a is is in letnon-squash may-go is a of in rnoior-coach on taxi-cab. 37, a a Ashton-'Ui-Kihble, a of on oJ. Black- of ran of is 115 she and The it the at She take gift of who of type gift SCHOOL HOLIDAY DISASTER IN BLACK FOREST Five London Boys Die from Exposure PARTY LOSES ITS WAY ON MOUNTAIN IN BLIZZARD AND FOG Fkeibukg, April IS. Fie London County Council schoolboys, members of a party of twenty-seven, who were making a holiday excursion in charge of a master, have lost their lives in a disaster hicb overtook the party during a mountain trip in the Black Forest. The boys, their ages ranging from 12 to 1 were caught in a violent snowstorm on the Schauius-land, one of the bleakest and highest mountains in thfi district. For hours they wandered helplessly in snow and fog" and bitter cold, and when help at length arrived four of the boys were dead and a fifth died in hospital from the effects of exposure. The victims, all from the Strand Secondary School, Brixton Hill, London, are Francis Bourdillon 12. of 19, Lanercost Road, London, S.W. 2. Alexander Jack Eaton (16), of 18, Cap-thurue Avenue, London. 2. Peter Harold Ellercamp do), of 57. Cheviot Road, London, S.W. 27. Stanlev Michael Lyons (13), of 2. de Mont ford Eoad, London, S.W. 16. Rov Martin Wittaam (14), of 33, Lawrence Road. London, S.W. 9 (who died in hospital). The partv left England on April 8 in charge of Mr. Kenneth Keast, German, history, and sports master at the school. It was expected back on April 23. A sixth liov, Arthur W. Roberts, aged 14, pf Sudbourne Road. Brixton, London, was also critically ill when taken to FreiburR Hospital, but he made a quick recovery and is now out of danger. All the oth'er boys are safe and well. THE FATEFUL TRIP The party left Freiburg yesterday morning to walk to the Schauinsland which is about ten miles to the south-east of Freiburg. They intended to reach the youth hostel at Todtnauberg. On the way a thick fog descended on them and later a snowstorm came, which caused tliem to lose their way. They wandered about the whole day. seeking their way in vain over the bleak snow-covered country. Mr. Keast did everything in his power to aver! the tragedy which descended on the children. He went round trying to keep the boys together and encouraging tlicru with comlorting words. una boy after another, when he had found them, was so tired that lie could walk no farther. Mr. Keast left each one of these with another bov until such time as both could be rescued. t- It was only in the late evening, wtien all were suffering from cold, exhaustion, and hunger, that their cries for help were heard by the villagers of the' small hamlet of Hofsgrund. The inhabitants then went out at once on sledges to bring help and assistance to the boys. Even they had difficulty reaching them owing to the high snowdrifts which had accumulated. The first reports reached the police here at ten o'clock last night. The I-'reiburg Ied Cross detachment and- the police immediately set out for the district. By the time they readied the scene the villagers had already found ten of the boys who had got separated from the main party in pairs as their teacher had lett them. When they reached them, however, four of the boys had died trom the effects of their expo-ure and exhaustion and two were taken to hospital seriously ill, where one died in the early hours of this morning. MASTER'S ACCOUNT The other twenty-one boys were brought here this evening and taken to the University They were examined an, I found to be unharmed. All were then allowed to go to a youth hostel in the town, where special fires were made in the dormitory and additional blankets supplied to them -Mr Kea5t, in a talk with Heuter at the hospital to-night, save a vivid description of their, ordeal on the mountain and warnilv praised the pluck of the elder boys who stood by their young companions after they had fallen in the blizzard. I think all of us who survived are lucky to be alive," he said Nobody in England can have any idea what that snowstorm was like. We cot up on the cret of the hut could see nothing, neither ways nor signposts, where the mountain began or where it ended. It was impossible to see either one way or the other. We had to go for a time by compass, until we found a way wnere the signposts were clear. Then we made again for the crown of tiie lull and then over into the sheltered side of it, in what seemed to be the direction of the nearest village. We reached it, but unfortunately too late. If you can imagine stepping into snow up to your waist and trying to bring along already exhausted boys you will see tile difficulty inere is no com parison to any snowstorms that vou ever get tngiand. trie Doya were all magnificent. They all tried to carry on, especially the bigger ones who helped tne otners. tive ot tnem in particular, when we were on the last ledge, helped to carry those who were exhausted Mr. Keast, said the weather was utterly unexpected. We started from Freiburg at 9 a.m.," he continued. "There was no snow on the streets when we left. At 9 45 we were in Guentersberg, and ordinarily in another two hours should have been at our destination, where I knew there would be an hotel. To be on the safe Eide, I reckoned with three hours, taking into account that the younger boys would not be able to walk so fast. When we got up the first two or three slopes we encountered a heavy snowstorm. It most have been aronnd 12 30 that we saw a signboard, and after wiping off the snow saw that we had another three kilometres to go to the summit. This should not have