Ferrier was pressured to tell his story by the newspapers and the Observer on the 18th of November, 1905 reported his statement: “I am a bit surprised to suddenly find myself developed into a sort of hero. You can see I did nothing out of the way. Any one else in the same position would have done the same thing. No; I did not think of any risk. All I felt was there was a man on the wreck, and that man had to be saved. Some one had to get the man off, and I don't think you need make all this fuss about it.”
Ship Name: La Bella
Ship Type: Steel Hulled Three Masted Barquentine
Tonnage: 406
Year Built: 1893
Nationality: New Zealand
Year Wrecked: 1905
Location Wrecked: La Bella Reef, Near Warrnambool
Reason for Wreck: Missed her Course in Fog and Bad Weather
Lives Lost: 7
Sources:
https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/643f55f2b36b5eb4e74926ed
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/101567173?searchTerm=la%20bella%20shipwreck
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/199910809?searchTerm=la%20bella%20shipwreck
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/38807578?searchTerm=la%20bella%20shipwreck
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/260882681?searchTerm=la%20bella%20shipwreck
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/162443374?searchTerm=shipwreck
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14754468?searchTerm=la%20bella%20shipwreck
https://www.environment.gov.au/shipwreck/public/wreck/wreck.do?key=6343
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/55658343?searchTerm=la%20bella%20shipwreck
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242207547?searchTerm=la%20bella%20shipwreck
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211481907?searchTerm=la%20bella%20shipwreck
