SIMON BOLIVAR DISASTER LEADS TO ROMANCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 5 January 1940, Page 6

SIMON BOLIVAR DISASTER LEADS TO ROMANCE

TWO SURVIVORS TO BE MARRIED FELL IN LOVE IN LIEBOAT 1 By Air Mail—rtpecial Correspondent! LONDON, 16th December. A naval disaster is to have a happy sequel. Packed in an open boat with other survivors of the Dutch liner Simon Bolivar, sunk by a U-boat, a young man and a girl fell in love with each other at a time when they scarcely expected to reach land alive. While the liner was settling after the blast of the explosion passengers unable to reach the boats leapt into the sea. One of them was Charles Bridgwood, of Leeds, an oil mining engineer bound for Trinidad. Another was Nurse B. Ogilvie of Motherwell, Scotland. After a desparate struggle for life they were picked up by one of the liner’s lifeboats. Miss Ogilvie forgot her ordeal in easing the lot of fellowsurvivors. As she went from one to the other, making them as comfortable as possible, Charles Bridgwood watched her and took heart from her words of cheer. He recognised in her a heroine. Presently the young nurse spoke to him. She saw in his eyes open admiration—and something more. Hours later the boat was seen by searchers and they were picked up. Now the couple are to wed. This week Mr Bridgwood admitted they had secretly become engaged. “We like each other very much as soon as we met,” he said. “Miss Ogilvie was wonderful—the way she looked after the other survivors was great. I admired her very much. She seeemed to be interested in me too, so when we were landed she stayed for a time with my parents in Leeds. We are engaged —but I must keep our wedding plans secret.”