HEROIC DEEDS

Grey River Argus, 7 February 1941, Page 4

HEROIC DEEDS

CREWS SAVED From Torpedoed Ships MERCANTILE MARINERS HONOURED. [British Official Wireless I RUGBY. February 4. 'A stirring record el adventures on the high seas lies behind, a series of awards announced to officers and men of the Mercantile Marine. The story of Captain Kippins, who is appointed an oliicer of the British Empire Order, and of Able Seaman Light, who receives the George Medal, is typical, but no more courageous than the many other deeds which have been recorded.

Captain Kippin's ship was torpedoed at night in the North Atlantic. With a strong gale blowing and a high confused sea, it was hard work launching the boats and keeping them from being stove in. After making a thorough search to see none was left behind, Captain Kippins took command of Number Two boat, with twenty-six men. During the night two men were seen in the water, and they were only rescued with great difficulty. In heavy seas the boat was almost overturned. Four men were thrown overboard. They were rescued, but the mast, sails and several oars were lost, and the boat was filled to the thwarts. She was righted, and two more were picked up”. The sea anchor was lost, and all through the night the men had to work at the oars. Next day as the sea went down, the tired men made a sail from part of the boat cover, and hoisted it, using a boat hook as a mast. Several ships were sighted as the boat sailed east, but they failed to see her signals. Thereafter, for fourteen days, often in heavy seas, exhausted, and running short of water, the boat's crew sailed and rowed in spite of weakness, cold and hardship. At last, a merchant vessel was sighted, and the boat's crew were rescued. Throughout this heroic voyage, Captain Kippins never faltered. His inspiring leadership heartened his men and brought them to safety, after facing for many days what seemed to be certain death. Another boat of which Able Seaman Light had taken charge, got away from the ship. Ho stepped the mast and set sail. Some ships were sighted, but they failed, to see the low-lying boat. The weather worsened, and they had to shorten sail. Heavy rain squalls caused the exhausted crew great hardships. Seaman Light kept his men in heart, and they sailed on until a lifeboat was sighted with no oars, sails, or any sign of life, except a canvas tent amidships. This boat was closed, and she was found to have sixteen men from a torpedoed merchant ship oh board. Seaman Light towed this derelict boat, in spite of rising seas, and wind, which, made continuous Baling necessary. They sighted an unknown rocky shore and decided to lay off until daylight but the boats were driven out to sea again. They saw no more of that coast. In dead calm, the men rowed all day till worn out. In the towed boat the men were giving up, and Seaman Light went over into it, and himself massaged two men, and gave them his stockings and dressed their wounds later. In his own boat again, he massaged a deck boy, who was in agony, and bound his feet with strips of blankets. After ten terrible days of privation, exhaustion, and danger, they sighted a British ship. She answered a flare from the boat, and came to the rescue on a steep sea. The exhausted crews were with difficulty transferred to the steamer, where every care was given them. Seaman Light’s courage, leadership, self-sacrifice and stout heart thus saved not only his own crew, but the sixteen men whose boat he had towed.