The Springdale news., 1919-01-10

ed to be insane. He cheered us up by telling Us that the Demosthenes would never reach Europe. She is q triple screw steamer and before he was captured had damaged one of the shafts. It revolved with an aw- ful grinding roar.
 The first part of the trip was not rough and little of interest occurred. was not sick at all. We had boat drill daily. l was assigned to Sta ton 7, raft B. There were two ' men aboard. They had nice little li- brary read Adam Bede" and the Minor of the Sea Saw lots of sharks, whales and porpoises but on- ly two ships not of our convoy.
 Saturday afternoon July 18th we were blowing along thru the Irish sea. We had picked up our con voy at daylight, six American destroy CTS and one British @" boat. The Tanks were eireling us and the De- vonshire sweeping the sea before us. The convoy was en echelon and the weather thick We had chowed and l had gone on deck. Suddenly I heard dull roar. The ship trembled all over. l thought that we had been hit or that the damaged shaft had quit. The supply ship sailing about 500 yards on our port quarter stopped dead still The Germans had let 20 a torpedo at her. A red Burgee pennant flew to her mast head and her siren screamed. But the Hun had missed. The nearest Tank destroyer turned on her heel and made for the ship like a streak of light. Black smoke rolling from all tunnels and the crews at their guns. She slid in astern of the sup ply ship and spilled ten more ash cans. When the destroyer got on the spot, the ship proceeded. The remainder of the convoy was already making knots dead ahead No zig tagging there. Each ship broke red pennant at the foremast desig- hating, Going ahead at one knot or more faster than standard speed"
 Early Monday morning we slipped up the Mersey River to Liverpool. 1 1 don't believe any one was sorry when both bower anchors were let go and the chains clanked thru the hawser pipes. The gun crew swung their guns inboard, slowed the ann intuition below decks and prepared to 20 ashore. The life boats were gripped in and tackle rigged for haul ing the cargo and officers baggage from the hold We went in on the tide and warped alongside Cunard dock. The destroyers came in also The s6 passed us like a streak, her crew on deck and q happier lot never saw. 1t was their good luck to have strafed the Hun, and they got him too. We had our first sight of an English bobby and the queer doubled decked trans. Liverpool is now the greatest port in the world. 1 saw the Carpathia there. She is the ship that picked up the survivors of the Titanic. The Red Cross ann balances were on the dock. We had case or two of the measles aboard, but no serious illness or death. We left via L. NV railway at 10:45 Our destination was base 27, Ply mouth, and we were the second unit for this base. The others were for base 6, Queenstown, 9 Gibralter air stations in Scotland and air stations at Killingholme. England, The railway system is fierce. I hope l never ride another train for any con- siderable distance over here. Six of us were in one compartment. It was first class, and one goofy machinists mate slept in the hat rack. We reached North Road Station about 8:30 the next morning. It was rain ing of course.
 I'll quit now and write some more later Love.
 Carl