The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-08-23

fired more than IT'S. We were up
against it and there wasn't a friendly
ship in sight.
FINALLY, four and a half hours af-
ter the battle started, Capt. Oliver ran
up the international code signal that
the ship was to be abandoned. We
were then about 1870 miles off the
French coast. We took to four life
boats. Perhaps they didn't intend
more shots at the Campana after the
signal was run up.
'"The submarine dashed up close
and took aboard quantity of food
from the Campana. Then the tanker
was torpedoed at close range. They
took aboard the submarine Capt.
Oliver, the thirteen gunners and me.
For three hours we were aboard, until
one of the Germans announced they
had picked UP a wireless message in
which one French warship notified the
other to be on the lookout for a U
boat.
Then our visit had to be cut short.
We had spent a pleasant three hours
The U boat commander. speaking
good English, chatted with us and
snapped jokes. He said he regretted
that his orders made it necessary to
hold prisoner all American ship Cap
tains and naval gunners."
Bruce said that the submarine COM
mander found there were too many
prisoners for the inadequate room and
food on the U boat. He called for
volunteers to go to Germany as pris-
oners, releasing the others to return
home free. ALI volunteered. Finally
the German picked five. including
Oliver, and called for sixth A gun
ner stepped forward.
Whats your name?" asked the
German commander.
Miller replied the American.
Whats your first manner"
wilhelm
you'll do if you speak German
Miller replied affirmatively and was
taken.
The others, including Bruce, were
sent back to life boat AS the sub
marine did not go under the waves the
Campana's crew had the impression
she was vitality damaged. The rowers
were assured the prisoners would be
permitted to cable home from Berlin.
The lifeboats were adrift until s
| o'clock in the evening before they
were met. by a French destroyer, the
Audacious.
1.-THE officers of the Audacious told
US the U boat had been sunk said
Bruce. They said they had just re-
ceived a wireless announcing the
sinking of a submarine by French
merchantmen converted into cruis-
| err. The cruiser, disguised and with
guns masked, was fired on in almost
| the same latitude amid longitude in
, which the Campana was sunk.
| when the disguised cruiser failed
to reply. the submarine came close.
The cruiser dropped its mask and fir
ed. The U boat plunged beneath the
waves. Officers of the Audacious said
it was their belief the submarine was
the one we had encountered, and
which had the Americans aboard I
think 1t was the U-2 we had the scrap
WITH
Bruce had with him message
from Capt. Oliver to Mrs. Oliver.
Bruce seemed more concerned about
getting that message to Mrs. Oliver
than about his escape from death.
| When seen last night at her home
Mrs. Oliver was. holding a chubby
youngster with one hand brass but
ton with the other. She had not been
Informed by Third Mate Bruce of the
probability of her husbands death,
Bruce had left memento from her
/ husband and had departed.
"Alfred is in Berlin by this time.
safe from trouble" smiled Mrs. Oil
yer confidently '.Mr. Bruce told how
| brave he was. The last thing my hus-
band did when the u boat started
away was to tear off a brass button
from his uniform. He handed It to
Mr.. Bruce for me and sent me a mes
/ sage not to worry. And he sent his
love to the baby"