Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-07-05
Submarine Torpedoes Vessel
Without Warning 70 Miles
F.; From Irish Coast.
234 PERSONS MISSING
Only TWsn<y<our Of Those on Board
the Ltando~ery Castle Are Saved
Boat Was Under Charter Of
Canadian Government.

London, July 3.-The 1000 ton
hospital ship Llandovery Castle,
which had been chartered by the
Canadian government and had been In
the service Of carrying wounded and
sick from England to Canada for
many months, was torpedoed by q
German submarine 70 miles from the
Irish coast on the night Of June 81.
The chip was on her way to Eng
land. She had on board 258 persons,
including 80 men OF the Canadian
army medical corps and IA women
nurses.
Twelve Sisters Seen to Drown.
Up TO tia latest reports only "a Of
tho1e ON board, including the captain,
have survived the treacherous attack,
which came without warning.
One 0 the ships boats containing
IL nursing sisters, was seen to cap
size, according to latest information.
The s4skees we're drowned.
The commander of the destroyer
Lysand@, which rescued tho captain
and those In his boat, describing tho
rescue said circumstances OF the
sinking az he learned them from the
survivors,, made it quite clear that
this was amther instance Of sinking
ut night and that it was obviously
intended to follow the policy Of
leave no trace" for when last seen
Ii - omarine was apparently she'll
fvSe fsH - oh 1P
boats launched.
The sisters lost were thrown out
and were either drowned directly or
caught beneath the boat. A Canadian
sargeant who was In the same boat
managed to crawl on the keel.
Nothing had been seen of the re-
naming five boats. g ~, ~
Whether they had been destroyed
by shell FIRE the commander of the
Ly1ander could not say. The sub.
marine vas observed charging wreck
age, ON which might have been sur.
vivoqe, and In the locality where 1t
was ukaly some Of the boats were
drifting. r - ,.Gse
The submarine commander, who Or
derd the captain Of the Handovery
Castle, several Of his officers and
Major r. Lyon Of the medical corps
aboard, declared that he had sunk
the ship Because 1t was carrying Am
erfcan aviation officers and others in
the fighting forces Of the Allies. He
added to this later by asserting that
the vessel was carrying munition
stores, because OF an explosion which
had occurred aft.
Red Crosses Illuminated.
. All lights were burning when the
Llandovery Castle was torpedoed.
These consisted of q auge electric
cross over the bridge and strings Of
white and green lights on either SIDE
The red crosses on the sides of the
vessel were also illuminated by cleo.
trio lights. .,..
According to Red Cross informa.
,tion many men were Killed in the
engine rooms. There is hardly any
doubt AZ this, as there was no re.
Spouse to Captain Sylvester's signals
from the bridge after the torpedo
struck. As the enginemen were
either killed Or left their posts, there
vas no one to shut off the power
and the ship kept on her way not
withstanding the great holes torn by
the torpedo, not beginning to slow
down until the water rushed into the
boiler room. extinguishing the fires.
This added to the confusion in
the lifeboats. There was no
panic, however, and by the time the
Landovery Castle had lost her mo-
mentum most of the boast 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 a
few of them were picked up.
~ nePaaAu1 eN4r@o 1n~es-A