The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-10-17
j. S. TROOPSHIP
SUNK IN ACCIDENT
THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY
LIVES ARE LOST.
OTRANTO DASHED TO PIECES
After Collision With the Steamer
kashmir, Transport Was Driven
on the Rocks by Terrific Gale
Raging at the Time.

Raging at the Time.
A British Port, Oct. 11-A large
number of American troops have been |
! lost as the result of the sinking of
| the transport Otranto in the North
| channel between the Scotch and Irish
| coasts in a collision with the steamer
Kashmir.
The Otranto, after the collision was
dashed TO pieces on the rocks off the
south Scottish coast with a probable
! loss of $50 lives.
or these $50 are believed to be
American soldiers.
Three Hundred Rescued.
Three hundred and one men were
taken to Belfast by the British de-
stroyer Mounsey, the only vessel which
made an attempt at rescue in the
terrific gale when the Kashmir, an
other vessel i'm the convoy with the
Otranto. rammed the Otranto, amid
ships.
Rammed Amidships.
The Otranto was rammed amidships
by the Kashmir The Kashmir after
the collision backed away severely
damaged. She was able to get into
port on her own power.
Captain Hiemer in an interview
with the United Press said the coils
ion occurred about nine o'clock Sun
day morning.
Met Death Herocaily.
IA raging storm was in progress"
he said. with the high seas sweeping
over our deck as the Kashmir hit us
amidship. The call to the soldiers was
sounded. They jumped to attention at
their posts and awaited the command
without panic. There was one hundred
and fifty cases below and ! believe
that they were all lost
Men Are From Georgia.
Most of the soldiers on the trans
port were Georgia men in the casual
ties, probably members of a replace
ment unit.
Miss Jane Rider a Red Cross nurse
, who was on board one of the vessels
in the convoy with which the Otranto
was proceeding said to the United
Press.
Nurses Story of the Collision.
THE first we knew of the trouble
to the Otranto was when We picked NJ
s. o. S. message from both the
Otranto and the Kashmir The storm
was so bad and we could not turn
and had TO put back TO sea. We could
, not see anything. Then We heard that
the Otranto was trying to put out life
boats over the side of the boat and
the men were being drowned as they
entered"
Men from the Otranto who took tc
the boats describe wonderful scenes
on the British rescue ship which came
along the side of the Inflated trans
port.
Nothing Scares ISL"
The men were told that it was every
man for himself Standing on the top
of the deck some of themen leaped
aboard the DESTROYER from as far as
twenty feet. A Corporal who was
among them later asked if he was
afraid:
: Hell no." he replied nothing scares
us.
Everybody was calm" declared a
Sergeant. I'VE knew We were doomed
and did not think of being set free.
, Boys when we saw the destroyed ap-
, preaching us We sure felt fine. saw
fifty soldiers swimming along the
side of the destroyer and saw the ship
cut one of them in two. Others who
were hanging to a ladder which was
dangling on the side of the destroyer
were crushed TO death when the war
ship was drawn against the side of
the Otranto.
MANY other stories of men being
crushed between the rescue ship and
the doomed vessel were told. other
survivors told of men being washed
into the swirling seas and there was
no returning.
Another private said that when
orders were given TO them to jump
the men did not ask any questions
Some of them landed and some miss
ed. He was washed over the side OF
the destroyer twice he declared, only
to come out alright.
All of the men who landed were
cheerful and praised the efficiency OF
the Red Cross workers.
AS the bows of the Kashmir were
pulled from the great hole in the side
of the Otranto, the water rushed H.
but for time it did not serve 10
stop the engines. The Otranto tried
to proceed, but made no headway
against the gale in her crippled con-
dition.
Within a short time the water put
out her fires and the Otranto drifted
helplessly
Good For Pasture.