“MAN OVERBOARD"

Southland Times, Issue 19822, 19 March 1926, Page 7

“MAN OVERBOARD"

PLUCKY RESCUE STEWARD’S TIMELY ACT' SMART WORK BY CREW. (Special to the Times). Auckland, Mar. 18. One man on board the Shaw, Savill Co.’s steamer Waimana, which arrived at Auckland this morning from Southampton, hardly thought at one time that he would step off the gangway at the Auckland wharf. This was Mr James Douglas Revell, a young man who was returning after having been Home as one of the volunteer hands who went on the Tainui when she was held up by the strike. Young Mr Revell, who is a son of Mr D. R. Revell, Public Accountant, of Auckland, was one of a party of Aucklanders, many of them belonging to well known families, coming back after having gone home as volunteers on the Tainui and other ships of the Shaw, Savill fleet. One day just about dinner time, when the Waimana was in the Carribean Sea, a few days away from Panama, Mr Revell was sitting on the rail right aft and losing his balance fell overboard. How it happened no one knows exactly, but Mr Revell says he must have got. a touch of the sun or something as he suddenly felt giddy. In falling he must have struck his head against something as he remembers nothing more. “Man Overboard!” was the cry quickly a life-buoy was thrown over th« stern followed by several others. The Fourth Officer, Mr A. Winton, was on the bridge at the time relieving for the lunch hour. Captain Andrews was called and he at once made every effort at rescue. It takes time, however, to stop or turn a big ship like the Waimana, a 10,000-tonner. As Mr Revell disappeared over the side and the people round about raised the alarm a man named T. H. Barry, who was working his way out to New Zealand in the stewards’ department, came out on deck. He was in in his shirt and trousers and, of course, boots, the usual working gear of stewards. Without a moment’s hesitation he jumped over the side after the Aucklander. Some of the passengers who saw the act say he spun round like a top in the eddy raised by the steamer’s screw and some never expected to see either of them again. The first life-buoy was followed by several others and in smart time Captain Andrews had got the steamer round. No. 1 lifeboat was manned and sent away in charge of the Second Officer, Mr F. A. Smith. Fortunately there was not much sea on at the time or probably neither of the men in the water would have been heard of again. By the time the Waimana came round there was nothing to be seen of either Revell or his would-be-rescuer for she was going a good 13 knots at the time and was carried well past where the accident happened. As soon as the first lifebuoy was met the track was followed and after what seined a long time the two men could be seen hanging on to life-buoys. The lifeboat picked up both men about threequarters of an hour after ißevell fell over the rail and by that time, though they were conscious, both were about done. They were lifted into the boat which pulled back to the Waimana and the party had a rousing reception when once more on the deck of the steamer. Between the time Mr Revell fell over- » board and the vessel was once more on her course 56 minutes elapsed which, considering the difficulties, was quick work. During the passage of the ship to Auckland a number of the passengers got up a subscription and a bundle of notes was handed to Mr Barry to mark their appreciation of his plucky act.