HEROES GO TO LLOYD’S

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 31 August 1929, Page 11

HEROES GO TO LLOYD’S

rpHEJIE was a stirring moment at Lloyd’s a few weeks ago, a moment when insurance (brokers, underwriters, ship-owners and merchants forgot all about business and listened to the ringing >af the Lavtine bell for the men of the tank ship British Courage. This famous bell, saved from the wreck of the Lutine, is only rung for important announcements. On the occasion in question the crier rang it twice, and then announced that Captain . Himsley, William Mtickle, and .Tames Murdoch had just been presented in the committee room with Lloyd’s silver medal, and that Captain Ilimsley wa's going to walk through the underwriting room. Then everyone was jostling to see that gallant man. Lloyd's silver medal is one of those few decoration® not in the gift of the 'Crown which arc so important that the recipients are allowed to -wear them on 'the right breast in uniform. The following is how these three men, and Arthur Halcrow, now on an Admiralty tanker, won their medals. On December 3 last the steel screw motor tank ship British Courage, left Port Said with a cargo of about POOD tons of crude oil. Two days later a fire broke out, and Captain, Himsley 'sent out (ScOoS. calls. Soon the whole top of the enginerooms was a mass of flames as high as the funnel. The chief engineer ran out. his clothing ablaze, and died of his injuries. There was a possibility- that the fuel tanks might explode at any minute and in turn explode the cargo of crude oil. Captain Himsley ordered I his crew of 38 into the boats, and bo-

BINGING OF LUTINE BELL

t fore leaving went into every part of i the perilous ship to make sure that no one .was left. There were two boats, i one in charge of Captain Himsley and the other in charge of 'the chief officer, and they made off in a rough sea for about half a mile, then liovc-to for two hours, watching the burning ship. There was no explosion from the engine-room yet, and flames could be seen creeping along the boatdeck. Captain Himsley told his men that there was so much danger that he could order no one back to the burning ship, but he believed there was a chance of saving her. At once sixteen men volunteered to return, though they had saved their lives and had only to wait to be picked up by the chips who had heard the S.O.S. call. To go back was a great peril, but loyalty to their ship (‘ailed them, and the v went. 1 By swamping the decks with buckets | of sea mater they succeeded in putting 1 out the fire on the boat-deck. Mr Mucklo, tire second engineer, found his way through the smoke to the boilerroom and the steam stop-valve, so that there was steam available for pumping water into tho engine-room. Tho chief engineer had died of the burns he had received when the fire broke out in the engine-room; now brave men had to fight their way into that death-trap with sand and water. It took them 27 hours to win their battle with the flames. Constantly the fire broke out afresh, and all night they stood by, expecting an explosion. Men will perform prodigies in self-defence or in hot blood, but these , men did all this soberly, in cold blood. Ito save their ship. They were worthy of their ship’s proud name.