Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-12-26
BRITISH SKIPPER
HERO IN FIGHT
Though MortalIy Wounded, He
Refuses to Haul Down
the Flag.
GOES 70 BOTTOM WITH SHIP

sI'm Done; Throw Books Overheard
Ne says, and Orders the Crow TO
save ThemseIses-laudsd BY
Prime Minister.
London.-The following. from the
Daily Telegraph, Il . story Of unusual
herolsm and the winning Of \ Victoria
Cross:
I'm the speech In which he proposed
that the thanks Of parliament be ac-
corded to the nations heroes. the prime
minister spoke In glowing terms Of the
men Of the fishing fleets. and moved
the house to cheers as he told Of q
trawier skipper who. with both legs
shot on and most Of his crew killed or
injured. refused to haul down the nag.
gave the order. Throw the confidential
books overheard. and throw me after
them and went down with his trawler.
The story thrilled the whole country
and now, in special supplement to the
London Gazette, comes the sequel. 1t
Is announced that a posthumous grant
of the Victoria Cross has been made to
Skipper Thomas Crisp. r. n. r.. 10,Odo.
d. A. Chilled In action). and that the
Distinguished Service medal has been
awarded to Second Hand Thomas VIII
liam Crisp, R. N. R., o. n. 4.3S2, D. A.
these two men are father and son.
and the record Of their brave deeds win
take foremost place even among the
many wonderful stories Of gAllantry
which this war has produced.
Submarine 10 Sighted.
ION an August afternoon. at about .
quarter to three. the rawi was shot
from the smack Nelson. The skipper
was below packing fish: ons hand was
on deck cleaning fish for the next
mornings breakfast. Coming ON deck.
Mr.. Crisp saw an object on the hcr1-
ron. examined It closely and sent for
his glasses. Almost directly he sang
out. Clear for action. Submarine he
had scarcely spoken when shot fell
about q hundred yards away on the
port bow. The motorman got to his
motor; the deckhand dropped his nsh
and went to the ammunition room /;
while the other hands, at the shippers
orders, Let 60 your gear let 60 the
warp. and put dan on the end Of It.
Meanwhile the gunlayer held his
fire, until the skipper said. Tt Ii NO use
waiting any longer. We will have to let
them have It. From the distance the
submarine sent shell after shell at the
smack. and at the fourth shot the shell
went through the port bow just below
the waterline.
There was no confusion on board,
not even when the seventh shell struck
the skipper. passed through his side,
through the deck and out through the
side Of the ship. The second hand at
once took charge Of the tiller and the
firing continued. An tie tims water
was pouring into the ship and she was
dnking. One man. the gunlayer. went
to the shipper to see II he could render
nrst aid. but It wa obvious that he was
MORALLY wounded.
= It's an right. boy. Do your best
said theskapper. and then. to the SEC
ond hand, Send . message or This
was the message: Nelson beng At
tackled By submarine Skipper killed
Send assistance at once With the
ship sinking and only flve rounds Of
ammunition left the second hand went
to the skipper. who was lying there on
the deck. and heard him say, Abandon
ship. Throw the books oxerboard'
Down With Hls vssosl.
He was asked then II they should
lift him into the boat. but his answer
was: Tom. I'm done: throw me over.
board He was in too bad q condition
to be moved. and they left him there
on his deck and took to the small boat,
and about quarter Of IN hour after
ward the Nelson went down By the
head.
TT was drawing into dusk a. they
left and the crew Of the boat pulled an
that night. Toward morning the wind
freehened and blsw them cut d thslf
course. They pulled Al day. fastening
. pair Of trousers and large piece Of
oilslEin to two oars to attract attention.
Once vessel was sighted. and once .
group Of minesweepers, but they pas
ed out Of sisht At night the weather
became ilner. Through the night they
pulled. until daybreak. and ct half
past ten O'Clock In the morning thsy
found . buoy and made fast to It BY
Afternoon thsy were sighted and re-
cued. Ths second hand. who took
charge Of -the ttllsr after the skippef
had been shot down. Was his son.~
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