LOST BARUNGA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 5 August 1918, Page 3

LOST BARUNGA.

BRILLIANT RESCUE WORK

LONDON, July 21. The Admiralty announces that- the British, transjpwtT Barunga, which was sunk while carrying invaaded men bacK to Australia, was torpedoed at daybreait on Monday last. Although there were 700 persons aboard, including 400 invalids, there were no casualties. The discipline was perfect. The Australians displayed the utmost coolness, singing patriotic songs, and arranged impromptu races to the lifeboats. When the vessel sank, British destroyers effected rescue work, which experienced seamen, who have survived several torpedoings, told the Australian Press Association was one of the most brilliant feats they had ever witnessed. The destroyers closed in to the sinking ship, and kept a sharp look-out for the submarine, ready to ram it or open fire upon it if it appeared oh the surface. The Australians "groused" at being turned out of their bunks, but promptly took up their boat stations, and assisted in putting the rafts overboard. They sang ragtime, and cheered the sailors, who were able to lower most of the boats. When on board the raft, the Australians appeared to enjoy their experience. They used their hands or pieces of wood wood as paddles, and shouted challenges to race their comrades on other rafts until they wer c picked up. The Australians were taken back to a Channel port, and sent to a convalescent camp, "where their comrades gave them an ovation. Graphic stories of the disaster are told )y the rescued men. "We were waiting for the cookhouse call for breakfast when the torpedo struck us," said a motor transport; corporal, "but it hit us fairly on the nose, well up on the bows on the starboard side. Although the explosion was tei-rifie, there was not the < slightest commotion. All fell in quickly, and th© boats rapidly got away. The four nurses on board were the first to enter a boat. When we turned up on the deck we saw the submarine about 200 yards away, half submerged. Our guns were turned on her immediately, but she disappeared lafter travelling round our stern. ' "Our seven lifeboats got away safely with about 20 rafts. Several of our men fell into the sea, but were soon picked up. The colonel stood on the bridge with the ship's captain. All our fellows last to leave the ship. All our fellows took the affair light-heartedly and jokingly. When the medical officer was pulled on to a raft, one man asked him, 'Shall we have another medical board sir, when we get ashore?' Some men paddling on the raft sang 'Australia Will Be There.' The rescue work progressed wonderfully, and the sea was perfectly smooth. By 8 o'clock every man had been taken aboard the destroyers." The Australians at^he camp to which the men from the Barunga returned describe them as very happy and proud of themselves. They were dressed in all | sorts of borrowed clothes. Some of them [declared that the sight of the colonel I taking the water was worth rememberI ing. One man in a trough between two waves reminded of a soldiers' canteen game by hearing a shout of "House on top line.'' Looking up, he saw a bigger man momentarily crested on the wave above.