Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1918-02-14
SOLDIERS SING
AS TRANSPORT
IS GOING DOWN
U. S. Troops on Tuscania Sing
"Star-SpangIed Banner"
1926 BODIES ARE RECOVERED
viii Be Impossible to Ascertain Iden.
tity of Those Lost Until Names of
Survivors Are Cabled to Wash
ington-Officer Tells Of
Disaster.

London, Feb. 9.-The British ad-
miralty announced that the latest fig
ures available on the Tuscania disas-
ter showed that 2,235 persons had
been saved and that about 166 were
missing.
The saved, it was added, included
113 American officers, 1917 American
men, 16 officers and 1873 men Of the
crew and 6 passengers.
The bodies Of 126 American troops
have been recovered.
Of the 148 survivors landed on the
Scottish coast 134 belonged to the
United States army, including seven
officers. Of these one officer and
twenty-five men are remaining where
they landed to attend to the funeral
arrangements for the American dead.
AS the list Of Americans on board
was lost when the vessel went down,
1t will be impossible to ascertain the
names Of those lost until the names
Of the survivors have been cabled to
the United States.
1t was announced that arrange
ments were being made by British
and American officials jointly for
great military funerals for the Tus-
cania'S dead.
Fired Torpedo at Destroyer.
1t has also been established that the
submarine which sent the liner to the
bottom was later attacked by a de-
stroyer of the convoy. Several sur
vivors express the belief that the
U-boat was struck by a depth mine
and sunk.
The U-boat after firing twice at the
Tuscania and striking her once amid
ships directed another torpedo at de-
stroyef which had made off with a
party of survivors. 1t missed its mark.
Soldiers Sing as Ship Sinks.
When the Tuscania was hit the
American troops were lined up at at
tention. AS the transport showed a
sharp list the Americans, to a man,
began to sing "My Country, 'Tis of
Thee" and "The Star-Spangled Ban
ner." The British crew, lined up on
the other side of the ship, broke into
"God Save the King"
"Stood Like Soldiers"
The American officer said:
Everything went well with us dur
ing the voyage. Many of our men had
never been to sea before, and must
| say they stood like soldiers.
"instantly Disabled"
"The first intimation we had of DOS
sible danger was an order for all men
to go on deck with life-belts It was
about 80 o'clock. At the same time
we sharply altered our course. At six
o'clock, just as the darkness was set
ting we'll in, we got the blow. No
body saw the periscope nor could one
have been seen we'll. Some soldiers
described having heard kissing
sound Immediately before the torpedo
struck us in the engine rOOnN.
"We were instantly disabled. All
the lights went out. An order rang
out sending the troops to their boat
stations and to get the lifeboats out.
The shock was not severe. It was
more Of a crunching-in feeling that
went through the ship than of di-
rect blow.
"There Was No Panic"
"There naturally was good deal Of
confusion. You cannot lower a score
of lifeboats from the height Of an
upper deck in the darkness without
some confusion, but at no time was
there a panic.
Even before some Of us had
grasped the situation British destroy
ers were dashing up alongside. Such
soldiers as had been lowered In life
boats were put on board destroyers.
A few men who jumped overheard In
the first excitement were picked up.
I believe one or two lifeboats were
smashed in launching.
"The destroyers took off our men
in splendid style, with perfect order.
"All this time the Tuscania was
slowly sinking. For a minute I did
not know whether to go into a life
boat or to stick by the ship. One of
tbe members of the crew urged that
we STAY on board and trust John
Bulls destroyers. He yelled this In
nv ear. took his advice and waited
for my turn to come to go on board a
destroyer.
"No sooner had we cost aft with 600
men on board, than torpedo was
fred at us. It missed. Another de-
stroyer dashed off, operating bomb
dropping device, and the claim was
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