The Mankato free press., 1917-06-08
SINKING OF VESSEL
| RELATED BY SAILOR
What Happens When Sub Send
Torpedo Into Transport
GRAPHIC STORY IS TOLD
Without Confusion of Any Kind
Men Fall In At Their
Stations
GRAPHIC STORY IS TOLD
From Fridays Daily.

From Fridays Daily. t..~ ..., a..
London, May misconceptions
of The Associated Press. .l-What
happens when transport loaded with
troops is sunk by German subma-
rine is graphically told in the story OF
the sinking of the steamer Ballarat
which was torpedoed April rs while
carrying Australian troops to Eng
land and sunk without the loss of a
man. Drill, discipline and tradition
counted. There were no heroics, fuss
or panic but considerable humor anC
much efficiency. AS the vessel did not
sink for four hours, there was ample
time to save even the ships pets ant
the soldiers mascots. r.. .lss.E
1t was Anzac day and the officers
were planning to hold Memorial
service. The commanding officer was
dealing with remanded case. "And
what have you been doing?" he asked
when then came a dull crash, sound
that seemed as he said, Ito lift the
skin off your face" and the ship be-
gan to take a list. The alarm" was
Instantly sounded by the bugles, in
stantly followed by the advance.
Without confusion of any kind the
men in four minutes, fell in at their
boat stations. During the voyage they
had been told the stories of the
Southland" and "Birkenhead" of the
behaviour of the troops and men on
these occasions. Those men who had
used fiowery and fluent parts OF
speech condemning the previous boat
drills now used equally literary ex-
bpressions in praise of them.
| tits all right boys" man called
out, "the old man is on the bridge"
Don't sing too loud" said an Of
ficer laughing, because l can't give
orders" The order to "stand-easy'
was given out. .e..-s #.fe,- .g.-.-
The turn of the navy came now. The
men knew instinctively that the navy
would turn up. 1t turned up. De-
stroyers and trawlers appeared like
magic There was a moderate sea, and
the ship having been struck near the
propeller began settling down by the
stern. s..- sesss Er.e
While waiting for the boats to be
lowered some of the men sang, some
settled down to play cards, and most
of them smoked. The nurses remained
with the medical staff until all the
patients had been provided for, and
the whole medical staff remained
with the patients until they were safe
ly placed in boats.
Every pet was saved, with the ex-
ception of some of the ships cats, and
cats, as Kipling says, prefer to walk
alone. Over the side went Bill Anzac,
an Australian parrot in a cage; gray
squirrel had the run of raft; fox
terrier and her puppies are now guests
of the officers of destroyer. And it
was all done decently and in order.
The bandmaster who was wont to
call upon his band to fall in by
means of certain call on his cornet
had saved that instrument and when
the men were in the boats they heard
from destroyer the old familiar cor
net sing out, and across the water
came great noise of laughter from
all the boats because the little joke
had struck home The men had lost
their ship, were miles from anywhere,
in open boats, but they could see the
humor of it. .
1t wasn't exactly courage. because
heaps of the men were in funk; and
it wasn't exactly bluff, because you
can't put up a bluff in sinking ship,
and the sea looks awfully big when
one can't see any land, and there's
just a handful of officers running the
job and enough boats, and a fearful
ignorance of maritime geography. 1t
is a thing which is very difficult to de-
fine. 1t was the voice of the empire
speaking to each man and saying 1--WE
do the thing well, and we always have,
and we are always going to. Are you
gamer The men were splendid.
They were landed with promptness
and despatch, and some set foot on
England for the first time without
boots.
The submarine was never seen, she
plays small part in this affair, but
the British navy was there and took
a very great part; prompt assistance,