STORY OF THE ALDWORTH

Northern Advocate, 7 April 1927, Page 7

STORY OF THE ALDWORTH

:< A HERO AND A GREAT MAN.”

CAPTAIN’S BRAVERY.

The first full story of the dramatic battle in November for their lives and for their ship by the captain and crew of the British steamer Aldworth was told when the Cunard liner Andania called at Plymouth. The Aldworth, battered by a great storm in mid-Atlantic, lay heljdess for three days and nights. All that time the wireless operator stuck to his post. The Andania sped over 100 miles to answer an S.O.S. from the Aidworth, and found her washed by mountainous seas. The bridge, charthouae, boats, ventilators, and wheelhouse—all had been smashed up. The wireless room alone remained intact on deck. The Aldworth’s wireless operator never left his post for three days and three nights, the period during which she was in the direst straits. “I can scarcely find words with which to describe the wonderful grit and pluck of Captain Caldicott,” said Captain Doyle. “He must be a great man. I look on him as a hero. The captain was down in the engineroom, working like a Trojan, and how he managed to send replies to my wireless messages Heaven only knows. Once we got there lie just pegged away, and the way ,he must have rallied his tired men is marvellous. When I decided to leave, I wirelessed our ship’s congratulations on his gallant and successful efforts to save his vessel. His reply was: ‘The moment your vessel was sighted it inspired confidence in all my crew, and please accept my very grateful thanks for your most humane consideration for the lives on board.’ It would have been a. great risk to have attempted a rescue in the tremendous sea running, but the crew of the Andania were prepared for anything, ‘and stood by the whole time, ready to make the attempt if necessary.”