Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-26

I Ecstion that he might Just as well be
British or American
Lieutenant Won Tirpitz. when asked
whether he was aware that VVinston
Churchill had promptly tclcgraphed to
MS father advising him OF his safety,
said: -
Yes, my parents wrote me about
.nht IN grateful terms. ! know Mr. and
Mrs Churchill quite we'll / playod
tennis with Mrs. Churchill ut the
queens Club last summer. and lunched
with them both
His Eaptisn OF Fro.
Then he went on to say:
NY part In the iIclgoland night
wasn't very important. fear. or
course. II was my baptism OF fire. Nv
chief recollection OF the engagement In
general is that we were very heavily
outnu'nbcred think must have
counted twenty-five British men-of-war
from my place in the crows nest of
'"c Ma'nz before "as brought down
II Is only BY miracle that was
spared The officer on duty alongside
me In the crows nest was torn clean
through the waist line by shell IRE.
while l remained untouched. The poor
Fellow was too far gone to swim n.
ana. after We were swept from our
aoi'! perch and dashed into what
seemed certain death I'm tho sea
4 think stayed in the shin as long
as II was humanity possible. i certain.
~ had no other thought than to go
down with her. ! assuIedly did not
expect TO come through the awful cx-
pcricnce with my life. But. you sec.
had not rcckoned fully with the
knightllncss OF our foe. swan FOR
about twenty minutes In full uniform,
except for cap and sword, and with
some haif-burncd lifcbclts to help me.
wnen i was picked up by one OF the
cutters OF the cruiser Liverpool Cut
tiers from that and other ships were
now busily securing the sea in all
directions. making the utmost effort to
save German sailors from drowning
All OF US were treated exactly as IL
We were comrades. not enemies. l am
quite sure Admiral Beatty's sailors
made every possible effort to rescue our
fcilows II was not the Britishers'
iault that more OF us were not saved
British hospitality, which began
that misty August aftcrnoon-the fight
was at its height about p M-has
peen continued. so far my com
rades and here at Dyrryn Aled are
concerned. to this very hour
Comfortable II Not Happy.
e" I cannot say l am exactly happy:
] am prisoner In the enemy's country.
But / am quite as comfortable and
Well cared for az any man In my posi-
ton has reason to cXpcct-in fact, far
more SO.
You can Judge from my appearance
that ! am absolutely 'it.' as the Eng
lish say. You have been round the
camp and know for yourself that
everything is done for our comfort,
convenience and happiness. which IS
compatible with our surroundings r.
am fond OF the violin, and ono of my
first purchases here was an instru-
ment. How TO pass the time, you see,
is our greatest hardship.
~ hadn't been In England long be-
fore began to get convincing evidence
that though these people arc at war
with us. they remember that, as far
as many relationships in the two
navies are concerned. they are fighting
old friends.
Al I<iel. in the last week of June,
we had fine English squadron visit
ing us. ! was often in the Southamp-
ton and Birmingham-the latter was
to help sink us at IIelgoland nine
weeks latcr.-and | became we'll ac-
duainted with Vice Admiral Sir George
Warrendcr and one of his flag officers!
Lieutenant Buxton. Among the first
letters / received in England after my
capture. were some from Vice-Admiral
Warrcnder and Lieutenant Buxton. Of
ferlng to send me money clothes or
anything else j needed. But my al
lowance here Is quite sufficient to take
care or all my urgent needs"