The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-05-16
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s Bits From ''OUer There" I
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Perhaps one of the most interesting
and by all means the most exciting let
ter yet published is that received by
Mrs. Anna Young from her. son, John
Young of the 10th Supply Train now
in France under Lieut.. Asbury Vale.
Young very vividly describes his ex-
perienees on the III fated Tuscaria.
Excerpts from his letter read:
'You want to knew how I escaped
when the Tuseania went downs Why
there was nothing more simple in the
world just stepped off the Tuscauia
onto the destroyer. But, we were pretty
hard pressed for a while as we didn It
know when the blamed thing was going
down. At the time the torpedo struck
the boat I had just finished my supper
and had come back to my bunk to re-
tire. Corporal Junker slept next to me
and I borrowed his razor to shave talk
ing to him all the while. Well, while
we were talking an awful gust of wind
seemed to come in, followed by noise
that sounded like two box cars smash
ing into each other; the lights went
some fix. I grabbed ray life preserver
and overceat and as things were pretty
hot at that moment, didn't even have
time to get nay hat or coat. The boys
started for the stairs, feeling around
and if they did know the way out be-
fore, it was much harder now, as the
boat listed to one side. It was not so
hard to get to the deck as there was
no jam ON the stairs, although it was
damned enough when I got on top. [
put on my overcoat and life belt; then
7 had to go up where the life boats are
stationed on the top deck, for you see
I was one of the men detached for low
ering the boats. There were eight of
us with Corporal Junker in charge, and
only four showed up, including myself.
The rest didn It turn up at all-not
even Corporal Junker until Later, and
then he didn't stay. I grabbed him by
the arm and said, you've got to stick
with US, and he said, TITS no use, our
boats are all smashed well, I said
what are you going to do about it?'
Nothing he said, but look for an
other boat That was the last I
saw of him.
f'Our boats were all smashed by the
explosion and were no good for use, so
we cleared away the rubbish and
dragged one of the boats from under
meath, but it was also in bad shape
One of the men took off his overcoat
to plug up one Of 5he holes and we
showed it over board so someone could
use it as a raft. eve could not hoist
it down as one of our davits was blown
off, After we had cleared all this off
the deck we helped the other crews get
their boats down. In the meantime
the ship was listing to one side very
heavily. After an hour and half of
hard work all life boats and RATS were
off deck and nothing remained that
could be Of any use to anyone-so some
of us sat down and others walked around
waiting for the boat to go down.
f'This was a fine picnic. Darkness,
no other transports in sight, quiet, with
only the splashing of the waves against
the ship and the shrieks of those in the
water. The rain was patteriny heavily
on the deck, and one of the boys lean
ing over hollered down, How is the
water old palf Cold, I bet, ehi Well I II
be down to join you in a short time.
cat almost the same moment some
one called, The destroyer is on the
other side and is taking on troops
Well, it didn't take long before we
were all on the destroyer and the
ill-fated vessel was left to sink in
the bziny deep.