TORPEDO ON DECK

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 7

TORPEDO ON DECK

SHIPS LUCKY ESCAPE

Many stories may now be told oi narrow and daring escapes during the war, but the ship which had one of the luckiest escapes of all is the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Gompany'a 10,530-ton steamer Karamea, now discharging cargo from New York.

The Karamea was homeward bound from New Zealand in 1940 and was within 24 hours of Glasgow, when she was attacked by German long-range bombers off the coast of Ireland. Depth bombs and torpedoes were dropped by the aircraft, but no hits were scored and there were no casualties.

During the attack one of the planes made a long run-in from starboard with the intention of dropping a torpedo to hit the ship just below the bridge. A heavy sea was running and the Karamea was rolling violently. The pilot of the attacking aircraft ' misjudged his distance, and as the ship rolled to starboard the torpedo dropped fiat on the deck. Leaving a great dent in the steel-plating it skidded across the top of No. 2 hatch, tore away part of the donkey engine, flattened the railings on the port side, and dropped into the sea, where it exploded harmlessly. Not a man' was injured in the whole action.

About six months earlier, the Karamea was homeward bound from New Zealand, and war had, been declared after the ship had left the Dominion. On October 14 at 4.20 a.m. a submarine passed betw.een the Karamea and an accompanying ship, the Loch Avon, and fired two torpedoes, one of which/struck the Loch Avon. The Karamea was saved from the second torpedo by the first officer swinging the helm ' hard aport. 'The "torpedo passed within 10 feet of the bow. As the ship was unarmed she could do nothing but run. Looking back, the crew 'could see a slower French ship being shelled at ppint-blank range by the submarine, which.later, torpedoed her. The enemy craft then turned on the Karamea and'with her superior speed soon got within range and opened fire. Shells were dodged by the captain ordering course to be altered, and the ship eventually escaped, but only after her engineer had risked , the boilers by raising sufficient steam to drive her at 18 knots, faster than she had ever been ..driven before. The crew learned later."that the, submarine had been sunk by British destroyers.

During this period, the Karamea was commanded by Commander E. .T, Grayston, D.S.C, R.N.R. He wag awarded the 0.8. E. for his skilful evasive tactics in the action with thfj submarine, and he was the first New Zealand Merchant Service officer In the New Zealand trade to be decorated in World War 11.

The Karamea is berthed at Aotea Quay, and is to load cargo for Singapore and Ind^a>