Evening journal., 1917-07-31
GERMAN WARFARE on HOSPITAL SHIPS.

M have just received from London a pamphlet en-
" Titled The War on Hospital Ships" compiled
from the narratives OF eyewitnesses One of those mar
natives, by British officer who was on board has
TO 90 with the torpedoing Of the hospital ship Ian
franc by German submarine It is so interesting,
and reveals clearly German brutality and frighul-
ness and British and French bravery and cheerfuness
that we hnd'peasure in reproducing it, as follows:
The 'Lanfranc' was attacked by a submarine about
7So on Tuesday evening just as we had finished din
ner few Of us were strolling to and fro on the
deck, when there was crash which shook the liner
violently This was followed by explosion and glass
and splinters Of wood flew in all directions / had
narrow escape from being pitched overheard and only
\regained my feet with difficulty In few minutes the
engines stopped and the Lanfranc' appeared TO be
Blinking rapidly, but surprise she seadied her.
self and after while, remained perfectly motionless
We had on board nearly 200 prisoners belonging to
The Prussian Guard and about twice as many British
wounded among the latter being very bad cases
The moment the torpedo the Lanfranc the Prus-
slams made mad rush for the lifeboats One OF their
officers came 10 boat close TO which I was stand
ing. l shouted to him TO back whereupon he stood
and scowled. You must save us. he begged I told
him to wait his turn other Prussians showed their
cowardice by dropping their knees and implorng
pity. Some of them cried Kamerad' as they do on
the battlefield. allowed none OF them to pass me-
Meanwhile the crew and the STAFF had gone to their
posts The stretcher cases were brought on deck as
quickly possible and the first boats were lowered
without delay. Help had been summoned and many
vessels were hurrying TO assistance these mo-
ments. while wounded Tommies-many OF them help
less as little chidren--ay in their cots unaided the
Prussan morale dropped to Our cowardly prison.
ers made another crazy effort get into iifeboat
They managed to crowd into one but no sooner had It
been lowered than it topped over The Prussians
were thrown into the water and they fought with each
other IN order TO reach another containing num-
per OF grayely wounded British soldiers
The behaviour of own lads shall never forget
crippled as many Of them were they tried TO stand at
auenuon while the more serious cases we're being
looked after And those who could lend hand sour
ried below to help in saving friend or enemy have
never seen so many individual illustrations Of genuine
rhivalry and comradeshp. One man 1 saw had a leg
severed, and his head heavily bandaged He was
i1tng himself up a staircase by the hands and was
just as keen on summoning help for Fritz as on saving
himself He whistled 20 a mate to come and aid a
Prussian who was unable move owing to internal in
juries Another Tommy limped painfully along with q
Prussian officer on his helped the latter IN a
boat 1t is impossible to give adequate praise 10 the
crew and staff. They all heroes. They remained
their posts until the last been taken off and
of them took off articles Of their clothing and
threw them into the life boats for the benefit OF those