The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-08-06
GERMAN FIENDS
MURDER NURSES
and WOUNDED ON
HOSPlT AL SHIP
British Vessel Is Torpedoed
With Loss Of About
130 Lives
SHIP HAD 600 -
PATIENTS ABOARD
Crew, By Heroic Efforts,
Saved Lives OF Ma,
jority Of Them

A British Port, Saturday, Aug s.
r(Delayed) The torpedoing early
this morning, of the British hos
pital ship Warilda was one of the
most narrowing disasters in history
of submarine warfare. The number
OF dead is variously estimated from
105 to 130 and includes several wom-
en- nurses. .@- - .,--,- ,....
The ship carried six hundred sick
and wounded. =. Among them were
seven Americans, two officers and
fiVe enlisted men. all Of whom have
been accounted for except one pri-
vate. a-.- ~ ..a i .."
There were aboard SO nurses and
members of the voluntary aid de-
partment and the crew comprised
about 200 men.
More than $50 survivors, brought
here shortly after 6 o'clock were CIV
an first aid treatment, food and
aboard special trains, which had
been waiting to receive them and
sent to hospitals in various parts Of
the country.
The torpedo struck the after part
OF the engine ROOM killing the third
engineer and two other members OF
the engine room force. The dynamo
was destroyed; plunging the vessel
into darkness. 4. t...a.- ASS .-
Jnst over the dynamo was The
wardroom, which contained more
than one hundred patients. Most Of
these We're killed outright by the ex-
plosion and the others, many of
whom had BEEN freshly injured by
the torpedo, found themselves trap
ped. 1T was impossible for outside
aid to reach them, and all except
few who jumped overheard and were
picked up, perished.
Floatsd Two Hours.
Stories Of the fearful struggle in
the darkness to rescue helpless n
ship remained afloat more than two
hours, and for a great part of the
time continued. under headway be-
cause the engines could not be
stopped. This condition greatly
the rescue work and in ad-
ditton three Of four boats were
while being lowered, throw
ing their occupants into the sea.
All the soldier patients and the
nurses testify to the heroic efforts of
officers and crew. Notwithstanding
the excitement and confusion which
were increased by the inlzy darkness,
the crew under the mastery direc-
tion Of the, officers. went cooIly and
methodically about the different
tasks of bringing the sick and
wounded on deck.
The morale OF the wounded, lying
on deck waiting to be taken off, is
described by members of the crew
Us too fine for words" They new
sr complained or urged the rescuers
10 hurry.
"Patients Firsr' Say Women.
The less seriously disabled assist
I'd their more unfortunate mates ia
90 first. Women were placed in the
first boats lowered, nothwithstand
ng their protests that they should
1ot. precede the patients.
The Warilda had been in the ChRRs
lel service two years and this waaI
1er first crossing from France o. |
which she did not carry a number
II German wounded prisoners. Mem.
oers OF, the crew remarked over this
act and some expressed the opin- |
on that 1t was OF sinister signiei- |
'ance.
= Ao $AAASA4GeSIA ESS0 SgFOSS as max |
ng the survivors comfortable, and
quitting the patients on trains to be |
to hospitals.
The admiralty last evening issued |
he following communication COM
,erning the torpedoing
The honeWard bound ambulance
transport Warilda was torpedoedl /
nd sunk on the third of August
The Warilda was built at GIas-
cow in 1912. She was al feet long, |
lad q beam Of Sc feet and q depth /
# 81 feet. Her registered tonnagel
vas 7,71S. She ives owned by thel
Adelaide Ship Co, Of Port Adelaide, |
Australia