taken us a long time. People we met confirmed that the summit was Jfot very Actually it took us' two and a half hours owing to the weather. I thought it would be wiser to go on instead of turning back- I thought there would be a hut. ENVELOPED IN FOG "When we got to the. crown of the hill fog enveloped ns, and we could not see anything, not even the hut or hotel which was to have been is the neighbourhood. I could cot Btay there with my party of boys in that fog with night coming ou It' was getting" on towards five in the. afternoon, and hid to get them out of the cold -and the wind. I found the village Hofgrund on my i -v left and took a compass bearing and headed for it. About half-way down omt- ot the hoys collapsed. I ad everything to help them. 1 carried them as far as could, but it is not easy when the snow come? up to your waisi at esery step, so 1 sent 17 of the boys on to the village and stayed with four of the exhausted boys. tried artificifj respiration and everything that could help them. None of them froie to deatli They died from exhaustion. An hour and a half later the boys 1 had sent ahead and villagers came with sledges and took us to the village. The people in the village were marvellous." BOY'S TRIBUTE TO MASTER One of the hoys, who did not then know of the death of his comrades and who thought it all been a great adventure, said Mr. Keast did everything he cou'd for us. When the storm raged on the ridge of the mountains and everyone wa trying to grope his way through to some place of shelter. Mr. Keast carried several of the smaller hoys again and again over and through the snow. Sometimes the snow came up to our ehe-ts. We could nut see more than two or three yards ahead of us, and all the time the fearful hurricane was howling over our heads. It seemed to co on tor hours. We had taken sandwiches along for our lunch, and we were glad we had them, I can tell you. At one time we never thought we" were loiiic to reach safety. When some of the smaller boys became weak and collapsed Mr Keast and one or two of the biccer boys stood by and guarded them while we worked our way step by step throuch the deep snow towards the direction of the viflaue. It was now pitch dark, and we had no other guide hut the dim light of a farmhouse which we saw in front of n. At last we reached the house, the villacers heard our crie. and came out at once. Direct lv we told them what had happened they started off with sledces and went back to the place where Mr. KrnM and the other boys were waiting in the snow beside the boys who had collapsed. The villagers did splendid work. We certainly owe our lives to these kind people. The boys' journey from Hofsgrund to Freiburg this afternoon took four hniir. Usually it takes an hour and a halt. Three miles were covered on sledges, and the rest by charabanc ambulance. Th-driver of the charabanc said, Never in my life have 1 driven on such awTul roads Villagers declare that they have not experienced such a storm for forty vears at this time of the year. Red Cro-s guides who had been in the district of Hofsgrund told Router that the visibility- was less than two yards. When the Bntish Consul General arived from Frankfurt he was told by the director of the Freiburg tourist organisation that there was not the least reason why the party should not liave set out on their journey yesterday. The weather was comparatively normal anu the snowfall slight GERMAN GOVERNMENTS SYMPATHY Berlin, April 18. The German Government's sympathy regarding tlu tragic death of the five London scjioolboys in the Black Forest was expressed by Baron von Neuralh, Foreign Minister, to Sir Eric Phipps, the British Amhassubr in Berlin, during the funeral at Dresden to-day of Dr. Leopold von Hoesch the ate German Ambas sador in London. Bovs of the Hitler Youth Movement have been ordered to stand euard over the bodies ol the five victims. Tln- announcement was made in a telegram of condolence, sent by Herr von Schirath. head ol the Hitler Youth organisation, to the British Ambassador in Berlin. Another teleerem ot condolence from the tiovernor of Baden has been received by the British Cor.nl-General at Frankfort. Reutei WELSH SCOUT COUNCIL Increase in Groups Colonel T. Lawrence. Chief Commissioner for Wales, presided at the spring meeting of the Executive of the Welsh Scout Council, held at Llandrindud Wells on Saturday. The treasurer, Alt. C. C. Vivian, reported that for the pu-i six months there had been an exce-n ol income over expenditure of 70 Sd. Air. K. A. Clark, Swansea, urged that there should be more county and rallies and that the annual meeting should be held at different centri The organising secretary's half-yerl report showed 4211 Scout groups ano 1,503 personnel in the Principality. This was an increase of 57 on last year, and thirteen new groups had "been registered. FARES FROftl Amactire Itineraries I recreating ForrigP Port Daacxos. nriaunipt, iiinbaibuif, decx lltff) -ntm i rwnr aod wnmcrwinan the time or if you prefer it, rest and paex. dm MOMTBOSE.KOMKAIM MOKTOAK Popular 16400 ton ihipf, pedally equipped fat emails One class only. All passengers have tbe run of the ship. 13 days' cruise from Liverpool, Gibraltar, Barceloos, Pamta' (Majorca) asd Lisbon. Minimum Rattas 13. 13 dys' cruise frozn Liverpool, viiiziog: Tangier, Tarragona, Barceiona, Falma and Cadiz (tor Seville). HlBlmmtRau Otivr carry "Mom" cnusca: May 30 sad June 13 13 days), Jane 2 (it (IxziJ Jone 9 days). Writt fmr Cnas Program, mnnmnn promt 43 CROSS STREST, WmtfsGnttmt MANCHESTER ti c.m. or Leal Art. Bmb TrW,
