LINER AWATEA SUNK

Southland Times, Issue 25023, 8 April 1943, Page 4

LINER AWATEA SUNK

Gallant Fight Off Algeria

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 7. After a brief but notable career of six years, one half under war conditions, the Union Steam Ship Company’s liner Awatca met her end last November on the coast of North Africa. She went down'while fighting off a savage air attack in Bougie Bay, where she had just landed a party of assault troops. The admiral commanding the forces said she fought like a battleship.

The first assault on the forts about Algiers was made successfully on November 8. On the following day ships of the convoy entered Algiers Bay to the accompaniment of an enemy air attack, which was repeated at dawn on the Tuesday. The Awatea proceeded into harbour where she embarked assault troops for an attack on a forward aerodrome at Jejelli. She sailed late that night, but found conditions unfavourable for landing operations and entered Bougie roadstead. The troops had disembarked and stores and equipment were being discharged when enemy aircraft attacked and dropped two bombs close by the Awatea. The attack was driven off, but soon afterwards four bombers came from seaward at a low level. One was shot down by the Awatea and another badly damaged by other ships. Having completed discharge, the Awatea was actually under way for the sea when an attack by an unknown number of aircraft developed. With all her anti-aircraft guns blazing the ship had proceeded a mile when she was hit in numbers one and two hatches by a stick of bombs which set the fore end ablaze. Two hits by torpedoes on the port side caused damage and the flooding of the after engine room and put the fire-fighting equipment out of action. Two other bombs struck the ship. One bomber was shot down and others hit.

The ship was swung round, but lost way too soon to be beached. Before she stopped an explosion in the ship was felt. The ship was blazing furiously when abandoned. The ship's medical staff evacuated sick men from the hospital aft and the crew carried them and the injured to boats. The ship’s company was taken off in lifeboats and by a destroyer. There was no sign of her next morning.