WILTSHIRE WRECK

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 June 1922, Page 5

WILTSHIRE WRECK

ALL LIVES SAVED.

WELCOME AT AUCKLAND. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 2

The “Herald’s” Coromandel correspondent reports: “All are safely landed from the wreck a total of 103. There are no casualties. The weather is awful again, but the last lot from the wreck are under tarpaulins. All the others are on board the Katoa, which will leave for Auckland on Saturday afternoon. The survivors have been well taken care of by the settlers.”

The Philomel’s party with the rescuing gear arrived at the scene of the wreck early this morning. On arrival they found the tent of the Katoa’s landing party, who had already landed 12 men, making 16 in all, with the four rescued on the previous evening. The rescue was effected by means of a life-line secured to a tree on the cliff. The Katoa’s men worked courageously on the previous evening and 'spent the night on the cliff in drenching rain. Tired and famished as they were, they immediately started the work of rescue when light permitted. On the arrival of the Philomel’s party, the work of rescue was enabled to proceed more rapidly, 10 men hauling on an endless rope and bringing several men to shore at a time. Food was sent out to the wreck, the crew being famished and thirsty The rescue party from the Philomel spent the night at Tryphena and had a terrible journey across country to reach the scene of the wreck this morning. They had to wade through’ flooded creeks breast high and scramble through dense bush, with the result that thev all were badly knocked about and drenched through before they reached the wreck.

SEAMEN’S NARRATIVES. : FIGHT AGAINST DEATH. L AUCKLAND, June 2. A special reporter at Tryphena tele- ’ graphs: The men who have come • ashore, relate a vivid story of their experiences during the past 36 hours. Heavy weather and torrential rain had been experienced for ten hours prior to the wreck. It was impossible to see a ship’s length off. The impression existed among the men that the ship slowed down somewhat, about 20 minutes before she struck. Prior to that the Wiltshire was averaging 320 miles a day. There was a terrific thump when the Wiltshire struck, and she gave four distinct jumps, as the impetus forced her on the rocks. The whole complement of the vessel was immediately summoned to the boats, and a rocket of distress was sent up. The boats were swung out on the leeside, and all hands stood to for one and. a-half hours, every moment of which intensified the suspense. A large sea began breaking over the vessel, particularly aft, and when it became only too apparent that any attempt to land a boat would see them dashed against the cliff by the terrific seas, it was agreed to await the break of day. All hands spent a night of anguish in tho saloon, and the ship shook from stem to bow as each wave struck her. Every man except tho

ship’s officers went forward at dawn 5 At about 7.30 a.m. the Arahura was r ’seen in the roadstead. Although she hung about, she was powerless to ren- • der any assistance; the position at this time was extremely precarious as the 3 ship had listed to starboard, and the t after portion was in deep water. This 1 was the condition of affairs until ’ about 11.30 when, with noise like a 3 thunderclap, the ship snapped in two r about No. 4 hatch. Captain Haywood jumped from the bridge, and the officers swung themselves down from the forecastle on a rope. Simultaneously - with the excitement of this incident - there sprang a ray of hope in the i breasts of the men when they had suf--3 fered hour after hour of mental anguish wondering what the next mo- ) ment would bring forth. Now they - knew, however, that tho forward part, • relieved of the dead weight behind, > would probably remain secure on the ; rocks. About this time the settlers had ar- • rived on the cliff, and every manner . of effort was availed of to get a line '* ashore. Rockets proved, of no avail in combating the storm, and were all

carried adrift, while floating objects

met a similar fate. Eventually, about 2.30 p.m., a hatchway safely divined its object of floating on to the shore, being secured by patient workers. Then long hours passed before an endless line had been established, and Wheathey, the first man to go off was drawn, foot by foot, to shore. At intervals, three of Ills companions joined him, and then the operations were suspended for the night. Now the mental anguish of those on board was aggravated by physical endurance. With tho exception of a little steak, there were no other provisions aboard until supplies were got from ashore. ARRIVAL AT'AUCKLAND. LORD JELLICOE’S- GREETING AUCKLAND, June 4. The Wiltshire’s crew arrived by the Katoa last night, and they received a warm welcome from a huge crowd on the wharf. Two cases were admitted to the'hospital. They are Seaman John Foster, A. 8., who fell on the track across the f island, sustaining a serious fracture of tho leg, anil seaman Keogh, A. 8., of the Katoa, who is now suffering 1 from pneumonia, and is in a serious condition. The Wiltshire’s surgeon had much

to say' in praise of the patience and courage of the crew. Of a total of 103 he said( including a stowaway) not one man could be justly complained of. They displayed all the attributes of British seamen, being cheerful all through the ordeal. It was a wonderful feat to land such a number of men without a mishap under the circumstances, and it was unfortunate that one of the number met with a serious accident in the journey across the slippery track overland. When the Katoa arrived with the crew at Auckland last evening, the Go-vernor-General was the first to board the vessel and greet Captain Hayward, whom he invited to be his guest at Government. House expressing regret that he could not ojffer hospitality to the rest of the officers. Captain Hayward thanked Lord Jellicoe, but said : “I have only these clothes'” to that Lord Jellicoe replied with a smile: “Mine will not fit you but we have aide de camps of different sizes!” Captain Hayward said it was impossible to go at once, as he had work to do, whereupon Lord Jellicoe said: “Ring up, and a car will be sent, when you are ready.” The officers of the Wiltshire and the captain of the Katoa were then presented to the Governor. The Mayor also extended a welcome to the ship’s crew. The men were given a grant of £2 each and a parcel of clothing, and then conveyed to the Sailors’ Home, where all possible was done for their com fort.

