Post by Dave Homewood on May 14, 2021 18:03:32 GMT 12
GALLANT RESCUE
NEW ZEALAND SEAMAN
AWARDED THE B.E.M.
BURNING OIL DEFIED
(United Press Assn.—Elec Tel, Copyright) (Special Correspondent) LONDON, May 26
Able-Seaman W. M. Armstrong, of Auckland, who was recently awarded the British Empire Medal, saved an English sub-lieutenant from burning oil when the destroyer Gurkha was torpedoed in the Mediterranean.
Able-Seaman Armstrong said: “I was for’rard shaving and preparing to start watch as a gunlayer when a torpedo struck the fuel tank aft. I immediately rushed to my action station, but the torpedo hit directly under the gun mounting. As a result it was a mass of debris. There was a fierce fire burning, so six of us attempted to put it out, but there was insufficient water pressure.
“We then discovered that someone was under us in the officers’ wardroom, which was hit directly over the fuel tank. I saw an officer who was severely injured struggling at the side of the ship. He kept disappearing under the oil each time the ship dipped. I tied a heaving line round my waist, went amidships, dived in and managed to reach him and pull him out. Then my mates pulled us amidships and got us aboard just before the oil floating on the sea burst into flames. I never realised that a ship could carry so much oil.”
Rescued by Dutch Ship
“A Dutch ship picked us up and landed us at Tobruk. The Dutchmen I gave us all the clothes they had to I spare, but we were still very cold. Tobruk, where we spent two days, experienced an air raid on the day we left. I was two months at Alexandria and then went to England.
Able-Seaman Armstrong is going to H.M.S. King Alfred for a commission. Able-Seaman D. Burns and J. Wallace, of Wellington, were also in the Gurkha when she was torpedoed. They were posted to different ships. Able-Seaman Burns is now a prisoner in Algeria and Able-Seaman Wallace is somewhere in the Mediterranean.
WAIKATO TIMES, 27 MAY 1942
NEW ZEALAND SEAMAN
AWARDED THE B.E.M.
BURNING OIL DEFIED
(United Press Assn.—Elec Tel, Copyright) (Special Correspondent) LONDON, May 26
Able-Seaman W. M. Armstrong, of Auckland, who was recently awarded the British Empire Medal, saved an English sub-lieutenant from burning oil when the destroyer Gurkha was torpedoed in the Mediterranean.
Able-Seaman Armstrong said: “I was for’rard shaving and preparing to start watch as a gunlayer when a torpedo struck the fuel tank aft. I immediately rushed to my action station, but the torpedo hit directly under the gun mounting. As a result it was a mass of debris. There was a fierce fire burning, so six of us attempted to put it out, but there was insufficient water pressure.
“We then discovered that someone was under us in the officers’ wardroom, which was hit directly over the fuel tank. I saw an officer who was severely injured struggling at the side of the ship. He kept disappearing under the oil each time the ship dipped. I tied a heaving line round my waist, went amidships, dived in and managed to reach him and pull him out. Then my mates pulled us amidships and got us aboard just before the oil floating on the sea burst into flames. I never realised that a ship could carry so much oil.”
Rescued by Dutch Ship
“A Dutch ship picked us up and landed us at Tobruk. The Dutchmen I gave us all the clothes they had to I spare, but we were still very cold. Tobruk, where we spent two days, experienced an air raid on the day we left. I was two months at Alexandria and then went to England.
Able-Seaman Armstrong is going to H.M.S. King Alfred for a commission. Able-Seaman D. Burns and J. Wallace, of Wellington, were also in the Gurkha when she was torpedoed. They were posted to different ships. Able-Seaman Burns is now a prisoner in Algeria and Able-Seaman Wallace is somewhere in the Mediterranean.
WAIKATO TIMES, 27 MAY 1942
