 |
I've attached a cutting from our local newspaper the "Gainsborough News" 12.10.1917 giving more info about the death of Pte Henry Freebury.
Regards
Peter Bradshaw
Gainsborough News 12.10.1917
MISTERTON
Corporal H. Hastings, of the Royal Garrison Artillery (son of Mr. J.J. Hastings, Relieving Officer), writes from "Somewhere near the Pyramids, Egypt:- "I was chatting with a corporal of the R.A.M.C., and quite incidentally discovered he was on board the Britannic on her last voyage. He knew poor Henry Freebury, of Misterton, quite well and was with him on the boat deck at the final parade, though not in the same boat party. It appears that after being struck and engines stopped there was a chance, or thought to be, of running her aground. The engines were started again, when suddenly she began to sink by the head, and her three propellers were quickly above the water still revolving, and there was no chance to stop them. As the boats were lowered some of them were drawn to the outside propeller by the suction, and others were hit by them as they came above the water, still spinning round rapidly. In that way a lot of boats were smashed and men hit. My informant's boat had the bottom knocked out; and he came up again and clung to the wreckage. Others of course were not so fortunate. Hy. Freebury does not appear to have been seen by anyone after they were getting into the boats, and he thinks he must have been lost in the way described, and as a good many more were. No one saw him in the water, and his idea is that he must have been stunned by a blow on the boats being smashed. The corporal says there were lots of enquiries about Harry at the time, but with no result. He says he used to sing at the concerts on board, and seemed to be a general favourite. I thought his Misterton friends would all like to know this.
|
|
|
