The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-11-09
UNITED STATES SAILOR DESCRIBES
RESCUE OF THE U.53'S VICTIMS
Quartemaser of the cDouga Tells Of Swift Race of American
Desroyers to the Scene Of the German Submarines Opera
tons OF Nantucket LighShip-Sees Dutch Steamer
Blown Up by the Giant Diver

| Il large Dutch flag, another flew from
her signal stay, and on her sides was
painted her name the name of her
home port, and the Dutch flag, all in
conspicuous letters. To the left of
her and close to us the German sub
marine U-53 was sighted, towing
ships boat, painted white Later our
| captain hailed this boat and invited
its occupants to come aboard. The
BlommerSdijk appeared to be deserted.
In spite of this fact her lights were
all burning. The invited boat came
alongside, and her occupants were
helped on board by our crew.
They were the chief officer, G.
Klaasse; Boatswain =. n. Van der
Sluys, and Seamen IL. IL. EschbaCh,
G. Xeevaart, G.. Heddema, and G. Van
COST. II is quite needless to say that
they were all received with welcome.
Does Some Tall Diving.
The boatSwain. Van der Sluys, could
speak English very well, having served
on board English ships and from him
we received news as TO what actually
happened l will not repeat his exact
words, but will give Il brief deSCrip-
ton of what took place. They had
taken their departure from the light
ship. when a submarine was sighted
flying the international T. \. f.,
C"Bring your papers on bOard.D The
BlommerSdiik, being n slow-moying
vessel lowered a boat, whose crew
were the officers and men named
above.
Chief officer Klaasse was Informed
by the submarine commander that his
ship was to be blown up at $50.
During the time that the two OIL
GERS We're parleying the U-13 sighted
one of our deStroyers standing toward
her. She Immediately diVed. | asked
the man who told me this if it took her
very long to dive, and he answered, in
very sober manner: "Oh, no; only
about 80 seconds. Ye gods but She
can do some tall diving" Shortly af-
ter this occurrence we came upon the
scene. sighting the submarine with the
BlOmmerSdi ik'S boat in tow. At this
time there were about four dcStrOyerS
close aboard the light vessel appar-
entity taking off survivors. Quite q
number of small boats were tied up
astcrn of the lightship. We stood over
toward the submarine until we hailed
the boats crew, as | have already
stated.
We then stood toward another YES
sell the Stephano, about two miles
away from the BlOmmcrsdiik, to rem
| der assistance to her survivors if nee
, eSsary. This vessel, like the Dutch
! ship, was ready for slaughter. abSo-
| lutely deserted, but with all her lights
burning brightly. To make sure that
there was no one left on board our
captain ran close to her and had our
forward searchlight turned on. The
light was swept fore and aft without
a living soul being visible.
Dutch Ship Dies Hard
At this time the U-53 was running
| back and forth between the BlOm-
mersdiik and the Stephano, followed
closely by one of our destroycrs, which
! apparently did not wish To miss any
| thing. The submarine kept continual
| ly moving about Whether it was in
decision on his part cannot say any
way, at about $40 our time (seVcnty-
! fifth mcridian) the U-53 took station
about 500 yards off the port beam If
the Blommersdiik, bow on. Expect
! ing he would fire, our captain (many
! thanks to him) decided 10 run over
and observe the effect. We had taken
station about 1000 yards astcrn If
the doomed ship when, mt I 30 (our
timc) we heard Il terrible report. Look
ing toward the Blommersdijk | saw a
| high cloud of water shooting up in the
air, higher than the ship, but She didn't
| sink.
Feeling cockSure that their torpedo
or was ii bomb, or perhaps a
mine would finish the Scotcl-built
ship the German turned her back and
steamed away. ! watched the Blom-
mcrSdik like II hawk, roofing for her