New-York tribune., 1918-06-29
Men, Exhausted by Expo
sure, Tell How Transport
Was Torpedoed
Two Boats Are Missing
Crew of Small Boat Gets Ra-
fion of One Biscuit
Day

ty-four members of the crew Of the
troopship Dwinsk, under charter to the
American government, which was tor
pedoed without warning by German
submarine June 18, reached here to-day
aboard Gloucester fishing schooner.
The men, exhausted by exposure and
lack of food, were picked up on the
morning of June 90, after being adrift
eight days, and with only days pro-
visions in stock.
Philip Larballestier, of Liverpool,
boatswain's mate in charge of the life
boat, confirmed previous published re-
ports that the Dwinsk was sent to the
bottom without warning. The presence
Of the U-boat was not known to off,
GERS Of the ship until torpedo struck
her port quarter. The commander Of
the U-boat ordered the officers and
crew to take to the lifeboats, of which
there were seven, and quick work was
necessary, as the vessel Immediately
began to settle.
Boats Have Narrow Escape
1--WE oil got away safely" Larbal-
lester said, "but some of our boats
shelled the Dwinsk while we were row.
ing away. Some Of the shells came
dangerously near us. The first we saw
of the submarine was when she opened
FIRE, as she was submerged when she
launched the first torpedo"
Although worn out by the long pc
riod Of drifting, the men were most
concerned about the fate Of their ship
! mates. They were much relieved on
being informed that all but two boat
loads of the crew had landed.
Larballestier said the steamers
seven lifeboats kept together on the
afternoon of June 18, but that during
the night they separated and next
compass, but no chart, and although
he knew his position roughly, his navi-
cation was most guesswork He esti-
mated the boat sailed or drffted 600
| miles north and northwest from the
point where the Dwinsk was torpe-
doed.
Three Ships Sighted
During that time" he said, 1--WE
sighted one small steamer and two
small schooners, but they kept at q
safe distance, evidently taking US for
q suspicious craft. None of them came
within signalling distance, and we be-
gan to despair. I knew that we were
steadily drifting toward the Nova Sco-
tia coast, but our supply Of food and
water was very low, and I did not
think it would last long enough for US
to reach land. f
"The second day after the Dwinsk
was torpedoed I had put the crew on
rations Of one biscuit and small guam
tity Of water in the morning and the
same in the evening. When we were
! picked up we had hardly any left.
"The Gloucester fishing schooner
bound for the fishing banks, rescued
us at 7:3O o'clock Wednesday, morn
ing, when we were about sixty miles
south of Seal Island, in the Gulf of
St. Lawrence. The fishermen evidently
were not afraid of US, for they bore
right down on our boat and took us
! on board Immediately"
The survivors, all Englishmen, will
60 to Halifax for transportation home
The landing of twenty-four survivors
from the steamship Dwinsk at Shell
burne, N. s., yesterday definitely &C.
counts for all but two boatloads OF
the crew. Three boatloads, containing
sixty-seven survivors, had been pre-
viously reported missing. Seven boats
in all left the vessel when she was
torpedoed. Two were picked up by q
steamer, which brought their occu
pants here; another boatload was res.
cued and brought to Hampton Roads
! Va, fourth to Bermuda by a sail.
ing vessel.
A report was received yesterday o1
the landing Of seventeen survivors Of
a torpedoed steamer at Bermuda, but
the message did not give the name Of
the ship. Whether they come from
the Dwinsk, and, if so whether they
were the same as previously reported
landed there, or additional survivors
was matter Of conjecture.
The Dwinsk was a troop ship return.
ing to the United States. She had nc
soldiers aboard.