THE RED GROSS.

Evening Star, Issue 16629, 11 January 1918, Page 3

THE RED GROSS.

TARGET FOR TORPEDOES. THE REWA OUTRAGE. Australian and N.Z, Cable Association, LONDON, January 9. On board tbe hospital ship Rewaj sunk in the Bristol Channel, there were 550 persons, including a complement of wounded men. Excellent order was maintained after the vessel was struck. The calm sea and the nearness of hundreds of other vessels contributed to the rescue. The boats were lowered, and the cot cases safely disembarked. The vessel sank in 75 minutes, and within two hours all the survivors had been picked ud. A member of the crew states: “ The vessel had just entered the Bristol Channel after a bad voyage. Suddenly there wds a terrific bang, and the crew were thrown out of their bunks by the concussion, which extinguished the lights. There was no time to save personal belongings. Magnificent order prevailed. We had 250 wounded, and these were put into the first boats, then the nurses, followed by the passengers and crew.' The weather was not cold. A tank steamer- and a patrol boat. took us to Swansea. We did not spffer much .discomfort.” Other accounts show that the. Germans used the Red Cross as a target, and a torpedo passed clean. through it. The three missing lascars were'probably killed by the explosion. The ship was only travelling at four knots an hour. It was a most effective shot, and there was not a chance of saving the vessel. The men in their bunks, suddenly awakened, made a dash for the deck. In other cases there was a wild - groping in The darkness for some sort of clothing. Most of the survivors were landed absolutely without clothing.