THE DESTROYER AND THE SPANISH BABIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 44, 20 August 1938, Page 27

THE DESTROYER AND THE SPANISH BABIES

Hands clasped behind their backs, 125 officers and men paced, with puckered brows, the' decks of a destroyer ploughing )her way through Spanish waters, says the "News Chronicle." They were Waiting for news, not of an-attack-on a merchantman, nor of a possible'- submarine menace. Like so, many agitated fathers, they awaited the feafe birth of the third Spanish refugee child who was to see the light. aboard their ship within twSnty-fbUr hours. "Carpenter's compliments, sir," the commander V was . informed, "Senora Escarihbta has given birth to a boy. Mother and child both doing well." So ended-sixteen-hours' suspense which had attended the birth of the last baby. The destroyer; was on patrol duty oflf the north, .coast of Spain-when two nsh^f^|;;hoats; asked, her to take on boa^fw:bi!t^two orphan babies, seven woniiang.^^h babies ia rrms, arid three expebtan^Jihbthers. The %§hghander wirelessed bis flagship: .^yA, .. v .;,-._,... 5 , .."..-. . <r. "" "Ha\& taken; on - board ten women and tfiirtyitfao babies. What am I to do with them?" - He was ;told to await the arrival of a French trawler, but as the hours went bys and no trawler arrived, he wirelessed again -this. urgent appeal: - "Refugees include three women liable give birth any moment. Please advise." And he wis; told: : "Adequate nursing staff on, trawler . .;. postpone delivery if possible."

Meanwhile, the commander decided that something ought to be done for the squalling ragged infants, who were all extremely dirty. "Parade all married men at once," he ordered. Selected men were each allowed two babies and a tin bathtub and informed that bath parade was at four bells. Amid a strange Spanish chorus, /he washing began. A play pen was built abaft the torpedo tubes amidships, and there the married men took their watches instead of at their usual stations. The children's rags were discarded, and they were fitted out in a strange assortment of naval garments. At dawn the first baby was born. Then came the message from the flagship: : "Regret trawler gone aground. Regret no further assistance possible. If very urgent, proceed nearest port, disembark pregnant woriien. Otherwise proceed Marseilles with all refugees. Good luck." A few moments later the second baby was born. The commander, reassured by the apparent ease and simplicity of the births, decided to steam direct for Marseilles. But it was sixteen hours before the third baby cried its entry irito life and the whole ship's company wished that they had put into the first port available.