CAREER OF A TROOPSHIP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 18, 23 January 1919, Page 4

CAREER OF A TROOPSHIP

SUEVIC CAPTAINS INTERESTINGEXPERIENCES.

The transport Suevic—-amongst the first British-Australiaxi steamers used in the Australian troopship service, and the first transport to arrive at the Suvla Bay operations—left London on her last' “ordinary passage” prior to the outbreak of war two days after the expiration of Great Britain e ultimatum to ■Germany with regard to Belgium, Since that voyage the Suevic, in charge of Captain English, has engaged! in the transport duty, with periodical visits to Australia. For the most part her career is typical of the experiences of other Britksh-Australiau transports, but in certain respects her experiences are unique. While the steamer was kept free from submarine attack, she had some narrow escapes from destruction by bomb and shells. The Suexic’s tnost sensational experience was at Suvla Bay. After disembarking Australian troops at Egypt, the Suevic was coaling at Alexandria for a “special mission,” of the exact nature of which even the ship’s captain was not informed until right up to the time of leaving port. Eventually the Suevic and several other vessels, after all preparations for departure had been made, were directed 1 to proceed to Suvla Bay. The Suevic was the last to leave on the mission, and as a final precaution the captain decided to fill his tanks with 100 tons of fresh water. This was a. fortunate procedure, for on reaching Suvla Bay she found the troops sorely in need of water. On a dark night, and with lights out, the Suevic sailed for Suvla Bay. Dawn was breaking as the Suevic reached; the entrance to the bay. Aided by the sight of a net-laying ship dl- : houetted against the grey skyline. Captain English found the fairway, and joined the destroyers in the bay, the Suevic being the first transport to arrive on the scene. At daylight, when disembarkation operations were in progress, an officer from the shore came aboard, “Can you spare us any water, captain?” he anxiously inquired. ‘'Water ” said the captain. “You’re not short of water?” “You would! not joke about the matter, captain,” was the reply, “if you saw t?ie men’s tongues hanging out for want of a drink. Surely you can spare a few lons.” To the great delight of the men, Captain English* was able to promise 100 tons of water for the thirststressed troops. Later on the vessels in the bay were subjected to heavy shell fire from the Turkish guns, but the Sueyic escaped damage. ; •Considerable interest was occasioned oh board the transports by the actions of, a German Taube, which mad© periodical observation flights. Whenever jthe Taube appeared a signal.flag, “Hos-, 'tile aircraft coming,” was exhibited on every ship in the bay. One day the signal went up, and as the Suevic’s captain; cam© on the bridge with a powerful telescope he observed that the Taube was flying at an unusually low altitude. 'Anti-aircraft guns opened, fire on the ,■ flying machine, but she came on until ! well over the .Suevic, the last boat in ■the line. Then the captain through his telescope saw a bomb drbp like a flash from the machine. It seemed that it must land on the Suevic amongst a ! highly explosive deck cargo. For the next fraction of a second the captain, continued! to gaze through the telescope at what he thought was to be the xneaps of their destruction, while - the chief, steward paused at the dopr of his cabin, , in which his. canary was chirping. With a loud explosion and a deluge of watery the bomb, missing the Suevic by a; few : feet, crashed into the sea. _ Such was the force of the explosion that the of the portholes was broken, plates and. glasses were smashed\aboard ship, and the vessel rocked heavily. “Call me when Mr. Taube makes the next visit,” remarked! the captain as he went below, while the steward went back to his cabin to inspect the dead body of his canary, killed either by shock tor the concussion of the explosion. Later three “hostile aircraft” signals were hoisted. The Taube reappeared, followed by another machine, which, however, seemed to be chasing the first one. Then, to the delight/)f all on the ships, it was realised that the second machine was a French airship. The third airship signalled was a British machine. . The three machines disappeared’ over the horizon, and the next morning the cap-, tain of the Suevic informed that “the Frenchman had settled the Taube.”

Ono night the ships received orders to bo ready to leave the bay immediately, for it was feared that the. Turks were bringing up guns on the top of the ridge. But the British' naval proved too good for the Turks, and the danger to the ships was averted, Oriu ship, however, which went out -o 'ee what was going on behind the ridge, received a 6-inch shell on her deck.

On the Suevic’s last trip to England, Captain English was the commodore of the - convoy of transports, which Zigzagged” their way into Londpn without loss. The Suevic is, the transport on which a Sydney girl in 1016 endeavouredto stow away, dressed in the uniform of the A.I.F. She was detected;' and, as the Suevic was bound direct for Suez, the girl was put on board, the Achilles for Melbourne. The Susyic, it is. said, never sighted a submarine during the lour years of war. The Suevic was due, in Wellington to-day, 1