LOSS OF TWO TRANSPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16763, 1 February 1918, Page 5

LOSS OF TWO TRANSPORTS.

MINES IN MEDITERRANEAN TOTAL OF 809 PERISH. EIGHT NURSES DROWNED. (Received 10 p.m.) ' A. and N.Z.—Reuter. LONDON, Jan. 30. An Admiralty report states that the losses announced in the House of Commons on January 23 were the transport Aragon, torpedoed and sunk on December , 30, and the' auxiliary Osmanieh, Which was mined Mid sunk on December 31, both in the same locality in the Eastern Mediterranean. The destroyer the loss of which was announced on January 7 was torpedoed and sunk while picking up survivors from the Aragon. The Aragon's casualties totalled 610, including Captain Bateman. The casualties from the Osmanieh numbered 199, including Captain Mason and eight nurses. llecoivod 7.30 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, Jan. 30. Two transports were lost between Otranto and Alexandria. A destroyer was also lost while doing rescue work. The larger transport was the Pacific Mail Company's steamer Aragon with 2000 troops on board, including nurses and medical attendants. The second vessel was the old Khedival steamer Osmanieh, with 800 on board. It is believed that both vessels ran into a minefield, the disasters occurring within a few hours of each other.

It is interesting to noto that during the war nine transports have been lost, the casualties aggregating 2000. Something liko 11,000,000 effectives have been carried without a casualty. Close on a-quarter of a million troops have often been afloat on a single day.