STORM’S TOLL

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 15 January 1930, Page 5

STORM’S TOLL

DISASTER IN BRITAIN

LOSS OF NAVAL TUG

WAVES CLAIM 23 LIVES

MIRACULOUS RESCUE WORK

(British Otlicial Wireless.)

RUGBY, Jan. 14. Further details, of the foundering of the naval tug St. Genny in a great gale .yesterday evening show that tiiree officers and 2Q men of the Royal Navylost their lives. The tug sank about 32 miles north-west of Ushant in the Bay of Biscay. The drowned officers were Lieutenant Charles Frederick Paul, Commissioned Gunner Philip Lean and Boatswain Charles Barren. Tne St. Genny belonged to Chatham and with the tug St. Cyrus and the . sloop Snapdragon left Portland on Saturday for Gibraltar for service with the Atlantic Fleet during the forthcoming manoeuvres. The St. Genny was. a vessel of only 425 tons and was used for towing targets, at gunnery practice. The Atlantic Fleet was to have sailed from Portland to-day, but owing to the bad weather its departure lias been delayed for 24 hours, . Several of the ships lost their pinnaces and other boats in the gale. The tug was struck by a tremendous sea, which stove in her plating. She sank immediately. Searchlights picked out the struggling men, five of whom were rescued by lifelines.

MOUNTAINOUS SEAS

Disaster overtook the St. Genny with incretiible speed. xogetuer with two other snips she was hove to in a gale of mo velocity oi 3d miles an hour, gusts at times reaching a velocity ox xOO miles. Hollowing one tremenuous sea observers on the. Snapdragon and. the St. Cyrus failed to detect the St. Genny s lights. Searchlights immediately pierced tne darkness. The tug was not to be seen, but a number or men were observed struggling in the water. No lifeboat couiu live in the mountainous seas, but by a magnificent piece of manoeuvring tne Snapdragon and the St, Cyrus were able to approach near enough to throw the life-lines. Fleet circles at Portland regard the rescue of five men ass a miracle under the circumstances. The survivors say the vessel was completely flooded in a lew minutes and sank like a stone. The St. Cyrus was also damaged. Airs Paul, of Gillingham, widow ot the commander of the St. Genny, wh-j lext lour children, was too distressed to be interviewed. A friend said the Admiralty telegram announcing the disaster arrived just as the iamily sat down to lunch, after Airs Paul had expressed anxiety that her husband was afloat in such weather. But for the presence of the friend she would undoubtedly nave collapsed. She broke tlie news, to the children, only the two eldest of whom seemed to understand. Lieut-. Paul, aged 47, was high-spirited and full of pranks. He joined, the navy m his boyiiood and readied commissioned ranks. He served at the Dardanelles.

WORST IN HISTORY

GALE’S TERRIFIC FORCE.

MANY CASUALTIES INLAND

Llnin * rress Association —By Electric Telegraph Copyright.)

LONDON, Jan. 13

Tile latest gale in a winter notorious for an unusual series of terrific storms-, is among the worst in British history. There were at least 39 deaths, including the crew of the tug St. Genny. Numerous injuries were reported. Thirteen people were killed inland, chiefly due to falling trees, thousands of which crashed. Many roads and railways are still impassable. A falling elm crushed to death two occupants of a motor-lorry at Kenilworth. Three motor-cyclists, including a girl riding on a pillion, were killed by crashing trees. A man superintending a removal was struck by another tree and impaled on an iron railing fence. Alany amazing escapes. are reported. Shipping battled with the greatest seas toy years. The Cardiff steamer Forester was driven on to the Portland breakwater and sank, after being blown right through the Atlantic Fleet, which was anchored in the harbour. The disabled vessel careered madly among the battleships, missing disastrous conditions by inches. The Weymouth lifeboat gallantly rescued the crew.

KILLED IN BED

An aged couple was killed in bed -at High Wycombe, the roof collapsing., - The steeple at the parish church at Friern Barnet was blown down, toe point piercing a great hole in the church roof. There are a hundred cases of damage to churches, chapels and houses. An electric cable was blown down in South Wales and rendered idle 7550 colliery workers. At Swansea, incoming shipping reports that the last three days were among the worst weather experienced. Several vessels went aground, and lifeboats rescued the crews after strenuous experiences.. The storm spread to France, Germany gnd Scandinavia. Fifteen steamers are sheltering at Hamburg, where there were several accidents in the harbour. Bridges are impassable owing, to high tides and torrential rains. A whole family of five were drowned, owing to a motor-boat foundering at the- Lofode-n' Islands (Norway).