PAIN-WRACKED AND DISFIGURED

NZ Truth, Issue 1229, 20 June 1929, Page 3

PAIN -WRACKED AND DISFIGURED

» i iiii. ALTHOUGH, since coming to the Dominion, his case has been submitted through official channels to the Imperial authorities, not one penny compensation for his injuries has been paid to Robinson. ■The unfortunate man has now asked "N.Z. Truth" to put his case before tho public. Six months ago, Robinson approached "N.Z. Truth" and stated his case. He was advised to place the matter m the hands of some organisation which could make representations tc the New Zealand Government with a view to his claim going before the Homeland authorities. This was done, and Robinson 1 has now received a communication from the Commissioner of Pensions (N.Z.), through whose hands the case was' conveyed to England, stating that the Board of Trade (England) did not consider that the claim was "one which fell to be dealt with under the War Risks Compensation Scheme." So, then, the courageous fellows who, oblivious to the hideous dangers Of prowling submarines and mineinfested waters, cheerfully took theii posts and toiled arid sweated m the death-traps of a steamer's stokehold, the men who;, strained sinewy arms tc the call for speed m the conveyance of food and munitions for their fighting comrades — those- coal - smeared ffililllllllllllllllllllllllllllllH

c Victim of submarine warfare. Facially 3 disfigured, Charles Robinson as he appears without his dental . plate —

> _____ ' heroes of the mercantile service — are \ not to be considered as being subjects entitled to the privileges of the War I Risks Compensation Scheme! This is Stoker Robinson's story — let readers judge for themselves. At the age of fifteen Robinson joined the Navy. After seven year's as a jack-tar he took his discharge, and for some years followed up occupations m shipping yards and on docks. When war broke out he was firing on the "s.s. Montebello," a vessel trading between England and Bombay. On August 6, 1914, he was transferred by the Navy authorities to the destroyer "H.M.S. Dartmouth," on which

Torpedoed \

man -o,'- war he remained until Septem- , ber 22, 1914. , Returning to the mercantile service, Robinson served on different ; cargo ships, and.during 1915 and ". ' 1916 was brought face to face with , death no fewer than four times, \ when German torpedoes found their > billets. I On June 1, 1917, the "s.s. Oswego" (8000 tons) was scurrying across the . Atlantic on her way back to England. t Below, Robinson was shovelling at the r vessel's fires— doing his bit; There was a erash — an ear-splitting detonation, which,, to Robinson and hundreds of other British seamen, was almost as familiar as the bursting of a tyre to a motorist, and those below needed no second telling that their 3 ship had been struck by a .torpedo: * x "Go for the ladder— we're ..hit!" I- Robinson . heard his mate yell. Then there was another ominous crash . . . 1 soot from, the top of the boilers scat--5 tered over and blinded the two stok- . ers . . . before he could reach the iron stairway something heavy struck 7 Robinson a" forceful blow oh- the right t side of the .face. ' y Half stunned with the blow, he reeled backwards, but managed to*

Doctors o£ Many Lands Saw Suffering Victim of Marine Disaster, but Would Not Operate 1 COMPENSATION DENIED BUT NEED IS GREAT (From "N.Z. Truth's " Special Dunedin Representative)

| Six times torpedoed !— Yet, alive to tell the tale. \ | Six times, during the dread submarine terror of the Great War, Charles David Robinson, a stoker, of Hull, England, | . | • survived a watery grave. > ' ■ |- | He is now a New Zealand citizen, suffering horrible facial disfigurement and certain physical handicaps which are the § j after-wounds of a slight injury received on June 1; 1917, when Hun torpedoes sent the "S.S. Oswego" to the bottom of the ' jf- ; I Atlantic. v v • |

retain his senses and grope.round for the gangway. When he reached the deck the ship was settling over i to a heavy list, and the Vest of the 7 crew, with the exception of . the captain and wireless operator, had' taken to the lifeboats. Robinson plunged overboard and was 1 dragged into one of the boats. ] Subsequently, the whole crew was 1 picked up hy "H.M.S. Brisk" and discharged at Plymouth. At that time Robinson had no cause to be alarmed about his injury. In fact, there was no superficial evidence of any serious ti*ouble having been inflicted, and after a day or two the incident passed from his mind. About three weeks after the sinking of the "Oswego," Robinson lejoined the "Montobelld." Thence to the "Toronto," the "Francisco" and the "Tuscan Prince." In the English Channel, just outside Dover, the last-named vessel was torpedoed early m August, 1918. Struck amidships, the ship sustained extensive damage to her engine-room, but was able to keep afloat and was towed into the Thames by an auxiliary ; war- boat. Two of the crew, the fourth engineer * and the donkeyman, were killed by the explosion of the missile. v With 'the rest of the survivors, Robinson was discharged, and true 7, to the traditions of the. red ensign, he immediately looked round for '- another ship. ,'•' On August* 15 he' joined' up with the "s.s. Neva," and from that date begins ; the story of an erstwhile inert wound which ultimately cost Robinson the , greater part of the roof of his mouth, _ his right top jaw and portion of his ■ right cheek-bone. While on the "Neva," Robinson's jaw commenced to swell, and at TarantO, Italy,- he was placed ashore for medical treatment iri a British army hospital. ,

