The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-05
Brattleboro Boy Arrives
Home from European
Trip as Radio Operator
STEAMER HELD UP
FOR EXAMINA ALTON
Young Man VIII Return to Ship Aft
er Two-Weeks' Vacation in Home of
His Parents.

Homer Ellis, who sailed December 10
from the Delaware breakwater on a
trip to England and return, and who is
now spending a twOweeks vacation IN
the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Fred d. Ellis, IN Brattleboro, has un-
usual interest III the present maritime Il
situation and its promise of extended i
submarine warfare, for he has travelled
through the mined zones of the Eng
lish waters, receiving and sending wire
less signals of warning. He tells an
interesting story of his first trip across
the Atlantic as a wireless operator,
which followed soon after q shorter
coasting trip in the same capacity.
He was wireless operator on the |
Paulsboro, = tank steamer carrying |
100000 gallons Of kerosene consigned |
70 the Vacuum Oil CO. of London but |
really for consumption by the allied |
4 governments of Europe. The cargo |
was worth about half a million dollars. |
The steamer was built last year n San |
Francisco and is 1875 feet IN length and
\ Sc beam with load draught of 30
feet. The engines are aft and burn
! oil for fuel, costing about $4,000 for a
round trip.
On the outward trip while off the
| Grand Banks he was on duty i'll the
radio cabin when he picked up the
5 0 S distress call from a Canadian
steamer. The sea was rough and the
signals very faint. The captain de-
cided that his tanker was too far away
To be of any assistance and the steam
er kept TO her course. Mr. Ellis says
this incident impressed him more than
later experiences in the mine fields near
: the English coast
They passed a British tramp headed
/, towards the United States when seven
DAYS out and late in the afternoon of
the following Tuesday, nine days after
sailing. grey British cruiser hustled
up and looked over the tanker. Life
boats We're put outboard for no one
knew at the time whether the cruiser
was friendly or German. The tanker
stopped and the crew were all called on
:, deck except Mr.. Ellis, who was told TO
=, remain at his key. After an officer had
inspected the ship S papers the cruiser
= proceeded and the tanker resumed her
course.
t fused to answer wireless calls on Dee.
g % and that night, when nearing st.
t George channel, the captain gave or
! ders to cover all portholes. The life
4 boats we're in readiness and all slept
n in their clothing Mr.. Ellis spent the
!. first part of the night after coming on
Y duty on the bridge with the second
: officer and then turned in. When he
J awoke late III the morning the ship was
!, in Bristol channel.
About T30 clock that evening he
), was about to send the position of the
" ship to Land S End when Crookshaven
station sent warning of submarine
that had been seen near that position,
but the fortunate choice by the captain
of q different course earlier III the day
had made the warning unnecessary.
q The Pausboro went back and forth
in the river Severn all the night OF
December %, because no pilot from the
- lightship came aboard. A pilot APP
7 peared at Q clock on the morning be
fore Christmas and the danger of float
r ing mines was to be met because the
y vessel was then in the mine area. The
boat finally locked at Avonmouth at
st I clock Christmas eve.
S Christmas day was the only one on
d which the sun shone during their stay
j. in England The members of the crew
first made a trip to the police station
n for passes. Those who had passports
t were given police passes good for the
If remainder of their stay. The others
fe including Mr.. Ellis, were allowed tC
wander around Avonmouth providing
is they were on board ship at 10 at night
40 There were MANY soldiers encamnet
be at that port Later he got permission
- to 90 to Bristol and extended tina
? much his sightseeing in England II
the evening there were no lights on th'
10 streets except on a few corners wher
lg their need was very urgent and thos
eli were gas lights with globes of blu
of glass over the top of which was 81
le, inverted cone of metal. Even hight
nd in trains and auto busses are prevente'
from showing by shades.
He tells of a trip to Bristol on da
- so foggy that the engineer stopped tn
~ ~ train twice to wait until the fog LITE
q, sufficiently fer him to see whether tn
block signal was set to proceed.
the Bristol station were many soldier
and their loved ones. all singing It'll
perarv' He was obliged to 90 to
photographer s to have his picture tai
en- and wait for a print before 9oin
TO the consul S office to get his pas
port. Armed with this he was informe
that he must have police pass fro1
AvonmOuth, but he CHANGED arrest an
entered q restaurant.
There he learned that one restau
ant serves not more than two course
to any one guest. six-course me;
required a trip to three different re
taurants. He enjoyed soup and bake
chicken and coffee at his first sto
The coffee was taken from bottle
the form of syrup and to that hot watt
was added and one lump of sugar.
more sugar allowed. One biscuit to
person was the limit.
The ship sailed on the return voyae
December IS. They got to the one
sea without any adventures. picklr
up SEINE wireless warnings about drift
!. ing mines. He had trouble with Il
sending apparatus and the next NOR
ane ing found broken feed wire and r
paired it. The New Year was welcome
:. by the Blowing ofithc whistle by Il