THE NELSON TOUCH.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 2 January 1918, Page 3

THE NELSON TOUCH.

'TM-'DONEi THROW ME OVERBOARD." '■■ !,

SM£CK SKIPPEiR'S V.C

A thrilling story, of dauntless heroism has been revealed by the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross to Skipper Thomas Crisp, Ii.N.R., who^ died, in action on the s.s. smack Nelson, giving orders up to the last minute. Skipper Crisp's son, second hand Thomas William Crisp. R.N.R., 0.N., has been awarded the Distinguished Service .^ritial for his gallant conduct during the same engagement. On an August afternoon, at about a quarter to three, the trawl was shot from the smack Nelson when the smack was on the port tack. Th^e skipper was below packing fish. One hand was on deck cleaning fish for the next morning's -breakfast. The skipper came on u-eck, saw an object on the horizon, examined it closely ; and, sent for his glasses. * Almost directly he sang out "Clear for action. Submarine." And he lad scarcely spoken when a shot fell about i a hundred yards away on the. port bow The motor man got to his motor the deck hand dropped his fish and went to the ammunition room, the other hands at the skipper's order, "Let go the gear" let go the warp, put a dan 'on the end of it. Meanwhile the gunlayer hei<| his fire until the skipper i ;said, It is no use waiting any longer • i we will have to let them have it." '. Away m the distance the submarine sent shell.after shell at the smack, and about the fourth shot the shell went through the port bow just below the waterhne, and then: the skipper shoved ' her round. .. There.; was no confusion on board: not even when the seventh shell struck the skipper through his sidethrough the deck, and out through the side of the ship.- The second hand at once-took charge of the tiller and the nrmg continues. All the time water was pouring into the ship and she was smjsmg, . One man, the gunlayer, went to the skipper to see if he could reader first 1 but. it was obvious that he was motally wounded. "It all right, boy, do your, best," said the skipper; and then, to the second hand. "Send a ravage off." This was the message :— Nelson* being attacked by submarine. bkipper killed. . Send assistance at once." : ■ And all this time the smack wa« sinking, and only five rounds of ammunition were left. The second hand went to the skipper lying on the deck and heard him say, "Abandon ship, inrow the books overboard." H e was asked then if they should life him into tne boat, but his answer was, "Torn, iin done; throw me overboard.'' He^ was in too ba<l a condition to b£ moved, and they left him there on the deck of the doomed smack, and took to/the small boat. About a quarter of an hour afterwards the Nelson went down by the head. \ j It was just drawing into dusk then, and the crew of the,boat pulled all that ! night. Towards morning the wind freshened.' and blew them out of their course: The^ putted all that day, and' had, a pair of trousers and a large piece* of oilskin fastened to two oars to attract attention. Once a vessel was sighted; and once a group of minesweepers, but ;they passed out of sight. At night the jveather became finer, and through that • night they pulled until daybreak when, at 10.30 a.m., they found a buoy. and made fast to it. That afternoon they were sighted and rescued. . •.-."•■•■■. ■ ■ ,'

second han,d who took ciarge of the tiller after the. sEpper had been shot down was. his son, Ami so the great tradition goies on.