| Show W filen ism PRESENCE OF DEATH TROOPS LEAVE THE TUSCANIA WITHOUT DISORDER AS IT IS INSTANTLY DISABLED american officer praises coolness of our soldier boys when transport Is struck by torpedo fired by german butchers londonderry ireland the submarine that torpe torpedoed lood the canin was us attacked af tucked tacked by b a destroyer an ali american officer gave nn an intimation that the lie submarine was destroyed tills this officer was next to last to leave the tu canin the second torpedo fired by the submarine rine missed its mark lie he said thereupon a destroyer which was near the sinking liner dashed off en toward the submarine using a bomb dropping device the claim is made that the submarine was done in by the bombs thus exploded the american officer said everything went well with us during the voyage many of our men had never been to sea before and I 1 must hay they stood it like soldiers we were one of a powerful convoy I 1 must not tell you our position in the convoy or how the various ships fere wen formed but you may take lake it that nil all the other boats have got through as far as I 1 know As for ourselves well thi ohp huns succeeded in getting only a frac traction of our fine fellows in addition to our boat but they have put the apa iron into our soul sell Is and abd wb tte will be read to I 1 repay them when the chance offers night was calm monday was a wild night had the disaster occurred during a gale I 1 dont lle to think of what would have happened but tuesday evening was calm the first intimation we had of possible danger was an order for all men togo to go on deck with life belts it was wag about at the same time we e sharply altered our course at 0 0 clock just as the darkness was setting well in ili we got the blow nobody saw the periscope nor could have one been seen well some soldiers described having heard a hissing sound 11 in tile the engine room immediately before tile the torpedo struck us we were instantly disabled all the lights went out an order rang out sending the troops to their boat stations and to get the lifeboats out the shock was not severe it was more of ln feeling that went through gIr the lie ship than of a direct blow there naturally wits was a good deal of confusion you cannot lower a score of lifeboats from the height oz oe an upper deck in the lie darkness without some contusion confusion but at no time was there a panic excitement short lived there was great excitement hower ver but it ft lasted only a few minutes ml then rhen all the men pulled themselves together et lier megaphone calls were given ill over 01 er the still saying there was no aangier the vessel would sink before fill all were ere taken off in the S 0 S signal were sent E wen en before some of us had grasped the situation british destroyers weri weir dashing up alongside such soldiers us its lind been lowered in lifeboats were eie put it ii board destroyers A few men who jumped overboard in tile the first excite nent alent were picked up tip I 1 believe one or two lifeboats were smashed in launch ng |
