P&O Liner SS Maloja

The Inquest 1916 - Second Lieutenant. C. Vincent

"I recognize No.1 as F. J. Scobie my brother-in-law. He was 30 years of age. He was an accountant in the National Bank of India and he was going to take up his appointment after a holiday. I saw him of at Liverpool Street Station on Saturday. He had recently been married to my sister, who was saved. She was near the stern of the boat and her husband ran to her and tied a lifebelt to her and she tied one round him. They got into two boats but had to get out owing to the list. Eventually they slid down the side of the vessel and that was the last she saw of him. She did not see him in the water. She was in the water for twenty-five minutes, she was given a card by a man who picked her out of the water and she lost it, but wanted to obtain his name. There were five children and witness’s sister on board. One is in hospital and another saved.

No.51 was the body of witness’s sister, Daisy Pardi. She was 22 years of age and lived with witness. Witness recollected being picked up by a trawler. She had a lifebelt on and was in the water half an hour. She had no recollection of anything else. A lady who accompanied the witness, who was very much overcome, said that she had come down to her daughter who was saved and was taking charge of the witness for the present.

Mrs Mary Harris said; No.20 is my brother-in-law, Henry J. Harris. He was in the Indian Reserve of Officers. His rank was lieutenant, but he was acting captain. He was going out to India and I saw him last alive on Thursday. He was aged 51 or 52 years. His wife was saved but is too ill to attend.
Horace Martin the Head of the Appointments Department agent for the Crown Colonies Whitehall said that No.29 was the body of Dr. W. K. Miley who was senior medical officer in the Indian Emigration Department. He lived at 10 Eaton Square Dublin. He was 62 or 63 years of age. He was proceeding to Calcutta to take charge of an emigrant ship going to Jamaica. He was alone.

Bombardier E. Penney, R.G.A. Fort Burgoyne Dover said; No.22 is the body of Charles Edward Kensett, gunner, R.G.A. He was 23 years of age. He left Dover on Friday to embark on the vessel.

Charles Duncan Forbes, Chief Officer of the “Maloja” said; No.17 is the body of Mrs Seymour who was a stewardess.

No.17 is the body of Mabley a stewardess.

We left Gravesend at three o’clock on Saturday afternoon on a voyage to Bombay. The vessel was of 12,500 gross tonnage. All went well till we got off Dover at 10.15 a.m. About 10.30 I was on the bridge with the captain. We had received directions from the examination vessel as to the course. We followed them manually. We had seen nothing. We were the first vessel in the line, having overhauled all the others.

The “Empress of Fort William” had been in front of us. We suddenly heard a loud explosion aft and turning round, saw the debris being blown up on the starboard side. It was not a very loud explosion, more like a gun going off. It was an external explosion . It might have been either a mine or a torpedo but my own idea is that it was a torpedo. Two ships were blown up in line, the one being dead astern. As soon as the explosion occurred the engines were stopped and then put astern. To take the “way” off, and the signal blown for the boats. There was no confusion at all everyone was quiet and calm. The vessel at once began to list. The boats were all out, but before they could be lowered in the water the vessel began to list. Some of the boats got away. But I cannot say how many. We could guess the fate of the vessel at once.

I went down on to the hurricane deck and whilst there the captain shouted “I cannot stop the engines.” That was on account of the engine room being flooded. The engines were then going full speed astern as far as I could judge. The passengers were then getting into the boats on the starboard side. We could not get the boats down as the ship was going to fast astern. If they had been lowered the probability is that they would have capsized. The vessel was going astern away from the shore and settled down aft with a list to starboard. When the captain said he could not stop the engines I went to the engine room to take the captain’s message, and the water was up to the second platform. I could not see the engines. She was listing now gradually till she lay on her starboard side and then went down. I saw two or three boats leave the starboard side and I left the vessel when the water was up to the boat deck. I had a lifebelt on.

I was picked up by a destroyer after being in the water an hour. It was very cold. Everything that was possible was done. As far as I saw the whole of the native crew behaved very well. I saw them practically up to the last. It would be a good thing if all the crew and passengers wore identification discs. I think everyone should wear one now."