Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-27
BRADFORD ON SHIP
ATTACKED BY U-B0AT
CONTINUED from page ID

the reason that there is no light o'
ships duriue war times. couldn't ever
smoke AFTER shutdown and had ID
ditch" my wrist watch. Lots Of pre-
| caution. bur absolutely necessary
After enter.ns the danger zone" had
to wear our iis belts all the time
also our cauteeus talways full III va
teri. and had ta 30 10 bed With all
clothes on. az course. We had several
boat drills pre-, i0uS 20 entering the
danger zone. So that ii he uniore
seen should happen. " would at least
KNOW where Ne we're supposed 10 lie
| was assigned gu a lie boat, bur thank
God. ii was washed away during the
first storm ana ! was relsSisned. this
tine 10 a raft. and believe me. If We
ever had to 20 over the side | would
thousand times rather take my
chances on raj On the Tirst of the
following month. late In The afternoon
We met a couple of those Hun things
and believe me. boy there was excite
ment for the next halt hour. ! will
never forge. il i, live TO be a thous
and. Forgot to say That onr fleet was
made M OF a number q. conveys ana
hal,leship. happened 20 be ON one
of the upper deck, VA7u the affair
started and as ] was proceeding TO
my station, our guns opened mp on
the Huns and saw he Old bat'leship
fire a broadside o. course, they, the
Huns. le, loose ore %. those things
nut no damage was done.
Strange to say. il lidni affect me
much. OF course. was somewhat eN
cited. but not afraid After getting ioI
my post she'd my oyercoat and fast
aned my life belt good aJd tight, bur
not SO tight that when !. became va
ter soaked, it would chose me 10 death
and ! Was reads for the icy bath. II
necessary However the merry We,
come of our six inch shells that the
Hans received soon drove them away |
hat is drove one of them away. the
other VAS driven down Forge, tcI
.ay that the cruiser pat mp a dandy !
smoke screen around Us Believe ne !
can now appreciate the feelings OF
hose on board when tley are at !
acked by those things It Is sen
,a'ion that is impossible TO describe |
The next morning bright and early |
whole hock OF IT, : torpedoe boat !
leslrOyers met MS and maybe YOU
hink We weren't glad to see those |
trappy looking little devils all around |
IS. The night after the attack ! was |
IN >ub.suard at the stern Of the boa /
Vow / was a good one to put on sub.
marine guard. as'I w0uldn': know one
I saw it, During the early morning /
whale or some other fish that looked
bout that biz, went right across the
tern and nearly scared the daylights
,u' of me. as ! thought sure ii was
uh. The rest of the journey was un
ventful. We arrived s. the port OF
II. Nazaire on the fourth OF the month
lut did not disembark until the after
.oon of The eighth. 20 days on the
ioat on Boy. how good il felt 10
ave land under my feet again. Can't
ell you the name 0f The boat except
hat il was one OF the informed Ger
nan vessels that the L. s. seized al
he beginning Of the war. Was glad !
ha, YOU didn't know the name OF IL
va were reported lost when they
ound those life boats that were wash
d overheard during the storm and il
roull have caused you lot OF worry
lore Buck doesn't have to 20 through
yerything | did. Enough OF the trip
Tomorrow is Memorial Day and is
ding 10 be a big day for Americans in
rance. but ! am doomed TO stay in
he hospital. but such is life | am
citing along nicely Got Zip and put
n M clothe, Monday after p days
n bed and f0und out | was pretty
weak. bu' | 4ft stronger every day
nd hope To he ont OF here in three
weeks at least
Harold Buffers was up last night
md Re had a ane visit He brought
ne . box II candy al 1t sure tasted
.ood
Wei. didn't mean TO write a book
4ow Is everybody at home? Let me
near from sou soon. Win write again
SUNDAY. with love 10 all Of sou.
Y0Hr brother.
BILL.
Co II. Signal Corps,
n = T. u III q r r