WILTSHIRE’S CREW.

Grey River Argus, 5 June 1922, Page 5

WILTSHIRE’S CREW.

ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND A GREAT WELCOME. 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. HOSPITAL CASES. Two cases were admitted to the hospital. They are Seamen John Foster, A. 8., of the Wiltshire, who fell on the track across the island, sustaining a serious fracture of the leg; and Seaman Keogh, A. 8., of the Katoa, who is now suffering from pneumonia. ami is in a serious condition. s'lo Wiltsbi C argco *•» Icogh, had much t? say M 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, said the doctor, to land such a number of men without a mishap under the circumstances, and it was unfortunate that on of the number met with a serious accident in the | journey across the slippery track overland. John Foster, able seaman, fell ant steward, would also have to go to the hospital. He had sprained his ankle on board the ship a fortnight and sustained a severe fracture of his left shinbone. Harry Fielding, assist- ! ago, and was making good progress to recovery, but the terrible walk overland from the ocean had caused the limb to swell badly, and he was now incapable altogether. The general health of the crew was good. GOVERNOR’S HOSPITALITY TO CAPTAIN. When the Katoa arrived with the crew at Auckland last evening, the Governor 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 offer hospitality to the rest of the officers. Captain Hayward thanked Lord Jellicoe, but said: ‘‘l have only these clothes.’’’ to that Lord Jellieoe replied, with a smile, ‘‘Mine will not fit you but we have aide de camps ol different sizes!” Captain Hayward said it was impossible to go at once, as he had work to do, whereupon Lord Jellieoe said:—‘‘Ring up, and a ear 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 tm* 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 ! comfort. CAPTAIN HAYWARD’S TRIAL Yesterday morning the Harbour Board’s tug left Typhena for Rosalie i Bay as the rest of the party had not I arrived at the former place. She sent out two boats and took the men, including some of the shipwrecked and naval men. Captain Hayward was among the number. He was so exhausted that he had to be assisted on board. ‘‘She is gone now! What’s the good of saying anything?” gasped the skipper. “Anyhow what’s the use of asking? I am not allowed to say anything.” Much against his will, he was persuaded to lie down in the bunk of the Teawhina’s cabin. “It looks glorious weather,” he 1 said, looking upward at the blue sky. , “Ah,” he added, wistfully, “the right weather comes at the wrong time.” They tell it of Captain Hayward that despite his age and infirmity and his terrible grief over the loss of the ship he has fathered for so many years, he was the most cheerful man on board. He was out to do anything for anybody. AN OFFICER’S STORY’. An officer of the- Wiltshire tells the following story:—“At about twenty minutes past eleven 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, excepting, of course, the continuous sending out of “5.0.5.” signals. At daybreak we saw the full

fury of the sea. and realised that we wore helpless until assistance arrived. The Moeraki, with a naval crew on board, came within sight, but she had no chance of coming anyway near usAt 11.30 next morning, the Wiltshire broke iff two immediately beneath the bridge. We had heard creakings and groanings all night, and expected a severance. When she split in two, there were two loud snaps. Some of us were left aft. but we managed to get for’ard by sliding down ropes across the gap. We all gathered for’ard after the 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, and, of course, on the breeches buoy, 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 fow men who re-

| mained 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 >nke. ” 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 creepO'l. We moved wearily off 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 the 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.” A FURTHER ACCOUNT. 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, rhe word was passed to the crew that they could go down to the 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, and the | breaking of the wreck, they managed to keep the “Home Fires Burning’ f aboard the Wiltshire, or at least one of them, as L. Hutson, one of the mess room stewards, tells that the Wiltshire’s forward galley was well sheltered, and 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. It turns out that 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 mess room stewards, and Wheatley, who was the first man sent ashore by the bosun’s chair, when the lifeline was rigget up. were both willing to make the attempt. Both of them are young, Hutson being a mere lad, and Wheatley suffers from the loss of one eye. “No lad!” said ai of fie A?, xoid Hutson was willing to gi over the side, “you can’t go. It would simply mean certain death.” HOW THE WRECKED LOOKED. 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. The Wiltshire had altered her position and appearance to-day. When the first glimpse of her was obtained from the Te Awhina yesterday, only two of the 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, w’hile another mast is pitiably striving to maintain its position immediately behind it. Yesterday the submerged portion of the ship was just discernable, but it has now disappeared. WRECKAGE. Wreckage is piling up on the shore, particularly on Kaitoke Beach, where many mail bags have been observed. Cigarettes, in tins of fifty, have floated ashore in thousands. The old saying that “it never rains but it pours,” was illustrated at the expense of the first ten men who were got ashore, for they lost their way in endeavouring to clear a mile of bush leading to Rosalie Bay. After an anxious hour in the bush, they got free, and came over hilly and heavy briar tracks to Tryphena, whence they were convoyed to the Katoa. MEN CAMP OUT. The following message was received by the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department from the Postmaster at Coromandel timed 10 p.m. —“All the Wiltshire’s crew have now landed. The last 30 members are camping under trees near to the landing place, owing to tracks being too dangerous to travel at night. There were no casualties and all are reported to be recovering well from their exhaustion.