SINKING OF THE GLATTON

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17982, 29 March 1930, Page 7

SINKING OF THE GLATTON

SURVIVOR’S GRAPHIC ACCOUNT. SURGEON’S GREAT BRAVERY. (by Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Saturday. Mr William Thomas Fox,.one of the survivors of H.M.S. Glatton, which was deliberately torpedoed in Dover Harbour in 1918, lives in Welington. He was a first-class petty officer at the time the vessel was taking munitions across the Channel, and called at Dover for coal. Mr Fox was changing in a bathroom when the first explosion occurred. He saw a mass of flames in the gangway, but made a dash and hit something which rendered him unconscious. When he came to. he made an attempt- to flood the magazines, hut the heat drove him back, badly burned. The next thing he remembered was someone dragging him ixy a rope to safety. Within a few minutes the ship was ablaze from end lo end, and itie men were jumping into ttie - water.

Destroyers came alongside and tried to rescue the crew, but, finding it hopeless, five torpeoes were fired into I lie ship to save the town, and she sank with a hundred men on board. Several decorations - were awarded for bravery, one in particular to Surgeon Lieutenant Atkinson, who, though blinded himself by the explosion, still managed to rescue several men. llis life was despaired of, but lie ultimately recovered.