The Lusitania Sinking by Anthony Richards

Author:Anthony Richards
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dundurn
Published: 2019-09-06T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Investigations

News of the sinking travelled fast and as soon as the Prichard family learned of the disaster, their first thought was of Preston. Had he survived? Was he injured? The lack of any immediate news from Preston himself would have been their major concern, and Mostyn therefore departed immediately for Queenstown, where any investigations into Preston’s whereabouts could be best undertaken. While he was away, his mother and sisters remained at the family home on Brockenhurst Road in Ramsgate, desperately scanning each daily newspaper for the latest lists of survivors and eagerly reading the eyewitness stories reported for any slight reference to their ‘Prets’. The tall terraced house provided a fine view down the gently sloping street which ended on Victoria Parade, and one can easily imagine Margaret Prichard gazing across the cold sea of the English Channel in despair, wondering what had happened to her eldest son. One of his last letters home, with reference to his imminent medical exams, had closed with the postscript ‘Will write later, no news is good news.’1 This phrase likely returned to haunt his family as they waited, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

Mostyn arrived at Queenstown on Monday 10 May, accompanied by a family friend, Mr Heald. Both men established themselves at the Westbourne Hotel where, at 7.30 that evening, Mostyn first wrote home to his mother and sisters. Commanding a view across the harbour and being adjacent to the post and telegraph offices, the hotel proved to be a perfect base for the men to undertake their investigations.

My Dearest Gwen and all, Darling Mother and Gwladys, You may be sure I am trying to do my utmost. Mr Heald is so good – I don’t know what I should do without him. We arrived here at noon today and have spent half our time in [the] Cunard office and post office and have been to Military Hospital and wired to all the others, but no such person as dear Preston is in same.

The place is alive with miserable creatures like ourselves. The sights and one’s whole aim tends to the same question. Mr Heald and I were unable to see the bodies of those not identified but we saw the personal effects of them and nothing whatsoever lead to Preston’s identification. They were chiefly women and children and a few men whose ages were much above and below Preston’s … we saw their personal effects and nothing whatever helped with Preston.

Mr Heald has to leave tomorrow at 3 o’clock because of Ascension Day. But you need not worry about me, I am quite alright and you will be pleased to hear I asked someone about Preston and as soon as I showed [his] photo the man immediately knew him. He had two others (ladies) with him. He said Preston was perfectly well as far as he knew all the time, and once when he went on deck they asked him to play Quoits but he refused to do so.

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