The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-08
113 SOLDIERS MISSING.
CONTINUED from Page ~

prising to see how these new soldiers
carried out their duties like veterans.
We got the first boat down to the |
saloon deck, where it was PROMPTLY
filled with soldiers and was lowered in |
to the water without mishap. The see
ond boat, however. was being lowered !
when the wind carried it on to another
lifeboat. crushing it and several of the
occupants We then launched three
more without further trouble
After seeing the men reach the wa
ter safely, Lieut. Hall let himself down
| Of Cleveland followed him down the
rope and, much to their surprise, they
! fell into the last boat launched, the
/ boat was loaded to the water line with
65 men, who took turns at the oars for
three hours until they were rescued by
q trawler.
Most Of the Americans were lost
through the Tuscania s sudden heavy
list after being torpedoed which caused
faulty launching Of the lifeboats. Thc
German torpedo struck the Tuseania
a vital blow amidships, causing her to
list almost Immediately to starboard.
Instead of blowing forward III this
|
circumstances, the Tuscania stopped
dead. a shiver ran through her and
she heeled over at dangerous angle.
The list to starboard so elevated the
ilfeboats on the port side as to render
them virtually useless and only a few
of the boats on that side were launched
The first of these struck the water
unevenlv, capsizing and throwing the
| Mt inf tho ftar &bat
eral boats were launched successfully
but the vessel s list became more peril
Gus and some of the men who were try
ing to get into the boats from the star
board side now climbed along the deck
to the rail, to which they dung
, Many by this time had donned life
belts and jumped overheard. Hun
: dreds Of others were preparing to fol
low this example when a British lie
stroyer boldly drew up on the starboar'
side of the Tuscania. When the me.
saw this many of them leaped from I'll,
. boat and saloon decks to that of tn
:. waiting destroyer This destroyer tool
!, off several hundred men, all she coulC
, carry, and moved away.
!. As she steamed away with her decl
!. loaded down with Americans, anothe
Il bIltlSH DESTROYER emerged out OF In
/ darkness on the Tuscania 5 port, nov
high out Of the water. When the mel
i, on the doomed ship recovered frol
! their surprise at this unexpected an
! skillful maneuvering of the Britisi
4 commander there was another scramble
II to reach the elevated port side, som
n of the men sliding down the inclin
* BY the aid Of ropes and others on thei
r. hands and knees.
-n AT this time rescue work was pre-
K crossing, cool heads were getting tn
1 few other lifeboats afoat Despite tn
many difficulties the crew behaved we
n and the GOODNESS of the American so
n diers was the subject of cQmmendatio
90 in aiidavits by the boat officers.
4 An Associated Press despatch fror
an Irish port received early this morn
ing says that the bodies of A of I'll
- missing lOl victims of the Tuscani
disaster We're washed appyesteEdaFi 20
the rocks : miles from the scene G
the torpedoing. All were American
and their bodies were mutilated hevon
II recognition.
n A pathetic feature Is that. althoug
I'll all the victims wore tags no identifc;
at ton numbers had been put on them, b.
e cause these Americans had not as v,
Is been assigned to definite army unit
Ie Therefore there is no way to identif
he them and they Will be buried in OF
n grave.