Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954), Sunday 21 November 1915, page 1


THE GENERAL'S PRAISE

A* copy of the following Order of the Day was sent'to "The-Sunday Times" from Gallipoli -by Rev. Father Fahey; It was released by the Censor last night:

General Headquarters,

September 15, 1915.

; The Commander-in-Chief publishes this piala account of the submarine at-tack upon H.M.T. /Southland, without any comment, except his compliments to the volunteer stakers. -The facts,'he feels, are best left to speak for them-selves. .... ..

The Southland transport (Captain

Kelk) .was struck by a" torpedo from an < .enemy submarine at' 9.45 am. on Sep-tember 2, being 'then 40 -miles south of 'Mudros Baj'. A second torpedo passed

"just'astern; of; the transport a fçpr

minutes later. . :

Almost immediately after the expiósion the. ship ¿isted noticeably to starbeard,, and'also by the head. Both the foreholds were soon awash above the

level of -the upper - troop deck. The ]

troops on board <21st - Battalion and

one company of. 23rd Battalion Aus- ! tra!ian Imperial Force) were just about

to parade. They fell in just as for or- ! dinary drill and waited for orders to be passed from the-boat-deck for the required numbers to-be sent up, with-' out any signs -of anxiety to get an early place. - A large number of the troops.. had . to ' stand1 for nearly " two : hours, on the enclosed promenade dicks of what, during the -first 30 or. 40 minutes, "Was believed-to be-a sink-ing ship.

. The -first boats . on .the davits were,

lowered quickly ? anfl -successfully. " but" a considerable - delay ' tpbk'plaoe *efore the boats 'tobpard. could be' got to the davits and lowered with the assistance bf the troops. Two boatloads," among which were. Colonel Linton and 6th Infantry Brigade Staff, were .capsized iii spite of all-precautions, and one waa overturned,;, causing ' the' majority of

the casualties. -' '

'Private Smith,'of C Company, 21st Battalion, '.distinguished .himself n>y "diving fromthe deck-.to prevent a pa-" tent-raft from^drifting-away.'. Thisjraft had to be" lowered bj- one fall owing to -the other häving" Jammed and'been cut

'k The work of loosening horse-stall fit-" tings and other woodiçork was taken-'in hand systematically as soon as the first boat-loads, left the ship, and an ample, supply waa' soon available" ¡Tor use should the' bulkhead-give way..

At IUD a.-m_ the hospital ship.-:arrived with boats swung out ready for lowering. -At that hour . the only; troops remaining .on board, were the r staff of the 2nd Australian ¿División, a

few'.details, and-á;party of volunteer, "stokers under. .Captain N. Wellington,, Mtatnt UM_ BatMUi* «te 4u4

I Teréd to help the master lh his efforts

to get the ship into-port. .

-The boats from the- took off. to that ship divisional headquarters' and details, and also picked up boats p.nd swimmers in .'he vicinity. .'

Closely following the hospital Ship arrived H.M.S. :-. the trench di;-' strover-, and a number of other naif, which soon picked un remaining bents, swimmers, and men afloat on wreckage.

The Southland, escorted by a de-; stroyèr, reached -Mudros safeU^en the c.ening o'f the 2nd, drawing 34ft. .for-

ward and'20ft. aft

List of officers and men compris-ing volunteer party who worked H.M.T. Southland into port :-Capt, Kelson Wellington, Adjutant,. 21st Battalion, 5th Infantry Brigade; "Capt. H. Garrett, A Company, ' 21st Bat-talion, 5th Infantry Brigade; Lieut. A. H. Crowther, A Company,' -21st I Battalion, 5th Infantry Brigade;

Second-Lieut J. W. ' Pearce, B Com-, pany. 21st Battalion, 6th "Infantry Bri-gade; Lieut. J. T. Hamilton Aram, 2nd Division Signal ' Company, 2nd Aus-tralian Div.; Lieut. R. V. Stewart 29th Divisional Train, Imperial Army; Sgt F, S. Forss, 21st Battalion; L."-CpL

K. W. Ahearn, 21st Battalion: Pte. V. C. Williamson, 21st Battalion; Pte. D. M. Paterson, 21st Battalion; Pte. G. A. Sellway, 21st Battalion; Pie. E. L. White, 21st Battalion: ' Pte. A. G. Waugh, 21st Battalion; Pte. H. V. Li-zard, 23rd Battalion;' Pte. L. A. Home-wood, ,23rd Battalion; Pte. G. Brown. 21st Battalion; e Sapper J. H. Fishburne", Australian Engineers; Sapper Slade, 2nd Division Signal Company.