OCR Text |
Show TRANSPORT HITS A MINE AT SEA LONDON, March 28. 9 55 p. m The British transport Tyndareus. with (a battalion of the Middlesex regiment aboard, struck a mine on February 8 off Capo Agulhas. the southernmost point of Africa The men were paraded parad-ed on deck, and after roll call began to sing, while they waited for the ship to sink. The Tyndareus. however, was saved and the troops were transferred to two recruiting steamers, having upheld, up-held, as expressed in the offiptal admiralty ad-miralty report, the cherished tradition of the Birkenheadv The admiralty issued the following statement on the incident tonight: "The admiralty transport Tyndareus, with a battalion of the Middlesex regi ment aboard, struck a mine at 8 in the evening of February 9 off Cape Agulhas. A strong southwesterly gale was blowing and imniediatel after the i explosion the ship began to settle by the head with propellers out of the water "'Assembly' was sounded and the nun donned life belts and paraded in perfect order. Roll was called and upon the order, 'stand easy' the whole battalion bejran to sing. "Two steamers dispatched to the rescue, arrived on the scene within half an hour. During this trying time, although faced by the probability of imminent death, the iroops maintained Steadfast courage and discipline. Never Nev-er was the tradition of the British army more worthily . upheld than on this occasion. "Thanks to the devotion and perse-verence perse-verence of the en plain and the officers, the ship was saved. The troops were transferred to the two steamers and I taken to Simonstown. where the Tyn-' dareus subsequently returned under her own steam, with two holds flooded and another leaking. "The king has graciously expressed his deep admiration lor the conduct of all ranks in upholding the cherished t radii ion of the Birkenhead." |