HEROISM AT SEA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 68, 22 March 1935, Page 6

HEROISM AT SEA

FOUNDERING OF GRAIN SHIP 1 NORTH ATLANTIC TRAGEDY SURVIVING SEAMAN'S STORY How the British freighter UlsworLh a steamer of between two and thre« thousand tones, foundered in a raging hurricane last December, after beiir r adrift and helpless for five days in some of the worst weather known in the history of the North Atlantic, was narrated by Mr. F. W. Andrews in a special interview with a “Chronicle' - reporter on board the Port Pirie, at present loading in the Wanganui Road stead. Mr. Andrews was a member of the crew of the ill-fated Ulsworth aon the only seaman to survive the wreck Of the 26 men who formed the crew when the vessel sailed, only 11 were saved, the remainder perishing during the gallant attempts at rescue by life boats from the Cunard liner Ascania and the Belgian steamer Jean Jadot. Like a page torn from fiction, but more thrilling because of its stark realism, the story is an epic of heroism and deeds of daring by men who go down, to the sea in ships. On December 3 last the Ulsworth, commanded by Captain J. Reid, sailed from Montreal with a cargo of grain for Queenstown, Ireland. Eight davs out, while steaming into heavy weather on a mid-winter trip across the North Atlantic, the steamer’s steering gear carried away and she began to drift in a north-west gale. Tremendous seas were sweeping over the vessel low in the water and wallowing helplessly, when her crew rigged a jury rudder and wireless calls were sent out for assistance. Belgian Steamer Answers Call f orty or fifty miles away the Belgian steamer Jean Jadot picked up the freighter's wireless message asking for help and steamed for the position given by the Ulsworth. The disabled grain ship was then 60U miles from the nearest land, the Azores, and was already being badly buffeted by a gale that was rapidly making. Out of the storm-swept Atlantic came the Jean Jadot, approaching the Ulsworth as close as she dare and passing a stout tow line to the men who waited on the stricken steamer’s bows. “After considerable difficulty,” said Mr. Andrews, “the tow was begun, but in no time the line parted and we were again adrift. That night the wind changed to hurricane force and at 10 p.m. on Thursday, December 13, an unlucky day for us, the first S.O.S. messages were sent out. We were being badly knocked about, our decks were constantly awash and all our boats were gone. To make matters worse, the hatches had been stove in and we were making water fast.’ ’ Cunard Liner to Rescue The Ulsworth’s J 5.0.8. wasansneied by the Jean Jadot and re-transmitted to the 13,000-ton Cunard liner Ascania, bound, from London to Halifax with passengers and mail. The Ascania altered her course and through out the bleak, early hours of a winter’s morning smashed her way through big seas and steamed at full speed on her errand of mercy. When the dawn came, ragged, cold and grey, two ships were standing off from the freighter, now waterlogged with a bad list to starboard and with her bulkheads stove in. The Ulsworth, very low in the water and often awash fore and afi, was in danger of sinking. Throughout the morning both the Ascania and the Jean Jadot made repeated attempts at firing rockets across to the Ulsworth, but their efforts failed and at 1 p.m. the Jean Jadot lowered a lifeboat. How the plucky crew of the small boat struggled against almost overwhelming odds to reach the Ulsworth is a story that will go down as one of the most thrilling and daring episodes of lbw sea. After a long struggle the boat succeeded in manoeuvring alongside the Ulsworth and 14 men were taken ofl. On the way back to the parent ship, however, the boat capsized with the loss of 12 men from the Ulsworth a»'l two of the Jean Jadot’s crew.

Last Men Taken Off bull standing by, the Ascania also decided to send a boat and with the possibility Of the Ulsworth sinking at any moment, a lifeboat was lowered with the liner’s third officer in charge After great difficulty, the boat cventv ally reached the stricken freighter, but the heavy seas running made it impossible for the small boat to be made fast. “The oook, a steward and » mess-room boy jumped into the sea in an effort to swim to the boat, said Mr. Andrews, “but were not successful and attempts at rescuing them failed. Our ship now had a list ot -> degrees to port. Part of the bridge had been carried away and there were only nine men left on board. Time was short and the only way to reach the boat was to jump and trust to luckWhile the small boat, dancing like a cc-rk, was still within jumping distance of the freighter, the stricken vessel» crew jumped, one by one, ail reaching the boat after an immersion tn raging sea. One of the Ulsworth.. men actually landed in the boat, sus taining a broken leg. The last act o this drama of the sea was enacted when the small boat reached the Ascania in safety and a little later tee Ulsworth foundered, disappearing to her grave in the Atlantic. When he reached the Ascania s decMr. Andrews collapsed nnd remembered no more until he was in the. liner’s hospital. It was a trying ordeal, sufficient to strain the nerves 01 any man to breaking point. In,Mdc ' r tally, the Fort Pirie is Mr. Andrew-, first ship since the wreck. All his belongings on the Ulsworth were lost and he considers himself fortunate to escape with his lilt'-

parade of Fire-fighters. Four fire-fighting machines, with ’ personnel of upward of thirty, will parade in Victoria Avenue to-night in furtherance of Fire Prevention Week activities. Each of the machines will carry banners with suitable slogans and timely advice to householders and shopkeepers alike. Scottish Activities. With a view to profiting by closer co-operation it is understood that the Wanganui Scottish Society and the Wanganui Highland Pipe Band will endeavour to wofk in conjunction during the coming year’s activities. There w stated to be a prospect of amalgams tion. It is believed that the over-lap ping which is evident when bodies with similar objects appeal to the same community, will be avoided if the present move is ratified-.