SINKING OF THE ASHBURTON

Otago Witness, Issue 3247, 7 June 1916, Page 4

SINKING OF THE ASHBURTON

SUBMARINE'S ORDER TO ABANDON SxHiP. A letter has been received by a Sydney shipping snan containing an account of the sinking of the steamer Ashburton while homeward bound from New Zealand ports in Apr;!. The. letter states that- the vessel was tor- , pedoed by an enemy submarine on April 1, A when about 180 miles south of the Lizard. M A submarine suddenly came to the shortly before 9 a.m. and signalled " don ship; 1 am going to sink you." Cap-S tain Mathews, of the Ashburton, decided to« attempt to escape, lie immediately sentS out wireless signals, giving his exact tion. and procicdcd at full speed. lie r&S ported by wireless that he was being ehasechß by a submarine. The submarine openedM fire, the first shots apparently directed at tho boats, which were riddledH with shrapnel. The wireless was down by other shots, and the vessel was fl| Struck astern, and began to settle aft. .H shot carried away her funnel, and she 'fl forced to surrender. jS The submarine thon catrie np. and h:v<jj torpedo, which struck the Ashburton 4H tho waterline, in tho vicinity of the II room. The vessel sank in 25 minutes. ■■ of the damaged boats was being kwcHJH when it canted, and about 30 men \vM thrown ' : ' :1 tl! :■ ; M round them. The submarine crew /■! no assistance, but calmly watched struggling in the water. Two other, | were lowered safely, and the men j iMHJ water were picked up. The submal tl-in meantime disappeared. G j Mathews was the last man to le-J steamer. The crew were picked vM IHI J MB were landed at Plvmonth. The llfl «■■ neer. the carpenter, two BritishS| S^^fl of the crew, arc one MHH jurcd. but the injuries were forttMJ H|H