ATTACK SURVIVED

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21653, 13 February 1942, Page 3

ATTACK SURVIVED

CREW RESCUES TANKER SUBMARINE DESTROYED LONG TOW AFTER FIRE ;L'iilled Press Assn.—Elec. Tei Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 12 The British tanker Taschee, of 6500 tons, which was torpedoed in the Atlantic, has safely reached port with an oil cargo worth over £250,000. Just after the ship was torpedoed the crew of the Taschee saw in the moonlight what appeared to be a U-boat on the surface. They opened fire with their 4in. gun and in six rounds blew the object to piece’. When the Royal Canadian Navy corvette Orilla rushed to the scene, all she found was patches of Oil and patches of ice. The Taschee’s gun crew said they had hit and smashed a small “prowler” iceberg. Tanker Afire Meanwhile, fire had broken out in the Taschee and the crew had to take to the boats. When, however, it was seen that the ship still floated, the captain went back with the chief officer, the chief engineer and the third engineer. The ship was still burning in places, and the captain and the chief officer extinguished the fire while the engineers went below to examine the engines. The captain decided there was a chance of saving the ship, so went back to the corvette and called for a volunteer crew. Twenty-seven of his own men returned, and three engine-room ratings from the corvette.

Steam was raised on one boiler and the Taschee got under way, using the hand steering-gear. Next morning the Orilla took her in tow, using her own wire and the tanker’s cable for towing gear. With the help of the corvette and her own engines the Taschee was able to make about seven knots.

Towing a laden tanker makes heavy demands on fuel, so it was decided to give the corvette additional bunkers from the tanker’s fuel oil. The Orilla accordingly slipped the tow rope, but .then the tanker’s windlass broke and the cable ran right out. The whole of the towing gear was lost. Corvette Arrives

The corvette came alongside and they tried to give the Taschee bunker oil through an ordinary canvas fire hose. But the steam heating system had broken down and could not heat the oil, which was too heavy to pump cold. They abandoned the attempt for the time being, and continued under their own steam. During the night the steam heating was got going again, and they managed to make the oil thin enough to pump through the hoses. Next morning the Orilla again came alongside, and this time they were able to pump 30 tons of oil into her bunkers. The canvas hoses would not stand the high pressure and frequently burst, but the job was done. By this time the Taschee’s engineers had managed to get up steam on a second boiler, and the tanker was again able to proceed under her own power. She was brought safely into port after covering 592 miles in five and a-half days.