Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-03-26
EDMUND JOHNSON WE'LL
Now Nearly Recovered From In.
juries at Irish Hospital
WILL NOT LOSE FINGERS
Tells Mother Story of Narrow Escape
From Death and the Good Care
He Has Received

|
Feb. IA, 1918.
Mrs. Hans l.. Johnson,
lola, Wisconsin.
| Dear Mother -
Well, mother, am now in Ireland,
and must say / am feeling fine. /
suppose you have heard of our mis-
fortune We left New York on the
oath day of January and then sailed to
Halifax and | certainly must say we
had fine weather during that time.
We stayed in Halifax one day and
then we started on our Journey again.
We had little bad weather, the
waves would wash over the top deck
but that was all fun for us fellows;
the boat was rocking and that was
just what we like. Everything was
fine until the fourteenth day of sail
ing we had our misfortune. At about
six O'Clock Feb. the 5th we were tor
pedoed off the Irish coast and the
boat tipped to her side at once.
There was little confusion and eX
citement for awhile. When it hap
pened, | was sitting on my bed and
as soon as the torpedo struck all the
lights went out so it put us all in
darkness. / at once ran to the first
deck and | tell you, mother, there
was some excitement but some way
or another ] was not scared and it
seemed so queer to me. | saw them
lower few boats but before they got
them to the water they were tipped
and all the soldiers fell into the water
at least distance of twenty feet. |
didn't know whether I should go
down as they were all the time tip
ping over as they were lowered.
Now | will tell you my experience and
never will forget it as long as | live.
stood in my place on the deck and
did not move and | said my prayer,
and mother, if T had not done that,
would not have been saved Just
as soon as | had said my prayer, saw
a long rope hanging down alongside of
the boat. | ran to it as fast as /
could and looked down and l saw
life boat down in the water just
where the rope was hanging. l
grasped the rope and slid down but
when | got near the water, the life
boat had been carried away from me
so that | could not reach it. The
waves were rather rough that night
and one wave caught me and threw
me against the large boat and | lost
the rope so that it left me to the
mercy of the sea. But, mother, / was
glad to think 1 could swim as | must
say there was queer feeling came
over me. | was swimming in the
water for at least fifteen minutes
when the life boat was coming back
toward the large boat The water
was cold and | was waiting patiently
for it. While nearing me the life
boat was caught by large wave and
thrown against the large boat pin
ming me in between where my hand
was badly bruised. One of my hands
happ med to catch the side of the life
boat and the occupants pulled me into
the boat. Then we started out away
from the large boat as we were afraid
of the suction of the boat and not on
ly that but our life boat was leaking
so badly that the boys dipped water
out with their hats and we also had
pail in the boat so that was great
help to us. We were all happy and
singing (those who could sing but
there were few of us in the boat that
had got hurt so we did not feel much
like singing) but we were not in the
life boat very long before British
Destroyer picked us up and we were
at once brought to the Hospital in
Ireland. 1T took a long while before
we reached there. We were torpedoed
at o'clock OH Tuesday and we got
into Ireland four o'clock Wednesday
morning so we were about eight
hours before we got our wounds
dressed. When we reached Ireland
was carried off the boat by large
man who came and picked me up and
carried me to the ambulance. l can
not express to you how good we were
treated and we were at once rushed
to the hospital where l am now and
am feeling fine. Now, mother, do not
worry as l am feeling fine and my
hand is getting along fine. | will
| not lose any fingers but they were
badly torn but do not worry as they
are all healed up again and / must say
THAT 1 am more than thankful. The
| Irish nurses are fine and they do ev-
erything they can for us. $50 mother
| | am all right and don't worry as |
will see you all again. Must tell you
had a great surprise when |
got in the hospital 1 found Ryder
l.. Leer, you know him as he
used to be in the garage in lola.
He is in my Company. He was hurt
very bad One leg was broken and
| the other one was bruised but he is
feeling fine and we are all laughing at
each other over our experiences. We
are having it pretty easy as all we got
| to do is to eat and read books. | am
asking you once more not to worry
4 I L.. l. kl.aA
have ever felt better in my life.
| There were one hundred and sixty-six
rnen that were lost on the boat.
Well, mother, will close wishing the
best of success to all | remain your
son. You can give this letter to the
lola Herald as they might like to
publish it.
MR.. EDMUND p. JOHNSON,
Truck Co. A, 107 Supply Train,
American Exp. Forces.