South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-02


According 10 information received
by the Canadian Red Cross here
MAJ Lyon from the Llandovery
Castle was forced 70 stand in the
coming tower despite an injured
foot while the German submarine
officers questioned him. The Ger
mans insisted that Maj. Lyon was
an aviation officer. notwithstanding
the officers strenuous denials. The
Germans even threatened 10 shoot
Mai. Lyon. cOntending that he was
an officer Of the lighting unit and
not a medical officer.
Admiralty Statepnenf.
The admiralty statement on the
sinking Of the hospital ship follows:
"Germany's awful debt 10 the
world continues 10 grow. Another
hospital ship has been torpedoed.
this time 20 miles from the nearest
land. and her people turned adrift
in their boats 20 sink or swim as
best they might.
And although as it happened.
she was a Canadian hospital ship
wounded aboard. the tale OF crime
reveals wanton elaboration on the
part Of the submarine commander
and almost suggests the hope on
his part that he would find her full
Of injured and helpless men.
The Llandovery Castle, r. y
/ Sylvester. master, was chartered by
the Canadian government TO convey
I their sick and wounded from Eng
land 10 Halifax.
The Llandovery Castle had on
board a total OF 25S persons includ-
| ing so Canadian army medical
corps men and Il female nurses.
! One boat containing "a survivors
I has reached port so far.
1T was during the night OF June
p toward 1880 that the crime oc-
Cured. The Llandovery Castle,
steaming on her course at some a
/ knots, showed the usual navigation
and regulation hospital snip lights.
! Under the overcast sky she was
/ plain TO see, and could not be mis-
taken for anything but what she
was-a ship immune by every law
of war and peace from attack or
/ molestation.
Had No Warning.
NO one on board saw the wake
! of the torpedo The first intima-
ton of the presence Of a subma-
rine was a jar and the roar of an
explosion from aft. Then the lights
went out.
"All that followed, save when a
| dim light was obtained from an
/ emergency dynamo just before the
/ ship foundered took place in the
! darkness. The engines were rung
| once 10 stop, then full speed astern.
But from the engine room came no
answer.
The rehearsed routine OF the
/ ship. however. held good.
In the wireless cabin the Mar
conf operator was trying in vain to
transmit the ships position. His
key made no response; the spark
was gone.
The carpenters report was that
so. 4 hold, aft. was blown in and
, that the ship could not remain
afoat. The order was given to
lower away the boats on both sides
! and abandon ship.
The officer commanding the Ca
madam army medical corps on board
reported that his people were out.
! This is important i'm view Of the
/ fact that no boat but the captain 5
| has been picked up.
Save for any OF the ships COM
pauy or the engine room crew who
may have been killed by the explo-
sion of the torpedo, il is clear that
everyone got away. One OF the
small boats called accident boats
was held back for those last 10 leave
/ the ship. But when all the others
were away. the captain went TO his
| cabin for an electric torch, and on
returning 10 deck found that this
/ also had gone.
The submarine hailed the boat
/ in English: Come alongside, il or
/ dered. The boat was piling down
TO pick up a drowning man. The
/ ed back: We are picking up a man
from the water
Come alongside repeated the
brusque voice from the submarine.
/ The boat held on its way and forth
| with two revolver shots were fired
at or over il.
| Come alongside. will shoot my
! big gun, shouted the submarine
/ commander. The boat lay along
/ side the submarine and the cap
/ tain (probably the man picked up
was ordered on board. In case he
should be made prisoner and kept
on board, he gave the second Off
1 Ger, who remained I'm the boat. the
/ course 10 steer. He was then taken
/ TO the coming tower of the subma-
rine where two officers awaited him.
The commander asked him
/ sharply. What ship j. that
cit Is the hospital ship Liam
dovery Castle. answered the cap
T tain
'Yes-the commander did not
attempt 10 appear surprised-'but
I YOU arc carrying eisht American
+ hieht officers
We are not replied the cap
I tain. We have seven Canadian
medical onicers on board. The ship
was chartered by the Canadian gov