BEACH DISASTER

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1925, Page 5

BEACH DISASTER

18 CHILDREN DROWNED. AT FRENCH SEASIDE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) BARIS, August B'. A party of 35 school children were bathing near Roubaix, at tho seaside, when a huge wave broke over the beach, resulting in IS -being drowned. Others were rescued heroically, The children whose parents work at Roubaix factories were enjoying a treat in charge qf -Father .Delaporte, Father Delaporte warned tho children that the tide was rising, and some tried to take a short cut to the sand dunes, but wore qaught by- the ineonb ing tide. They fell into a deep hollow timing the shifting sands. •Father Delaporte .and two m-.m plunged into the sef and rescued severiil in an unconscious state. Other onlookers ntudo fruitless .attempts ut rescue. Later, eight children recovered consciousness, blit at least IS were drownetl. The locality is most ’deceptive. Il often appear flat whc«i tho tital rise; snd fall measures several feet. It alters with every tide, when tho setts are rough.

FURTHER DETAILS. FARIS, Aug. 9. In the Rubiiix. drowning affair, when Father Delaporte saw the danger he called to tho 1 children to make n chain by holding each other’s hir.ids and following him. .. I,'nfortunately, the chain broke. The children were seized with panic, and dashed frantically into tho. water which lay between them and dry la.id, though .several feet deep. Some boys were carried out to sea by the tide. Their bodies were thrown ashore later in tho day.

The priest worked upon some apparently drowned children for three hours before consciousness was recovered. All the dead were boys. There were shocking scenes-whe-n .the parents, hearing of the -disaster, hurried to the Chappclle Ardent at Hardidut. not knowing whether they would have to identify their own children.