"GOOD-BYE LABS!"

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13729, 18 March 1915, Page 2

"GOOD-BYE LABS!"

A seaman of the light cruiser Topaze sends a .vivid description of the last momeirfcs of thY battleship Formidable, which was torpedoed in the Channel. The Topaze was the'last of a line of ships, and at ten minutes past two in the morning the bugle sounded "Action." Tumbling on deck, the writer saw that the Formidable had dropped out of the line and had a heavy list to starboard. At half-past two her boilers exploded and all her lights went oxtt. Continuing, the writer says:—

"All the remainder of the fleet scattered, but we stood by her till she went. We kept sweeping round in circles so as to make ourselves an awkward target to the (submarine. The first time round we managed to get a line to a cutter, and got thirty-five hands out of her. The coxswain of the boat was a real good Britisher. He remained in the boat, calling to his crew to stand by him. He wanted to go back again for another boatload. He refused to come out until an officer went down and literally hauled him out, and he nearly cried because they wouldn't let him go back.

"What struck me most was the coolness of the captain of the Formidable. He stood there amongs the men, cheering them up and giving orders quite coolly. He was a 'white man.' The men had fallen in on the quarterdeck, smoKiitg and quite orderly.

"The third and last time we steamed round we went right close to the Formidable, and endeavoured to go alongside her, but were unable to do so on account of the state of the sea. We laid off helpless to aid them, and at two minutes past six the poor old Formidable went down to Davy.

"The voice of the skipper could still be heard cheering up the men on the deck. Then we saw her settle down by the bows, heard the skipper yell out, 'Good-bye, lads. Every man for himself, and may God help you all.' His cool and calm voice seemed to reach miles. He was answered with a cheer from the men, and then—l am not ashamed to say that tears were in my eyes and in many others, too —the ship took the final plunge. The lads on her deck went down singing 'Should Auld Acquaintance be Forgot.' It was grand, yet oh, so pitiful."