SINKING THE ASTURIAS

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13448, 29 March 1917, Page 5

SINKING THE ASTURIAS

STEAMING WITH ALL LIGHTS. AND DISTINGUISHING MAKES. (High Commissioner's Gable.) LONDON, 8.30 a.m. Wednesday. A paragraph in the newspapers states that the British hospital ship Asturias was steaming with all lights and proper distinguishing Red Cross signs were brilliantly illuminated. The ship was torpedoed on the night of the 20th March. STRUCK BY TWO TORPEDOES. MANY NURSING SISTERS ABOARD, i 1000 WOUNDED PREVIOUSLY LANDED. DEMAND FOR REPRISAL. (Australian and N.Z. Cabl« Assn.) Received March 29, 8.55 a.m. LONDON, March 28. Two torpedoes struck the Asturias at midnight on the 20th. The weather, was fine, but the night was dark. The majority of the crew and hospital staff were in their bunks. The first torpedo struck the rudder, and thence entered the engine-room where it damaged the machinery and put out the electric light throughout the ship. Patrol vessels quickly answered the distress signals, and many survivors were towed to a British port in boats, mostly thinly clad, as they jumped out of their bunks. As far as the German submarine commander could tell the Asturias was full of sick and wounded. The men aboard knew of Germany's threat to torpedo hospital ships, but most of them considered Such Dastardly Conduct Impossible and unbelievable. Newspapers recall the Foreign Office's declaration of January 31st that if the threat to sink hospital ships were carried out reprisals will immediately be taken.

This was the second attempt to torpedo the Asturias, the first being northwest of Havre on February Ist, 1915. The Morning Post states that the first torpe:lo passed right through the stern, another larger hole directly above that made by the torpedo was caused by the breaking and twisting of the propeller. Water poured in and the Asturiag drifted on to a rocky coast where she now lie Meanwhile the boats which were already out were lowered. The Army Nursing Sisters were first placed in them, an exceptional Number of Women Being Aboard owing to bringing back sisters whose period of service had expired. One fully loaded boat capsized, and some of the occupants were in the water for an hour. The thought of every man aboard was, "Thank God we landed our patients yesterday," otherwise there would have I con 1000 sick and wounded aboard, many unable to move hand or foot, and some unable even to cry out for help. The villagers generously supplied the hospital staff and crew with clothing, blankets and boots. There were many slight injuries apart from those severely hurt.

300 ON BOARD. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received March 29, 9.10 a.m. LONDON, March 28. The Asturias, which was returning to her base, had 300 persons on board. The cable news in this issue accredited tp the Times has in that