The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-02-12
FOUR LOCAL MEN
WERE Conveyed BY
ILL FATEO OTRANT0
NONE, HOWEVER, HAPPENED TO
BE ON BIG SHIP WHICH
WENT TO PIECES.

Four local men, Ray Kidd, Dave
Sewers, Orvey Foss and A. l.. Cichy
were among the American troops
which were being taken across the
water for overseas service, last Octo-
Der, when their flagship, the Inflated
"Otranto" collided with another ship
and went aground.
One of the boys has brought in the
following interesting account of the
trip and it's incidents. All of the
four local men reached the ether side
safely. The article is reprinted from
an issue of the London Daily News of
October IL, last, and is as follows:
The Daily News has collected from
the survivors of the Otranto, the loss
of which is reported on our front
page, the following thrilling narrative
of the scenes which attended the dis
aster. The stoical heroism of the
American soldiers and the COURAGEOUS
struggles of the British sailors in the
wild seas make this one of the most
moving stories of the war.
The vessel, which was an auxiliary
cruiser, was a former Orient liner.
She rendered very valuable services
in the Pacific in the earlier part of
the war, and had been engaged in
convoy duty in the Atlantic ever since
the entrance of the United States into
the war.
Her last voyage from America was
marked by ill-fate from start to fin
ish. She usually carried no troops,
but on this occasion there was a sur
plus of 700 men remaining when the
transport vessels. of the convoy had
received their complement and these
soldiers were berthed cn the Otranto
Unfortunately they were infected
with Spanish influenza. During the
eight days the Otranto was at sea &C
out of 700 American troops died of
flu and there were q number of other
soldiers who were too sick to leave
their beds-a circumstance which ag-
graved the horrors of the wreck.
The Otranto, was nearing the Brit
ish coast when very violent gales and
mountainous seas were experienced, In
the course of which the Otranto and
the IS. Kashmir, one of the trans
ports, which had Americans on board
collieded.
To some of the survivors it remain
ed mystery why the Kashmir made
no attempt to rescue, but the explain
alton is that she acted in obedience
to orders from the Otranto, which
was the flagship of the convoy. The
stern regulations Of war time trans
port in the U-boat zones make it i'm
perative that if mishap overtakes one
steamer sister ships must not delay
to render assistance.
The seas were so high on Sunday
morning that it was impossible to see
the position CT the vessels.
1t was at $3.50 a. m. on Sunday that
the Kashmir was suddenly hurled or
, the crest of a big wave, crashing in
to the Otranto.
Her bows struck the latter amid
ships, tearing great hole in her side
and flooding the engine room.
When the next wave carried the
two ships apart, the Kashmir disap-
peared in the spray and those on the
Otranto saw her no more.
Fortunately, though, her bows were
stove in, the Kashmir'e bulkheads
held, and her engines being unaffect.
ed she was able to reach port under
her own steam and all on board were
saved. SNENl
Far otherwise was it with the ill.
starred Otranto. The steamer strucl
her just in trent of the engine room
and the bulkheads unfortunately die
not hold. She was helpless in the
gale. She could not steer, and was
driven along with list of 80 or 4(
degrees. She could not use her wire.
less to summon help for she had nc
engine power.
Half an hour after the collision she
was driving ashore on the rocks
when Captain Davidson succeeded ir
anchoring her. For a brief while
Continued on page Ski