The Wreck of the “Rohilla.”
A SAD DAY FOR BARNOLDSWICK.
Perhaps one of the most poignant tragedies of the early stages of the War was the sinking of the hospital ship “Rohilla” on the East coast near Whitby. It was a disaster which will long be remembered by the Craven district generally and Barnoldswick in particular, inasmuch as the splendidly appointed ship of 7,000 tons had on board fifteen Barnoldswick members of the Naval Sick Berth Reserve. Of these only three were saved, the remainder being reported dead or missing.
The men concerned were:—
Saved.
Pte. W. Eastwood, married, two children, 8, Powell Street.
Pte. F. Rediough, single, 13, Ribblesdale Terrace.
Pte. Anthony Waterworth, single, North View Terrace.
Missing or Dead.
Sergt. A. Petty, married, one child, 2, Bracewell Street.
Cpl. M. Birtwhistle, married, one child, 19, Clifford St.
Cpl. W. J. Daly, married, six children, 32, Westgate.
Pte. H. Barter, married, no children, 41, Skipton Road.
Pte. T. Petty, married, three children, 11, Coronation Street.
Pte. T. Horsfield, married, seven children, 33, Heather View.
Pte. W. Horsfield, single, 7, Essex Street.
Pte. Alfred Elsworth, single, 32, Wellington Street.
Pte. J. T. Pickles, married, one child, Federation Street.
Pte. H. Hodkinson, single, 14, Bank Street.
Pte. W. Anderson, single, 20, School Terrace.
Pte. F. Dunkley, married, one child, 9, Bairstow Street.
The “Rohilla” was on her way to Dunkirk to bring back the wounded, and at ten minutes to four on the morning of October 30th, 1914, she struck on submerged rocks in the vicinity of Whitby. Within half a mile of land she broke in two, and was battered to pieces in the presence of thousands of spectators, who, for the most part, were helpless. The dangerous proximity of the vessel to land was first noticed by a sentry on night duty on the pier head at Whitby, who was astonished to see a large vessel loom up out of the darkness and pass silently within a few yards of the pier.
Almost simultaneously a coastguard sighted the vessel and recognised her peril as she skirted the submerged rocks which stretch from the foot of the south cliff. Half a mile further on, within a few hundred yards of a curious promontory known as Saltwick Nab, the vessel struck the rocks with a grinding crash. Rockets were at once sent up and the alarm raised. The vessel was about 500 yards from the cliff and in as helpless a position for rescue as could be imagined. It was impossible to launch the larger of the two lifeboats from Whitby Harbour or to drag it under the lee of the cliffs to a more favourable position, and all attempts of the Rocket Brigade to establish communication with the vessel were unavailing.