The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-06
Five Went from Bunker
Hill, But Only One Re-
turns, Wounded
MARROW ESCAPE ON
TORPEDOED LINER
Imprisoned in Cabin, But Broke Through
in Time to Reach Last Boat-Six Sur
lantic Port.


AN ATLANTIC PORT, March 5.-The
last of the Randells, spare, warworn
veteran of p, born within sight of Bunker
Hill monument, landed Monday at an
Atlantic port and started for his former
that he would not be able to continue his
war experience under the flag of his native
land He entered the war before Amer
lea got into it as a soldier in the Canadian
forces with four brothers, all of whom have
been killed at the several British fronts,
and he has wounds in the hip and legs as
memorials of his fighting with the 42d
Canadian Black Watch, which is practi-
cally wiped out.
After the Black Watch had lost its
identity as regiment its few active sur
vivors, including James, the last and
Youngest OF the Randells, were transferred
to the Lancashire Fusiliers, \ years ago
and sent to a hospital in England Re
Gently he became we'll enough TO risk re-
turning To America and started homeward,
honorably discharged and wearing a war
medal.
He was aboard the Cunarder Aurania,
hit by German torpedoes in the Irish Sea
on the same day the Tuscana was sunk.
James was resting III his berth when the
first torpedo struck and placidly ignored
the warning OF his roommate, believing
that the latter was just kidding him
\ second explosion that nearly shook
! him ont OF the berth convinced James
that something really had happened He
got up and made for the door, which was
jammed He was unable through weak
| ness to force the door open, 50 he knocked
out a panel with a chair and staggered
out on deck The ship was heeling heavily
| to starboard and the skipper was Just
| leaving her in the last lifeboat Jane;
got the boat, somewhat winded, and in !
! few minutes saw submarine periscopc
coming up near him. \ sailor made a
swipe with an oar at the periscope ano
missed. the wash from the submarine
nearly capsizing the lifeboat.
! Less than minute later the submarine
discharged another torpedo. which passe,
within a few yards Of the lifeboat anl
exploded on the side OF the careenine
Aurania
Then the U-boat submerged and wa.
seen no more, her commander evidentl,
not caring to risk destruction by de
stroyers that We're nearing the position
OF the smashed Cunarder
The Aurania was towed by patrol boat
and beached to save her from laundering
It was the impression of the line tina
eventually she might be salved, but Ran
dell says she was wrecked finally in heav,
weather He was landed with other sur
vivors and taken back to England TIL
ship that carried hun here was held IL,
ten days because of submarine peril and
fire IN the hold supposed to have been Sc
by pro-German in the crew, who wa
arrested James is still very weak an
suspects that the gas may have alfecte
his lungs permanently
The other Randell boys were Harold an
Leroy, killed at Ipres: Tom, who me
death on the Sommc, and Fred, who pei
ished at Salonca
: SIX Negroes who were saved from tn
toIpedoed troopship Tuscania also got bach
They said the loss of life was chief
among those who jumped overheard il
1 stead OF waiting for the launching {
boats.