Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-23
WOUNDED MEN DIE,
J U-BOATS' VICTIMS
British Admiralty Reports
!, Sinking of Two More
Hospital Ships.
ONE HAD GERMANS ABOARD

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, April 23.-The British hospi-
tai ships Donegal and Lanfranc. with
many wounded aboard, have been torpe-
doed without warning. They were sunk
April II. OF those on the Donegal. TWEEN
ty-nine wounded men and twelve Of the
crew are missing The Lanfranc carried
German wounded as well as British. OF
those aboard nineteen British and hfteen
Germans are believed 10 have persisted
The chancellor OF the exchequer, An
drew Bonar Law. announced on April 10.
in the house of commons. there had re-
Gently been further losses Of British hos
pital ships, which would be published
soon Yesterday the secretary of the
admiralty issued the following statement:
Official British Report.
ron the evening Of April Il. the
steamships Donegal and Lanfranc
while transporting wounded TO British
ports, were torpedoed without warn
ing. The Donegal carried slightly
wounded cases-aIl British. OF these
twenty-nine men, as well as twelve
of the crew, are missing, and are pre-
sumed to have been drowned.
The Lanfranc. in addition to 2S4
wounded British officers and men. car
ried 1877 wounded German prisoners, a
medical personnel of 50 and crew OF
12a OF these, the following are miss
ing and are presumed to have been
drowned: Two wounded British officers,
eleven wounded British of other ranks.
one royal army medical corps stan. nfe
of the crew, I'VE wounded German Of
fcers and ten wounded German other
ranks
zone hundred and fifty-two wounded
German prisoners were rescued py
British patrol vessels at the imminent
risk of being themselves torpedoed.
British Wounded Heroic.
The story of the sinking of the hospi-
tai SHIP Lanfranc Will rank with the
undying histories of the Birkenhead
and Tyndareus. according to a Brit
ish officer. The British soldiers stood
at attention while the ship was slow
" sinking beneath them. Tnelr con-
duct was in marked contrast TO that
of the Prussian guardsmen ABOARD;
VINO in the moment OF danger rushed
for the lifeboats.
nrhe Lanfranc was attacked by a
submarine about 1880 O'CLOCK Iuesday
evening said the officer. rhe crash
shook the liner violently, the explosion
sending splinters of wood and glass
dyinr in All directions Within a few
minutes the engines stopped and the
vessel seemed to be sinking rapidly,
hut to our surprise she steadied her
self. and after a while remained mo-
tionless We had aboard prisoners OF
the Prussian Guard and many British
wounded, including some serious cases.
"The moment the torpedo struck the
Prussians made mad rush Tor the
lffeboats. When they were ordered to
await their turn many showed cow
ardfce by dropping on their knees and
imploring pity.
Germans Swamp Lifeboat.
Tho crew and staff went to their
posts. The stretcher cases were low
cred first to the boats. Meanwhile. in
response to distress calls. many vessels
came hyrrying to our assistance. Even
while wounded and helpless Tommies
lay unaided in their cots the cowardly
prisoners made another attempt and
managed to crowd into a lifeboat,
which, however, toppled over directly
as it wSs lowered. Then they fought
with each other to reach another boat
containing some gravely wounded.
81 shall never forget the behavior of
our own lads. They tried to stand at
attention, crippled as they were. while
the graver cases were being looked
after. The crew and staff remained at
their posts until the last man was
taken off. Some doffed their garments
and threw them to those in the life
boats wanting warm clothing, and In
the midst of the distress and tragedy
our men were able to strike up some
popular ditties."