutch and Hungarians to Hong Kong. With bombs falling on both sides of the Whangpoo River and shells screaming overhead, the work of rescue was undertaken under great difficulties and heavy rain intensified the hardships. Chinese aeroplanes were flying overhead in formation and Chinese and Japanese warships were firing furiously. As the Tasman moved down the river she ran the gauntlet of gunfire, shells falling on all sides. After the Tasman had'reached Hong Kong with the refugees, the Dutch nationals, to mark their gratitude to the ship, presented the plaque to the vessel.