On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 44, 17 September 1918, Page 5

On the Sea

LOSS OF GALWAY CASTLE.

THE WORK OF RESCUE.

A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE, I

MANY LIVES LOST. Press Association—Copyright. Published in “The Times.” London. September 15. The Galway Castle was bound for Durban. There were aboard 201 of the crew, 300 women and children, and 300 invalided soldiers. The ship filled rapidly, but the bulkheads kept her. afloat whilst the destroyers rescued the survivors. The ship was torpedoed. at 7 a.in. Nothing was seen of the submarine. The explosion broke the steamer almost in two. There was imminent danger of her sinking, and Captain Dyer ordered an abandonment, but, with volunteers, remained aboard. Hie crew behaved with commendable promptitude, but the rough sea. made rescue work terribly difficult. - The first boat that was lowered was overturned, and the women and children were thrown into tlie sea. Another boat was dashed against the steamer’s hull, resulting in the loss of numbers of lives, while others were drowned by jumping into the water, hoping to reach the boats, which, however, the rough sea prevented remaining alongside. Constant bailing was needed to keep the boats afloat.

Later, the destroyers brought the survivors to port. 1 here are 20 first, 10 second, and 90 third-class passengers, as well as 34 of the crew missing. Many of the latter were, no doubt, killed by the explosion. Many of the passengers were in their berths when the vessel was torpedoed, and most of them wore only HlebeUs over their nightdress. Many of the rafts were overturned, and the men swam about picking up children and putting them on the rafts. One Naval lieutenant died of exposure in the boat. The missing include Mr Bunting (Burfine), the South African Parliamentarian. Amongst the rescued are Mr Burton, South African Minister, wh 0 is en route from the War Conference. Within an hour everybody was off the ship. When the rescuing destroyers left with the survivors, the steamer wa s still afloat.

The Union Castle Company state that 7-1-1 passengers were on board the Galway Castle, including 399 invalided South African troops. The crew numbered 207, and civilian passengers missing number 11-1 and crew 31. It is reported that the ship is still afloat.

SPANISH SHIP SUNK.

Press Association-—Copyright. Reuter’s Service. Paris, September 16. German submarines shelled and torpedoed another Spanish steamer off the Canaries. CHILIAN ACTION. Press Association —Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable -Vssoevotimi Buenos Ayres, September 11. Reliable information from Chili says that the Chilian Government proposes to charter German vessels as a retaliation for the attempt to sink the interned German vessels by their crews.