After being m hospital for about three weeks, he was sent to Cherbourg, France, and thence across the Channel to Southampton. His jaw had not been operated upon, he was without money, had no discharge entered m his book, and was totally destituted Eventually, the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society paid his fare llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll'lllllllllllllllllUllMllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

A few days after, at Gibraltar, the inspecting medical authorities ordered him to be put ashore for the purpose, of having his jaw seen to. . While there, m a British Army hospital, he was told by a doctor that he would have to have his jaw cut out. "Go ahead with it," . said Robinson; "if it has to be done, I'm willing." However, no operation eventuated,and he was discharged from the hosiiiiiiiiiiiiii.iliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiimu

due to his jaw causing an inability to masticate the hard fare of shipboard. At Fremantle, Robinson was told by one of the medical men that his jaw would have to be operated upon. No effort, however, was made to remove the. trouble! , Discharged froni the Australian hosfrital,- the fireman took a berth on the "s.s. Erfurt" (a captured German),. and under the signature of "0.H.M.5." was discharged m England on January 9, 1920. Despite the inconvenience of his injured jaw, Robinson pursued his calling, and after serving on several vessels, took a billet on the "s.s. Orangeleaf" on May 6, 1920. During the voyage his jaw became more troublesome, and, on reaching Copenhagen, he was discharged for hospital treatment. The records m his discharge-book again describe his services as "0.H.M.5." After a month m the Danish hospital undergoing radium treatment, Robinson was finally transported back to the Old Country, where an operation was performed and portions of the rbof of his mouth and right cheek-bone and jaw were removed* Robinson emerged from his ordeal m hospital with no money, and he and his mother were cast upon charity for their sustenance. Shortly afterwards, the old lady died, and Robinson decided to .again try his luck at his seafaring occupation. „ Joining the'>;"s.s. .Waitemata" m London on- November 16, 1921, he obtained "nisf discharge 'm Sydney four months later. Then followed berths with numerous intercolonial and coastal steamers, until, m May, 1924, he. was compelled to give up his calling owing to his inability to masticate the ordinary solid dishes of a ship's messroom. ' Robinson has since married a New Zealand widow, and with his

wife and infant son and three step-sons, now resides m Dunedin. For a time -he followed various jobs ashore, but for the past year or so has ' been taking what work he can get at the wharf. " ' » Various New Zealand organisations r have assisted Robinson at different _ times. The Dunedin Red Cross paid J for an expensive and specially designed dental plate to ' replace the crude ar- * tide supplied by the Home authorities, | The Dunedin Repatriation Associa- , tion provided the family. with a small 5 sum when it was urgently needed, .and ' the Sheep-owners' Fund provided a Battling On weekly allowance of 35/- per week for six months during the period Robinson was affected by hospital treatment. But all Robinson has got out of the Imperial Government was the paltry sum of £39, which was to cover the loss of personal effects oh the "Oswego" incident. At present, with the aid of ths | two eldest of the step-sons, Robinson is able to maintain a quite [ comfortable home. He is not asking for further charity— fthe man [ wants justice. As his jaw is at present, and will remain for the rest of his life (he is | 48 years of age), Robinson is unable to follow his calling as a ship's fireman. * L At wharf work he earns on an i average less than £3 'a week, this being supplemented by the earnings of [ the two youthful step-sons. But it is not J:he present that is : worrying this unfortunate victim of '■ circumstances. It is the future. - His memory is far from being stable, and he complains of a weakening m the sight of the right eye; Both df these creeping, afflictions he attributes to the original "injury which lost him

1 ■ '. ' . » his appearance and so severely affected his mouth and jaws. Moreover, the two lads who are now such a- valuable asset to the home, must eventually break their home ties and seek for themselves a home of their own. '.."I don't expect the lads— and real good lads they are, too — to be always helping my home," Robinson told "Truth." "What is worrying me is keeping things going when ' they're gone. What about the wife and two youngsters if this trouble gets worse?" That is Robinson's story, and "N.Z. Truth" contends, if the facts are cor- , rect, that he has. a clear, claim on the •' Imperial Government. In spite of the cUrt decision of the Board of Trade, his case should be taken up by our own authorities and thrust home to where it belongs. ; If, as the Board of Trade implies, Robinson's case is not one for the con« sideratlon. of the War7Risks Compensation Scheme, why, "then, was hej A awarded two British wai* medals besides a Mercantile Marine Medal? If the Imperial authorities can answer this .question to the satisfaction' of a community holding high esteem for the. men who rode fearlessly • through the perils of the submarine! terror, the latest correspondence on tho matter i can \be^accepted as final; and. - fair." :'"''.■.: V."7 '' : '-'^v7- ■-'•'■ •■% ■ fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiira^^