MISFORTUNES OF WAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20632, 13 August 1941, Page 8

MISFORTUNES OF WAR

IRISH MISSIONARIES SHIP SUNK BY RAIDER LONG TRIP TO INDIA (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Because of the misfortunes of war, the journey from Liverpool to India begun by two Irish missionaries last March, was still far from completed when they reached Auckland by the California Clipper, The travellers are Fathers A. Maloney and M. Fox, of the Redemptorist Order, who are returning to the East after extended furlough. The missionaries left for India byway of South Africa in the liner Britan- 1 nia. OR the coast of West Africa the ship was attacked by a German raider and, after a running fight lasting about an hour, the Britannia sußered so much damage that the captain decided to heave-to. The raider gave the passengers and crew time to enter the lifeboats, and the Britannia was then shelled and sunk. Compared with the fate of others, Fathers Maloney and Fox ■ escaped lightly. After three days in an open boat they were picked up by the Shaw, Savill and Albion steamer Raranga and later landed at Buenos Aires. Those in another lifeboat were 23 days at sea before they reached the Brazilian coast, 44 persons in the overcrowded craft dying in the interval. What happened to the other lifeboats is not known. After waiting seven weeks in Buenos Aires, the missionaries were able to proceed to the United States. Oq reaching the Pacific coast they tried in vain to get a direct steamer or air passages to the East, and eventually had to set out on a longer air route, by way of Australia and New Zealand.