THRILLING ESCAPES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15947, 18 June 1915, Page 8

THRILLING ESCAPES.

AUSTRALIAN' IN NAVY.

HELIGOLAND BIGHT BATTLE.

A young Australian, Ray Cook, has had some thrilling adventures and remarkable escapes in the British Navy since the outbreak of the war. Telling of his experiences he writes:—

"I seem to have had a charmed life. Only once have I been wounded, and then in the muscle of the left arm. Now I care for nothing and fear no one. What I have gone through would harden anybody. I landed in Bristol on July 29 from the Argentine, and joined the Naval Volunteer Reserves on August 2,1914, and was sent straight on board H.M.S. Lark, a torpedo-boat destroyer. On August 6 we were in a lively action with the minelayer Konigen Luise, and sank her. We took soveral prisoners, and were bringing them to Harwich on our leading ship, the Amphion. About five o'clock the follow, ing morning we heard the shout, 'Away life-boat crew.' The Amphion had struck a mine. Our lads manned the whaler, and instead of waiting for the boat to bo lowered slipped it from where it was hangin" (a height of about 14ft) into the water. Wo were travelling about 20 knots. -It was done without accident, and was a feat that will not be forgotten for some time.

"The next engagement I was in was at Heligoland, on August 28, and it was miraculous how I escaped being blown to pieces, for I was in the after-gun's crew, and two six-inch shells landed on our quarter-deck one after the other and blew our gun and gun's crew to pieces. Only two of us were left. My mate had his arm blown off, but I never got a scratch. I believo our destroyers and light cruisers were almost done up, but when our battle fleet came up the Lion and Tiger fired a couple of broadsides, and everything was finished.

"I was next sent aboard the cruiser Aboukir. About half-past five o'clock on the morning of September 22 I happened to be on the look-out when tho Aboukir was torpedoed, and sank very quickly, with a great list to starboard, hundreds going down in their hammocks. My guardian angel was still watching over me, for the Hogue had come to our rescue, and I was lucky enough to be picked up in one of the boats. Tbey had stripped my clothing off, and I was lying on deck, and was blown into the "water,, for the Hogue had been torpedoed also. How long I was in the water I don't know, but somehow 1 had come in contact with a piece of wood, which kept me afloat until I was picked: up by a French fishing smack, and eventually landed in the hospital at Boulogne. After a fortnight of care and kindly treatment from the French people, such is i' will never forget, . I again crossed the Channel for Chatham Barracks, ready and fit to.take another dose smiling."