The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-07-06
Joseph G. Estey Writes of
Gunners Beating Off
Submarines
lONE UNDERSEA
BOAT WAS SUNK
Thrilling Incident Of Trip on Espagne
to France to Engage in Service for
Allies = Extracts from Haskell's Let
ter Tomorrow.
ter Tomorrow.

A letter giving thrilling account Of
an attack by four submarines was re-
ceived by Col. and Mrs J. Gray Estey
today from their son, Joseph G. Estey,
who sailed from New York june y on
the Espagne for France and IS engaged
in the transport service. 1t was written
June Il and mailed after reaching Bor
deaux and that part relating to the sub
marine attack reads as follows:
| Saturday, June III don't know
whether ! can write this so that anyone
can read it or not This has been the
most exciting day ever experienced.
Got ND about | 30 and started to play
cards. Just about noon a loud report
broke the silence We looked out and
saw the smoke from our forward gun.
I'VE went on deck and there 1900 yards
directly off our port side was subma-
Irine tearing through the water at a
great rate. We didn't see the first shot
land. but our forward gunner claims
there were two subs and he haggcd one
on the first shot | couldn't believe II
was a submarine. but finally | was con
WINGED as | saw a thing which looked lik,
a broomstck sticking out OF the water
After little You could see the wake i
left and the way the water fell away
from its stern. it was surely a subma
rine
Right away both of our guns opene,
fire and we started going III a zigza!
course All the time the submarine ap
Ipeared to be jockeying for position I
let fly at US. Our guns certainly had he
range and gave her some awful rock-
When She finally did fire YOU could Sc
: the bubbles coming straight for rs. W
! switched our course and the terpcd
passed harmlessly in the rear. OF cours
/ we were all instructed TO get our life
5 belts and report at our boats.
r shall never forget the feeling | ha
: as | ran down after my life preserve
\ All YOU folks were right before me an
lit seemed as though every one kne'
5 was in a huge picture in my mind. Thel
4 was comparatively little wild eXcit,
q ment A few women and children bega
CRYING Maurice, French dancer, acte
wonderfully He quietly advised ever,
: one to hurry, but not to rush. and ";
5 cool enough to calm anyone. SomecI
started playing rag time on the plan
Il talltI man All noun lHtti ttHt Dtll
and iockeying we saw shot strike vel
close to the submarine and She disal
peared. Phew! ] must admit thous
that it was about the most exciting spo
that | have ever watched.
Such reaction when it was all oye
: To have seen us YOU would have thong
" we were watching a game all crowd'
= on deck and cheering as our snots land'
! nearer and nearer. We had great par
tonight to celebrate our experience.
: In letter written aftci the foregoil
= Mr.. Estey says: Our captain made }
official report just as We docAe'i yests
~ day. We were attacked by iour su
-, ~ and got one. There were three tori
~ does fired at us, all of which missed.
Is Since these letters were written \
ne Estey has cabled that he has elected
II engage i'll the transport service inste
7 OF the ambulance service.
Merrill G. Haskell. son of Mr.. and NJ
oi William +. Haskell OF Chaplin sire
+. was on the same boat with MIR Est,
r., and today Mr. and Mrs. Haskell receiy
OF a letter from him. portions of VIII
r will be published in The Reforner
ny morrow.