1939-09-19 — Page 6

Fage 6

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 19, 1939.

COURAGEOUS DISASTER

EPIC STORY OF GALLANTRY AS CARRIER GOES DOWN

London, To-day.

AN EPIC STORY of the gallantry of the men of the INTERNMENT

Courageous was disclosed last night when nearly 400 survivors were landed by destroyers. It is not known how many more were rescued by mer chantmen.

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CAMP INCIDENT

Another, incident in

Matauchung

Camp on Saturday night was men-

Nothing is yet known of the fate of the commander of the Courageous, Capt. W. T. Makeig-Jones, formerly of H.M.S. Nelson. One officer saidtioned before Mr. E. Himsworth this that he last saw the captain standing on the bridge issuing orders to abandon ship

The survivor said that the order to abandon ship was given within five minutes and she foundered within 30 minutes.

Some of the boats could not be used

LINER HELD

because the vessel heeled so quickly. UP BY CREW

There were two distinct bangs at Intervals of about one second and there were a few minor ex- plosions.

PART BELOW DECKB Part of the crew were below decks when the ship foundered. Most of the Those crew jumped into the water. who were unable to swim supported themselves with odd pieces of wood ånd rafts.

Destroyers picked up survivors and British merchantmen which were quickly on the scene are believed to have rescued a large number..

..

Assistance was also given by. а Dutch Ilner and an American freighter.

Most of those swimming in this area were picked up.

LIGHTS WENT

Another survivor said that the lights went when the Courageous was struck and crockery fell about as the ship listed.

But everybody was quiet and order- ly and some sailors cracked jokes and they swam about waiting to be picked up.--Reuter.

Nearly 400 of the crew of H.M. Aircraft Carrier Courageous were

tish destroyer.

Rotterdam, To-day. The Holland-America luxury liner Nieuw Amsterdam was prevented from sailing from Rotterdam last night,

Her crew declined to accept the offers of the company and refused to sign on.

About 1,200 passengers had been booked.-Reuter.

morning by Inspector H. E. Rogers

and

DUKE OF WINDSOR GIVEN POST

London, To-day. The War Offico announces that the Duke of Windsor is shortly to proceed to take up a staff ap pointment abroad.

So that he may serve in this capacity, the King has permitted the Duke to relinquish tempor. arily the rank of Field Marshal In RESUMO the British Army and

that of Major General with of. fact from September 3.-Reu- ter.

NOT BAD FOR DAY'S WORK

hours,

when he prosecuted Chau Hung, 33, an internec, for damaging a window. According to the prosecution, Ser- geant Rothwell was on patrol in the Camp at 11 p.m. on Saturday saw lights in the Camp's dining room. He entered and saw three internees

A man who, within seven He ar- breaking window frames. rested accused, but the other two arrested two snatchers, was this morn- made their escape.

ing warmly commended by Mr. Q. A. A. Macfadyen when he appeared in "Altogether

window -30

frames two cases, in which two youths, Fung Chan Fuk-kwai, 21. have been broken by internees and Kam, 17, and

broken on Saturday," three were

were charged with snatching hand- said the Inspector.

bags from Tung Wai-ling, 27, and Li Two weeks', hard labour was im-Yee-ling, 22; in the vicinity of Shek posed.

Ki Mei Street yesterday.

BETWEEN 400 AND 500 CASUALTIES FEARED IN LONDON

(Our Own Correspondent)

(By Telegraph. Received, Sept. 19, 10.50 a.m.)

Shanghai, To-day.

IT IS TO BE FEARED that only 700 of the personnel of H.M.S. Courageous are survivors of the U-boat disaster yesterday, according to reports reaching here.

landed yesterday evening from a Bri-Hopes are still entertained that more have been saved by the merchant vessels which went to the rescue, from which precise details have not yet been obtained.

It is not yet known how many more of the crew of 1,100 have been rescued by merchant ships.

One of survivors, who had been in the water for 75 minutes, sald that many of the men in the water- sang and cheered while they were waiting for rescue ships to arrive.-Reuter.

UNEASINESS IN BALTIC

COPENHAGEN, TO-DAY. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE UN- EASINESS IN THE BALTIC STATES AND SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

The Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of the four Northern Coun- tries-Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland-met in Copenhagen yester- day morning, but it is unlikely that. there will be any official communica- tions regarding their discussions un- til a communique is issued after their meeting is over. Reuter.

LITHUANIA MOBILISING

London, To-day. Lithuania has decided 'on partial mobilisation and is strengthening her forces on the Polish frontier.

any

This, it is stated, is to ensure her neutrality and also to intern Folish troops who may retreat across the border--Reuter.

LATVIA CALLING UP

London, To-day,

Some 400 survivors were landed at British ports yesterday by destroy- ers a few hours after the sinking and they were immediately pounced upon by journalists, one giving a complete account of the mishap.

After the Courageous had been struck, he said, the aircraft-carrier immediately took on a heavy list to port.

Quickly, within five minutes, the Captain ordered the ship to be abandoned, after the bow Was already submerged and her stern was high in the air.

She foundered between 15 and 30 minutes after she was hit.

TWO TORPEDOES.

There were two distinct explosions, suggesting two torpedoes, with an in- terval of one second.. There were also a few minor explosions as she foundered...

When the order to abandon · ship was given, most of the crew jumped to swim overboard, Those unable supported themselves on pieces of wood and rafts.

All in the water behaved amazing-

Pell while awafting rescue.

The oasualties were 'chlofly of those killed by the explosiona and those carried down with the ship. The lights went out when the tor- Latvia, one of the Baltic countries-pedo hit and crockery-fell about when to receive Rugela's assurances that her she lifted. Nevertheless «Averyone neutality will be respected, is now aboard was orderly and some were taking additional military measures, cracking jokes and they were swim- in addition to the calling up of re-ming waiting to be picked up serves.--Reuter.

Our Own Correspondent.

Chan Sui-lun, 25, the proprietor of

$aw

a shop in the vicinity, heard an alarm at 11 a.m., ran out of his shop, Chan Fuk-kwai running, chased and arrested him.

Later, at about 6.10. p.m. he heard another alarm, ran out of his shop and arrested the other accused.

"Is he a police reservist?" enquired the. Magistrate, who, informed that he was not, warmly commended him. "We do not want gangs coming from Hong Kong to snatch in our district," said Inspector Nolloth, of Shamehui- po, who alleged the first accused lived

one of the gangs to operate in Kow- loon.

in Hong Kong and was instructed by

Sentence of four months' hard-la-

bour was imposed on the first accus- ed, while a remand was ordered in the second case as accused denied that he

had previous convictions.

Another snatcher, Mak Heung, 30, was sentenced to three months' hard

labour, and Wong Kwong, 17, to six

months' hard labour and 12 strokes.

H.M.8. Courageous, which was sunk by a U-boat when on geged. In hunting out submarines, shown in thê - wake - of· H;M:8. Famillies.

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