DESTROYED BY A MINE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23965, 15 May 1941, Page 8

DESTROYED BY A MINE

NAVAL SWEEPER SUNK FIVE OF THE CREW LOST EXPLOSION IN HAURAKI GULF | [bt telfoiufh —rnp.ss association] WELLINGTON, Wednesday The following announcement was made by the Hon. W. Nash to-day:— The Government deeply regrets to announce the loss of j His Majesty's ship Puriri. The Puriri was commissioned as a minesweeper in the Twenty-fifth (New Zealand) Minesweeping Flotilla as recently as April 19 last. She was engaged in mine clearance operations in the Hauraki Gulf when unfortunately at about 1 1 a.m. to-day she struck a mine and sank immediately. One officer and four men are missing and must be presumed to have lost their lives. Two men were injured and have been brought into harbour in charge of a medical officer. The two injured men are now in hospital. The remaining five officers and 19 men have been saved and are uninjured. The Government is sure the whole population of the Dominion will join in expressing deep sympathy with the relatives of the lost officer and men in this the hrst casualty to a New Zealand warship. The relatives will, however, derive comfort from the fact that these officers and men lost their lives in the performance of their important and dangerous duty. Following is a list of the casualties: — MISSING AND PRESUMED DEAD Lieutenant Douglas William Blacklaws, R.N.R. (New Zealand) Wife, Mrs. R. A. Blacklaws, Heme Bay, Auckland. Able Seaman Leon Purkin —Mother, Mrs. M. Marioty, Te Hoe Hoe, Putaruru. Steward John Richardson —No next of kin. Stewart George Edward Roy Hobley—Wife, Mrs. D. Hobley, Auckland. Stoker Petty-Officer Barndt August Mattson —Father, Mr. Benjamin Mattson, Whenuapai, Auckland. INJURED, NOW IN HOSPITAL Able-Seaman Harold Martin West—Father, Mr. N. H. West, Napier. Injuries serious. Able-Seaman Duncan Rex Stewart—Mother, Mr 3. B. Stewart, Nelson. Injuries not serious. An able-seaman, Norman Bernard Dunning, was treated for bruises, but was able to return to his home. Lieutenant Blacklaws had been given command of the Puriri for this one sweep. The regular commanding officer of the minesweeper was ashore on sick leave. A St. John ambulance met a vessel which brought the two injured men to Auckland. Both had received medical attention on the voyage back and were carried ashore on stretchers, their heads wrapped in bandages. Their injuries were caused by flying wreckage. One was deeply unconscious, but the other, although obviously in pain, joked with the stretcher-bearers as they lifted him carefully from the gangway to the wharf. A comparatively new ship, the twin-screw motor-vessel Puriri, of 927 tons, which, before being recently converted by the Navy, was operated by the Anchor Line in the coastal service from Nelson, was built at Leith late in 1938 by Henry Robb, Limited. A sturdy ship, with long hatches giving ample cargo capacity, the Puriri was of the well-known Robb coaster type, with a cruiser stern. During the summer months the Puriri carried cargoes of fruit from Nelson to Wellington for transhipment, and in the winter general cargo, coal and timber, frequently visiting Onehunga. The deck equipment and all engine-room auxiliaries were of the most modern design. The Puriri arrived at Auckland from Immingham, England, on January 31. 1939, with a cargo of basic slag after a fair weather maiden voyage of five weeks. The vessel, which was 1 88ft. in length and 35ft. beam, was registered at Nelson.