The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-07-29
Huns Sink Hospital Ships;
Rescued Tell of Tragedies
Nurses and Helpless Wounded from Battle
front Sent Down and Left to Mercy
..... of the Waves.
,sciAl Cable to The Washington Herald.

Special Cable To The Washington Herald.
London (by maiD, July 15.-With the
British hospital ship La France sink
ing under their feet from the effects
Of a torpedo fired by one Of their own
submarines, Prussian wounded pris.
oners madIy rushed the lifeboats
while British Tommies calamity stood
at attention and waited their turn,
eye witnesses say.
The attack on the hospital ship
came with frightful suddenness, Just
after the evening meal. In company
with another soldier, the officer who
tells the story Of the cowardice Of the
was walking along the deck.
Without warning came a terrific
crash, (which shook the vessel from
stem to stern. There followed an ex-
plosion which sent glass and splinters
Of wood flying in every direction.
The engines stopped, and, for an in
slant. 1t seemed as II the liner was
sinking rapidly. She righted, how
ever. and remained almost motion
less.
By this time the crest of the wave
OF Prussian prisoners, from below
had reached the upper deck. Mad
with fear, their morale at the zero
point, they made a wild dash for the
nearest lifeboats, intent only on es-
Gaping from their own country's ruth
leSsness.
Called GKamerad.'
"One Of the German officers came
up to a boat close to where I was
standing. 1 shouted to him to &c
back, whereupon he stood and scowl-
ed. You must save u.s. he begged,
told him to wait his turn. other
Prussians showed their cowardice by
dropping on their knees and implor-
ing pity. Some Of them cried KAN
Grad as they do on the battlefield. !
allowed none of them to pass me-"
In strange contrast to the insane
actions OF the 200 members of the
Frussian guard. was the bravery of
the 400 and more British wounded.
While wounded Tommies lay helpless
on stretchers, the Boche trampled
over them. rushed past them without
a look or a word, orally seeking
safety. Another cowardly rush broke
through the Gordon OF soldiers and
sailors near a lifeboat. In a twinkling
1t was filled, then overfilled. 1t was
lowered. No sooner had 1t struck the
water than 1t toppled over; the Prus-
slams were thrown into the water.
Drowning. gasping for breath in the
cold water. they continued fighting
among themselves until exhaustion
came for a chance to reach a lifeboat
already over loaded with British SOL
diers who. gravely wounded, had been
lowered away first.
Crippled Stand mt Attention.
THE behavior OF our own lads I
will never forget" the eyewitness
continues. CRIPPLED as many of them
were, they tried to stand at attention
while the more serious cases were be-
ing looked after. And those who
could lend a hand scurried below to
help a friend or an enemy. l have
never seen so many individual illus
trations OF genuine chivalry and COM
radeship. One man l saw had had a
leg severed and his head was heavily
bandaged. He was lifting himself UP
a staircase by the hands, and was
just as keen on summoning help for
Fritz as on saving himself He
whlsued to a mate to come and aid a
Prussian who was unable to move
because OF internal injuries.
Another Tommie limped along
painfully, with a Prussian Officer on
his arm and helped the latter to a
boat 1t is impossible to give ade-
quate praise to the crew and stan.
They were all heroes. saw a
sergeant take his tunIc of and make
a pillow OF 1t for a wounded Ger
man. A private put his arms
around an enemy to make him more
comfortable in the Ufehoat"