THREE BRAVE GUNNERS MIDDLE EAST TRAGEDY RESCUES FROM DROWNING (Official War Correspondent, N Z F F) CAIRO.
In a classic example of willing sacrifice, three New Zealand artillerymen lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea as they strove to save others who had been swept out by a vicious undertow. With 12 or 15 bathers in difficulties at one stage, the rescue operations lasted a full half-hour. Eye-witnesses said that the spirit in which the rescuers—officers and men together worked, as if they were going into action, miraculously prevented heavier losses. The victims were:— Gunner Owen J. Muir, son of Mr. H. H. Muir, of Hamilton. Gunner Trevor Harry Flynn, son of Mrs. H. J. Flynn, Auckland. Gunner William Fulton, husband of Mrs. M. E. Fulton, Levin.
Wave Breaks Human Chain - Their deaths provided a tragic ending to a bathing party organised by a battery belonging to the oldest field regiment. The surf was treacherous on one part of the beach, and there one of three swimmers—not those subsequently drowned —got into difficulties. His companions went to his help, but the water was sweeping out too strongly. Twenty-five other bathers quickly formed a human chain from the beach by gripping one another's hands. Then suddenly a heavy wave pounded the chain about half-way along, breaking it and carrying a dozen or more men away in the undertow. Some of the men were able to regain the shore while the strong swimmers among the rest did their best to hold the others up. An English major rushed to the scene with a lifebelt and ropes gathered from trucks and tents. By running the lifebelt out and bringing the bathers to it singly or in pairs and hauling them ashore, the rescuers made swift and steady progress. Advantage was taken of smoother water alongside the danger spot.
Aucklander Saves Four Men - An Aucklander, Sergeant-Major Rex Lovett, saved four men by swimming across and catching them in turn as the current swept them back, and taking them to safe water. Sergeant Ralph Allen, of Dunedin, remained at the end of the rope the whole time to escort the rescued men ashore and run the lifebelt out again unaided.
[New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24087, 4 October 1941, Page 10]
