SURGEON'S EXPERIENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15766, 14 November 1914, Page 2 (Supplement)

SURGEON'S EXPERIENCE.

.-—'. ;": ■'•»■", "' ; " .'. ■■-;.•■' * '- RESCUE . FROM PATHFINDER. ■ Staff-Surgeon Thomas AUDREY -SMYTH, R.N., who was serving on' the ill-fated Pathfinder, in tho course of a letter written to his mother, and quoted in tho Belfast Evening /Telegraph, says:—"The explosion blew a great hole in tho side of the ship. I was at the time in the wardroom, outran up on deck immediately, and it was: then evident by tho way the bow was down in tho water that she would sink rapidly. I should say the whole ( ' thing occurred 'in ' about " ten minutes, which time was spent in throwing overboard the, few articles 'which wouldi float—the reason ;-there.; was not more'of these was that in preparation forwar all unnecessary woodwork is got rid of to prevent fire. I was then thrown forward by the slope of the -deck)"arid got jammed '! beneath a gun—which I expect was the cause of my bruising— while | in this position was carried down some j way by the sinking ship; but fortunately after a time I became released, and after what seemed interminable ages I came to the surface. After, swimming "a""short time I was able to get an oar and some other floating material,, with'the help of which I was just able to keep on the surface. After holding on for a long time— I believe it \ was \an hour. and a-half—l must have become unconscious, for I have no recollection.of being picked out,of the water. 'You see wo, wero alone .when it happened, so it took a long time for. the reserve torpedo-boats to come out, and it- was too quick: to' get any of our own boats out; besides, most >of the/few we had were splintered to pieces." c • , i 4,,/ ; " .f. ■. '"'. '■' »-'■'"■ .<:■ : f '!!'-". .■■"*