Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-07-02

LONDON, July IA German
submarine seventy miles from the
Irish coast on the night of June 81
torpedped the 11,000-ton hospital
ship. Llandovery3Castle, which had
been charteredAsby the Canadian
government, and had been in the
service of carrying wounded and
sick from England to Canada for
many months past. The ship was
fthen on her way to England. She
had on board 25S persons. including
eighty men of the Canadian army
medical corps and IA female nurses
Up to the latest reports only "a Of
those on board, including the cap
tain, have survived the treacherous
attack, which came without warn.
ing.
Claimed Munitions Aboard.
The submarine commander. who
ordered the captain of the LAND
overy Castle, several of his officers
and Major Lyon of the medical
corps, aboard, declared he had sunk
the ship because she was carrying
American aviation officers and 9TH
ers in the fighting service of the
allies. He added to this later by
.munition stores because of an ex.
plosion which had occurred after
All lights were burning when the
Llandovery Castle was torpedoed
These included huge electric cross
over the bridge and strings of white
and green lights on either side. The
red crosses on the side of the ves-
sci also were illuminated by electric
lights.
According to Red Cross informa-
tion many men were killed in the
engine rooms. There Is hardly any
doubt of this, as there was no re-
sponse to Captain Sylvester's signals
from the bridge after the torpedo
struck. AS the enginemen were
either killed or left at their posts,
there was no one to shut off the
power and the ship kept on her way.
Notwithstanding the great holes torn
by the torpedo, not beginning to slow
down until the water rushed into
the boiler room, extinguishing the
fires.
Many Jumped Into Sea.
This added to the confusion in
launching the lifeboats, But there |
was no panic and by the time the
Llandovery Castle lost her momen-
tum lost of the boats were over the |
side. Those above decks began |
climbing into them in good order. /
But many were unable to reach the |
boats and the ship was sinking rap
idly They jumped into the sea and |
few of them were picked up.
According to information received |
by the Canadian Red Cross here,
Major Lyon, from the Llandovery !
Castle was forced to stand in the
coming tower despite an injured
foot while the German submarine Of
ficers questioned him. The Ger
mans insisted that Major Lyon was
an aviation officer notwithstanding
the officers strenuous denials The
Germans even threatened to shoot
Major Lyon, contending that he was
an officer of the fighting unit, not
a medical officer.
The admiralty report on the sink
Ing describes the cruel treatment of
Major Lyon and declares that the
submarine after sinking the vessel,
shelled an unknown target which
the report intimates might have been
the missing boats.
None But Patients Aboard.
LONDON, duly 1.-The COM
'nander asked Major Lyon sharply
"'What ship is that?
"'It is the hospital ship Llando-
very Castle answered the captain.
'Yes'--the commander did not
attempt to appear surprised-'but
sou are carrying eight American
flight officers
1--WE are not replied the captain
We have seven Canadian medical OF
dicers on board The ship was cnar-
tered by tho Canadian government
TO carry sick and wounded Canadians
from England to Canada
ITO the submarine comrianders
charge that you have been carry
ing American flight officers the cap
tain replied:
! have been running TO CANADA
Tor six months with wounded ] give
you my word of honor we have car-
fiod none except patients, medlca'