Crew Was Marvellous, Passengers Heroic

Northern Advocate, 6 September 1939, Page 8

Crew Was Marvellous, Passengers Heroic

(Received 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 5

An eye-witness aboard the yacht Southern Cross told a graphic story of the rescue of passengers from the torpedoed Athenia. “We received an SOS at 9 p.m.,” he said, “and reached the Athenia about 2.30 a.m.

“The merchantman, Knud Nelson was already standing by. We rescued all we could in lifeboats, with flares dotted about on the sea.

“Desperate shouts for help came from all directions. There was a heavy swell at the time, and we saved around 100 under great difficulties.

“A lifeboat turned turtle whan it was nearing us, and a man clinging to the top of the keel dragged his drowning comrades from the water.

Boats Crammed Full

Another lifeboat was swamped near our bow,

“All hands were engaged in hauling aboard survivors from another boat, and we were helpless to save its occupants. “Lifeboats were crammed full and many were filling with water with people sitting waist-deep. “The crow were marvellous, and the passengers heroic. A largo school of whales plunged round the boat, while many women pulled at the oars along with the men for eight or ten hours. Some, black with grease and penniless were still able to smile.”

Kush cf Recruiting

A later message says that the Athenia disaster has resulted in a rush of recruiting throughout the; country.

The United Press of Great Britain states that Earl Stanhope told the House of Lords that there was no doubt that a submarine sank the Athenia, although there is no official confirmation that she fired a shell, after loosing a torpedo. Reliable witnesses declare that there was no warning sig-‘ nal, and the submarine broke the surface after firing a torpedo.

“That area of the ocean is so deep that a mine could not be moored there,” he said.

“It would, moreover, bo absurd to place a mine there, because we arc anxious to keep our trade going in and out.”

150 Injured

A message says that the State Department advise that at least 100 of the Athenia survivors who landed at Glasgow were seriously injured, and immediately sent to hospital. The Washington correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that the United States Government began gathering testimony to fix responsibility for the Athenia disaster.

The American Minister, (Mr Cudahy), who interviewed the survivors in Ireland, cabled that all confirmed the sinking of the vessel by a submar-