The Belding banner-news., 1919-02-12
FOUR LOCAL MEN CONVOY
ED BY I'LL FATED 0TRANT0
(Continued from Page One.)

ED BY I'LL FATED OTRANTO
Continued from Page One.)
the anchors held, and thanks to this
respite, many Of those on board were
saved.
In the teeth of this tremendous
gale there came upon the scene sol
itary British destroyer.
Fortunately for those on board the
Otranto this destroyer was command
ed by British officer, Lieutenant
Craven, of equal courage and seaman
ship. Thanks to his combination of
these qualities, his craft was able to
carry SOC men away from the doomed
ship.
In the teeth of raging gale and
despite a wireless from the Otranto
warning the destroyer to keep clear
Lieut.. Craven brought his ship to
shore loaded like one of the old
Thames excursion steamers.
But the task of getting the men
from the Otranto was one Of infinite
hazard. The big 12,000-ton liner
was rising and falling with every sea.
1t was impossible to launch the life
boats because of the breakers.
The only hope was for the destroy
er to come under the lee of the big
ship, and when she rose on the wave
for the troops and the crew to jump.
The danger that the destroyer with
her eggshep hull would be smashed
against the sides of the lines was
present throughout. The heavy seas
washed constantly over the destroy
er's decks and smothered her crew
and her tunnels in huge clouds Of salt
spray.
The Otranto's lifeboats were par
TALLY lowered in order that they might
act as huge tenders" between the
two vessels.
The American soldiers were lined
up on deck and with them the crew of
the Otranto.
There was perfect order, and not a
sign of panic. 1t was the ordeal of
the Birkenhead over again, for these
men knew that the little destroyer
could not carry more than half of
them, and there were no other vessels
in sight.
There was no panic and the sol
diers obeyed the orders of their Off
GERS to take off their boots and over
coats and to jump to the destroyer.
There was a distance of Is #. and
the jump had to be nicely calculated.
Those who jumped fraction of sec
ond too soon fell into the sea and
were drowned. Those who jumped a
fraction Of a second too late were
crushed between the two ships.
The first attempt to reach the liner
nearly wrecked the whole scheme.
Thomas L. Campbell, an American Y.
M. c. A. secretary, who was on board
during the thrilling scene, described
it thus to-a Daily News representa-
tive:
Suddenly a huge wave dashed the
destroyer against the Otranto's side,
the lifebcats being smashed like
matchwood by the collision. Both
vessels wered amaged by the impact,
the destroyer having her wireless,
headlights and part of her bridge car
ried away. She began to take in
water, but Lieutenant Craven and his
crew stuck grimly by us.
-Four times the destroyer was
manoeuvered alongside us, and each
time more men jumped with the same
result, some falling short and others
reaching the vessels deck. Some
who landed safely, eight, 10 or maybe
II, were washed off and drowned.
Some had arms or legs broken and
one man had his jawbone fractured by
the fall. One American soldier who
fell on stay rope after jumping was
cut in halves.
1t was at the third attempt by the
destroyer that l jumper to her. fell
a little short but managed to grasp
the side rail and hauled myself on
board.
At the fourth impack, we after
wards learned, the destroyer's oil tank
began to leak and the condition Of the
vessel became serious.
1t looked so serious indeed that the
gallant seamen still on the Otranto
shouted to the destroyer not to risk
destruction and reluctantly with his
overladen Graf Lieutenant Craven
sheered off. The troops left behind
shouted farewells. 1t seemed i'm
possible to them that the great ship
should not hold together few hours
and no doubt many of them hoped to
be taken off. The sailors knew bet
ter. The vessel was being forced
ashore on the rocks and when that
happened she would soon break up.
Captain Davidson was on the bridge
when the destroyer left One sur
vivor says:
GAS we drew away from the Otran-
to we could see Captain Davidson
standing on the bridge, smoking a
cigarette, and waving his handker-
chief in farewell to us. while the
Americans, waiting death calmly,
struck up in chorus with the song,
"Boodby-ee, Don't Cry-ee."
On reaching port we heard that 81
men had got away from the Otrsnto
on rats and had been picked up"
There were many narrow escapes
from death. After jumping on to the
destroyer I was dragged back by
loose ropes to the Otranto, said an
other sailor. Reaching the destroy
er's deck q second time, clunG to