TREVESSA HERO

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 August 1930, Page 7

TREVESSA HERO

DEATH OF CAPTAIN FOSTER.

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, August 9. The death has occurred of Captain Cecil Foster, the hero of the Trevessa exploit.' ‘

An epic story of the sea is recalled by the death of Captain Foster. On May 15, 1923, the steamer Trevessa, 5004 tons, of the Hain Line, controlled by the P. and O. Company, left Port Pirie for England, via Durban, under the command of Captain Foster. On June 3, S.O.S. signals were picked up, stating that the vessel was sinking. When rescue ships arrived there was no trace of the Trevessa, but an upturned bdat was found. There was no trace of the crew, and it was presumed that the vessel had gone down with all hands. The search was abandoned on June 22. The captain’s boat, however, reached Rodriquez Island on June 26, and the second boat subsequently arrived at Mauritius. Captain Foster told a thrilling story of the great privations endured during the long voyage in the open boat, steering by sun and stars. Two Arab firemen died and were buried at sea. The Trevessa was hove-to in a heavy gale at midnight on June 3, and filled and sank after she was abandoned at 2.15 a.m. , ' , x- . This was not Captain Foster s first experience of an open boat. After his ship was torpedoed during the war, he and 31 others drifted in. an open boat for 10 .days, only 16 men surviving when the coast of Spain was Reached.