AN OFFICER’S VERSION An officer of the Wiltshire tells the following story:—“At about 20 minutes past 11 on Wednesday night, I felt a slight jar, and then two or three quick bumps. She had grounded on the rocks. The Captain ordered ‘all hands on deck,’ and swung out the provision'"boats, but these proved unsuccessful, several of the boats being carried away owing to the high seas, which roared past us. The ship kept upright, so nothing more was' done until daylight, except, of course, the continuous sending out of ‘S.O.S.’ signals. At daybreak we saw the full fury of the sea, and realised that we were helpless until assistance arrived. The Moeraki, with a naval crew on board, came within sight, but she had no chance of coming anyway near us. At 11.30 next morning, the Wiltshire broke in two immediately beneath the bridge. We had heard creakings and groanings all night, and expected a severance. When she split in two, the:e were two loud snaps. Some of us were left aft, but we managed to for’ard by sliding down ropes across the gap. We all gathered for’ard after tho break, waiting for assistance. Thanks to a naval crew on shore we managed to get a breeches buoy line rigged, and, with the assistance of those on board, we sent four men ashore. Ninety-nine went ashore on Friday within 12 hours. It was a wonderful performance. At one o’clock about 60 of the crew had been landed. After that we had fewer workers on board, both ends have to play. Situated as we were, it was a most difficult job. The fewer the men left on the ship, the longer it took to accomplish the job. Captain Hayward wished to land last, but it was the special desire of the few men who remained on board that, owing to the early darkness, he should be landed. He went down the line with the fourth officer. Half-way over the Captain collapsed.

The fourth officer immediately threw his legs around him, thus keeping him in the breeches buoy, shouting out a warning to the shore, “Pull for God’s sake.” The last to leave the ship were the chief and second officers, Goddard and Harris. That was at seven o’clock last night. Our night was spent in standing in the rain on the rocky shore. You may imagine how the hours creeped. We moved wearily •• ff at seven o’clock this morning with naval rescuers as guides, and got to the wreck to salve some of their gear, as all that is left is on tho forward part of the ship which still stands good despite a heavy list. In fine weather we may easily board her and recover some of our gear. All we have left us now are the few clothes on our tired bodies, which have been saturated since we struck the rocks.”

CHEERFUL SUFFERERS. Immediately the Wiltshire struck all hands were summoned to the boatdeck, and the officers held a consultation as to what was to be done. When it became apparent’ that the only thing to do was to hang to the ship and that any lifeboat launched would be matchwood before it got away from the ship’s side, the word was passed to the crew that they could go down to tho social hall. The ship’s pianist went to the instrument, and rattled out a tune. This cheered things up a bit, and he went on with the good work (according to a lad, named Archie Winslow), until he came to the end of his repertoire. Then Winslow produced a mandolin, and carried on the work. In spite of the gale and seas, andjlic breaking up of the wreck they managed to keep the “home fires burning” aboard the Wiltshire, or at least one of them, they were able to keep • a fire going by tearing up the internal fittings. Provisions were short, and all they had to cook was some meat. Coffee was made while the water lasted, but, as the tanks were in the stern half, that broke off, and disappeared, the supply did not last long. As the rain fell, the men were set to catching as much as they could, and a sort of coffee was made, but, in time, even this gave out, and many men suffered terribly from thirst. The report that one man, attempted to swim ashore with a line from the Wiltshire was a mistake, although

men aboard offered to do the daring deed. L. Hutson, one of the messroom stewards, and Wheatley, who was the first man sent ashore by the ’bosun’s chair, when the lifeline was rigged up, were both willing to make the attempt. Both of them are young men, Hutson being a mere lad, and Wheatley suffers from the loss of one eye. “No, lad!” said an officer, when told, “you can’t go. It would simply mean certain death.. ’ PILES OF WRECKAGE.

AUCKLAND, June 3. Yesterday morning an attempt was made to get the ship’s papers from the bridge, but the search was fruitless and the ship was verily a total wreck. Tho Wiltshire had altered her position and appearance to-day. When tho first glimpse of her was obtained from tho To Awhina yesterday, only two of tho lifeboats remained in the davits, the rest having been carried away. Three masts are still standing erect forward in defiance of the tempest. The wind has now abated to a moderate gale. The smoke stack, somewhat smaller than ordinary, is there, while another mast is striving to maintain its position immediately behind it. Yesterday the submerged portion of the ship was just discernible, but it has now disappeared. Wreckage is piling up on the shore particularly on Kaitoko Beach where, many mail bags have been observed.) Cigarettes, in tins of 50. have floatedj ashore in thousands. | The old saying that “it never rains j but it pours,” was illustrated at expense of tho first 10 men who were got ashore, for they lost their way in endeavouring to clear a mile of bush’ L ading to Rosalie Bay. After an anxious hour in flic bush, they got free, and camo over hilly and heavy briar track to Trphena whence they were conveyed to the Katoa.