A SURVIVOR'S NARRATIVE

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13806, 28 June 1918, Page 4

A SURVIVOR'S NARRATIVE

TWO DISTINCT EXPLOSIONS. ALL LIGHTS EXTINGUISHED. VESSEL SINKS BY THE STERN. IN FIFTEEN MINUTES. CAPTAIN AND OFFICERS CO DOWN WITH HER. HOSPITALITY To SUUYIYORS. AFTER EICHT-MILE TRAMP. AUCKLAND, Fridav Amongst the first bateh of survivors from the Wimmera who landed at Tom Bowling's Bay is Mr Tucker, OBE of Melbourne, a well-known worker in aid of Australian patriotic associations' oojecto. lie telegraphed an account of the experiences of his party last evening. Mr Tucker states that prior to the Wimmera being sunk two distinct explosions occurred. The lights were extinguished in two minutes, but there was no panic amongst the passengers or crew. The women and children behaved magnificently, and the vessel kept on an even keel for 15 minutes and then settled by the stern. Finally her bows rose above 50 feet in the air and the vessel plunged to the bottom. The vessel was struck near th« stern, and the fact that the vessel kept on an even keel for some time and that the wind was making towards the land, helped materiallv to lessen the magnitude of the disaster It was a moonlight night, with a fair sea The captain and the first officer, the chief steward and several others remained on the vessel to the last and apparently went down with her._ Four people were rescued from the sea, including the chief engineer who was washed off the .deck a s the steamer sank. One beat was swamped and one stove in. The difficulties that arose in persons getting clear of the vessel were principally due to inability to get on the deck after the lights went outOne family of eleven and one of seven were all saved. Fourteen stewards and all the stewardesses were missing from the first partv of four boatloads of persons that landed at Tom howling' s Bay. Most of the stewards who were saved ■ were»<aim g polled to clamber through the sikT" s light. A greaser who was in the tunnel at the time of the explosion was saved. Several of those who were earliest to reach the deck were amongst not included in the fonr boats that reached Tom Bowling's Bay. • Timely assistance was rendered hv trawlers in the vicinity. Of the 84 persons in the four Iwats most were clad in their night attire. The survivors received welcome as- r sistanee on landing from Mr Murdock Munro, a sheep farmer, after having walked and crawled over eight miles (J rough hill country. Thev were shown every kindness by Mr Munro and the Maori residents in the vicinity. After arrival at Munro's station the'assistant purser, accompanied by a Maori, rode 17 miles to telegraph the news. All the members* of the partv are well but footsore and tired. Every kindness has been shown to them by the residents of the Parengarenga district.

SURVIVORS EN ROUTE FOR AUCKLAND. , AUCKLAND FRIDAY. The Star's correspondent at Parengareuga states that all the survivors at Parengareuga are well and in excellent spirits. There was an entire absence of panic. The three stewardesses gave many instances of coolness and grit. All pre enthusiastic about the splendid courage of the women and children. A number of the survivors will arrive in Auckland early to-morrow.

SURVIVORS AT MONGONUI. AUCKLAND, Friday. The Wimmera survivors landed at Mongonui are:— T. W. Mole, Charles Hodder, T. G. Graham, P. Elliott, Alice Dunn, Ada Saycgh, L. Hennerseu, J. BlockWo, W. J. Gihlin, wife and two children, J. Forsyth, Mrs and Miss Browning, T. Grimshaw, Miss Street, J. McCarthy, F. C. Bond, Mr and Mrs Sydney Jones, R. Gamble, W. Brewis, R. Murdoch, R. Sarille, H. Kennedy. J. Donaghy, P. M. Crewe, W. Roper, S. Vates, and one member of the cre.v whose name has not been ascertained. MISSING. Passengers—Mr and Mrs Gihlin and two children, Mr and Mrs Jones (theatrical artists), Mesdames E. M. V. Barnett, Burt, Browning, Gould. E. R. Dunn, Jones, McDonald and child, I. (). Schuberg, Misses Browning, Jones, V. McLean, Peter, Sayegli, Street, Watson, A. Wvllie, Messrs F. C Bond, R. J. Elliott, H. Graham. Hewitt. M. C. Hodder, H. 11. nedy, W. J. Mabe, Jose San Pedro, Peter, Manuel Sanudo. Crew—H. J. Kell (master), A. Nichol (chief officer). A. Brookes (third officer) S. Collier (second engineer), D. Mowatt (.">urth engineer", H. Verge (chief steward). A. Bomont ■wireless operator), N. Hawkeswood .'assistant purser), C. McMillan, E. E. Newton, J. Robertson (stewardesses). J. Mulvenna, B. Benson, A. Geary, J. Donaghy (able seamen), E. Martin (ordinary seaman). T. Graham (greaser), J. De Bnwe, W. Brems, C. Neal, S. Haves. J. Fanning, W. Murdoch, F. Tildesley, (firemen). J. MeCartnev, W. Hoper, L. Hrnnigsen, F. McCreeve (trimmers), W. Smced, C. Woodward, !i. Butler, E. Greaves, J. I'orsytlie, J. Blackborough (stewards). R. Sarille (saloon waiter), F. Crosa mighlwatchman), E. Gamble (pantryman), T. Grimshaw (second cook), E. Edwards (third cook). S, Yates (taker). Mr .1. S. Bond, of Hamilton, has re-/*, eeived a telegram staling that Ids son. Private p. C. Bond, who was amoP«c the missing from the Wimmera, is s;.fa at Mongonui.