the Troops were evacuated to an oil Tanker which returned them to Darwin, and they were airlifted in shifts to Korea, The Captain ran her onto the reef o she would hold fast and not sink, the Maori soldiers among the contingement of troops gathered in a circle and put a Tapu on the Whahine and stated no other ship should bear the sacred name of Whahine. prior to evacuation a flotila of wild natives approached the stricken Whahine and threatened to come aboard with their spears and clubs , the men were unarmed as their rifles were in the flooded hold along with the 25pndr artilley guns, the officers ordered the men to hose them off the side of the ship, however they returned later when the ship was evacuated , boardered the Whahine and were seen through binoculars from the rescue ship to systematicly strip the vessle.