THE NELSON TOUCH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10053, 12 February 1927, Page 3

THE NELSON TOUCH.

IN A - DOOMED SHIP All New Zealand was stirred by the news of the loss. .of. the H.-M.S. Valerian, a sloop of war, which sank off Bermuda .during the recent hurricane. One of the survivors gave the following account of the final scene on hoard the sloop, and the night- at sea, -during...which_. 8.6 offlcere and- men were drowned. “We raced for Bermuda, but the storm beat ris, and we turned and steamed with the hurricane. ' The first' part was easy, but when the centre was passed, a terrific 130-rnile an hour wind struck us. ■ “the topmast and the wireless wont. The ship took a' heavy list, and Tost buoyancy. - “Ajbout 1 p.m. the order was given "All hands on deck!’ 'SubLieutenant Sumerford took the order .from the captain. He - went below, got all the men up. and stayed at his post.' He went down with the ship, . ...... “He 'had just joined, and was' loved by all. He gave a lecture the night- before on Nelson and his three virtues —courage, devotion .to duly, and ‘ patriotism, ~ Lieut. .--'Sumerford had,tali' of them. v - “The ship disappeared in a min-, ute."" Wo ''li'eaiffi of the boilers:’ 'There was' uo'Tonct 'report, hut hot water riiiliexl up. Everyone was swept .off when the ship turned turtle. Most of the men found pieces of wreckage. There was only one raft, and. 28 men climbed on it. I saw men all round, and we took turns holding them up. ■ ■- “Tlte- raft : -overturned- 2,0 times during 'that terrible nig'ht. It was agonising to hold , on in the tremendous seas, and the wind wa's cruel.' “At first we , thought that we should he picked up at any minute, hut hope .sank when the night came, and we saw no lights, though we were close to land. Then the moon came up and cheered us. “Petty. Officer Tand.ay sang and joked and kept our spirits up, He was splendid. “One by.- one - men . off the raft,,, crying .‘Good-bye, <S S they disappeared. About 10 o’clock on Saturday, morning (October 23) we saw ,the cruiser Capetown. We tried to' shout and cheer,.,-Q,ne man stripped off his shirt for a flag. The boat came, turned away; came again, and then saw hs. Not one of us could have lasled another halfhour. They picked up seven men on wreckage and twelve on the raft. " “We -had no -food or-water, -Thewaves'had- been dashing over Its,.and-" we had swallowed..salt water until kll AeffeWAthcl i “Arc you going to remain in the Service?” asked the interviewer. “Jlcmain?” was the reply. “I have not left yet. . I’ve lost my ship, and shall wait for another. That’s all.” Ho was asked if there was any truth in stories published in America about sharks swarming round the men in the sea. “I saw one, but they never troubled us,” said the narrator. “.ft was my first shipwreck,” he added, “and 1 don’t want another. But, if it comes, it’s 'of- the game.” A