Page 56 - Greystones Archaeological Historical Society

THE ACCIDENT THAT TIME FORGOT

attempted to close the damaged doors using a crowbar but was
unable to so do. Other crew members also tried to close the
damaged doors with no success and these attempts had to be
abandoned after twenty minutes. An attempt to use what cargo
was to hand to block the doors also failed.

The rough conditions meant that after 9 a.m. serving food to
passengers had ceased as many of them began to suffer from
the effects of sea sickness due to the constant pitching and
rolling of the ship.

Captain Fergusson then decided that they would sail in
reverse, i.e. stern first, back to Stranraer but to do this a bow
rudder had to be lowered and locked in place. Able Seaman
Nelson with Able Seaman McKinnon and carpenter William
Gowan went for’ard to remove the locking gear and engage the
rudder but the waves breaking over them made this extremely
difficult and they were unable to unlock the rudder releasing
wheel to engage the rudder.

At 9.46 a.m. radio officer David Broadfoot sent an urgent
radio message ‘Hove to over mouth of Loch Ryan. Vessel not
under command. Urgent assistance of tug required’.

From 10 a.m. onwards, passengers began to hear the first of
a series of public address system announcements advising them
to prepare for heavy rolling but that they were safe. However
third-class passengers noticed that they had to hold onto their
seats to avoid sliding around while in other parts of the ship
furniture not tied down started to move around the place.

In Distress

At 10.30 a.m. the first distress signal was sent out:

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