FALABA STORY IN FULL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3966, 26 June 1915, Page 6

FALABA STORY IN FULL.

'Hio torpedoing of the Eulalia on the last Sunday in March is thus graphically described by the vessel’s wireless operator:— Oil Sunday morning, after erecting the aerial, I was carrying out my usual morning duties in the wireless cabin when the chief officer entered hurriedly and informed me that the ship was being pursued by a submarine flying the White Ensign, but of which he nevertheless had suspicions. I thereupon gave a call to St. Just station informing them of the fact of our position, and was immediately answered in spite of some interference, apparently from the submarine. I had scarcely done this when the ship was stopped, and 1 was told by tho chief officer that nothing further could he done, and I had better get into the boat. Before leaving. 1 had just time enough to send out the S.O.S. signal, which was immediately picked up and passed on. Thirty or forty-of us managed to get into the boat, hut we had no sooner commenced to descend when by sine means or other which T did not observe the falls gave way and we were precipitated on to the surface of the water with such a shock as to smash the boat and throw us all into the sea. Some six or eight of us succeeded in struggling over the wreckage into another boat astern of no vessel.-

The submarine bad at first appeared some fifty yards off on the port side, and her captain hailed ns through a megaphone, shouting in excellent English : ‘‘Get into the boats. lam going to sink your ship.” After this he went round to the starboard, and at a distance of some hundred and fifty yards fired a torpedo which hit the ship immediately under the wireless cabin. This took place whilst we were in the very act of struggling into the lifeboat at the stern, and at a time when the starboard deck of the Jmer was still black with passengers. A trawler which was not. more than a mile and a half from us could without any risk have been permitted to save every passenger and the whole crow by being allowed to come alongside, but with callous disregard of any human principles the vessel was torpedoed at once.

THE SUBMARINE'S AUDACITY. Nothing in the whole incident has struck me more forcibly than two facts —first, the daring with which ttie German submarine approached to within 50 yards, pointing plain]'- to the fact that her- captain knew perfectly well we had no concealed guns on board. Had we possessor! even one his audacity would have entailed inevitable destruction to the under-water craft under-his command; secondly, that the German captain had evidently made up his mind that- the incident should not pass without involving loss of life. There was no smoke of any steamer on the horizon, the onlyvessel other than the Falaba being the trawler already mentioned. It is a noteworthy fact that there was no nanic on board. Indeed, when the submarine first appeared, flying the White Ensign, the passengers were laughing and treating the whole matter as ;Pjoke. The shock of the explosion from the torpedo sent up a column of water some hundred tool and almost wrecked our boat. It should be mentioned that but for the presence of mind of a passenger, Mr D. J. Ryder, of Plymouth, who displayed considerable skill in getting a rope fast round the bottom of tho boat to hold it together, we should have gone completely to pieces. lor the next three and a half hours those of us who were able took turns in holding this rope in position as we drifted away from the scene of the disaster. 'The unfortunate, ship after being struck listed heavily to starboard, whilst the passengers who still remained on board slid off into the sea vainly endeavoring to save themselves by clutching any form of support on deck. 'The captain, who was, of course, tho last to leave, gave throe blasts on the hooter and jumped off the wreck with his papers. TAUNTS AND LAUGHTER.

All the reports concerning jeers from the crew of tho submarine I can fully corroborate, as we drifted quite close to thorn, and they could easily have helped us had they wished. Our earnest appeals, however, met with nothing but taunts and laughter. it was impossible to hear the words they uttered, but the tone and attitude of the six or eight men visible upon the deck of the submarine spoke eloquently of the spirit with which the whole of the operation was conducted. About the time when the submarine first came alongside, the sea, which had boon choppy before, increased considerably-, aiuf you can picture the plight in which we found ourselves—up to our waists in water in a bitter temperature, holding on for dear life to the rope whoso strands formed the only tie binding us to.life, shivering with the cold, our hands so numbed that two of my fingers have scarcely recovered, amidst the sneers and flauntings of the Gormans.

OVERBOARD OUT OF. HIS AGONY. We saw about tliis t.inio one of the boats, containing about 30 of our companions, capsized l>v the heavy seas, without a chance of our doing anything to save them. So trying were the circumstances under which we were placed that one of the black firemen with us jumped overboard to end his agonies, whilst wo found ourselves obliged to restrain another from cutting his throat. One of the first-class passengers, a young man of about 2-1, who appeared to be in delicate health, expired in the boat through exposure. We ourselves were continually passing fellow-creatures in the last throes of drowning, and T shall never forget the agony of listening to their final and awful cries, and watching the heartrending look of horror as they sank from sight. We were finallv picked up by the steam trawler. Orient 11., on board which we received every kindness and consideration that her limited capabilities afforded. We were given hot tea and cocoa, besides some ginger essence heated, in order to restore animation to our half-frozen bodies. For some time, owing to the restriction of space, most of ns were compelled to remain on the deck of the rolling trawler, continually drenched hv the heavy seas which were running. Finally, on our arrival at Milford Haven, wo were provided, at the Seamen’s Home, and through the medium of a local, outfitter, with the necessary supply of dry clothes, and you can easily understand how glad wo were to receive them. The only souvenir I possess of the ill-fated Falaba is the bronze key and tab of my wireless cabin.