Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-01-09
FIRST TO AID IN
OTRANTO wreck
Red Cross Swift and Efficient
Help Wins High Admira-
ton. 49,,
IRISH behave SPLENDIDLY
Simple Folk Of IsIay Sacrifice Them.
selves in Rescuine and Giving
kid to Shipwrecked
Soldiers.

London.-So rapidly are events fall
ing one after the other that the Otran'
to disc nay be considered an old
story. Yet there is very great deal
which has not vet been told about
now splendidly the Irish people be-
haved in succoring survivors and how
noblv the simple. folk of Islay sacri.
feed themselves in rescuing and CIV
ing aid to tie shipwrecked soldiers
who were cast many Of them uncon-
scous, upon the wild Scottish shore.
And the story, too, of the swift and
successful aid furnished by the Amer
lean Red Cross Is one Of which the
whole United States may well feel
proud.
When the survivors landed at Bel
fast only IL hours after they had been
taken off the disabled Otranto by a
daring British destroyer, they were in
pitiful plight They had been cling
ing to the deck of the destroyer with
heavy seas constantly breaking over
them, and with a cold wind chilling
them to the bone. To save themselves
from being carried overheard many
had lashed themselves to torpedo
tubes and to the vessels superStruC-
ture.
Because of the loss Of the destroy
er's wireless equipment, due to her
running into the troopship while TAX
ing off the men, she had been unable
to give notice of her coming. Conse-
quently no provision had been made
on shore for the reception Of the sur
vvors. The seriously injured and sick
were rushed off to hospitals as soon as
ambuances could be brought to the
dock. The others, wet through, and
shlvcring with cold and exposure, all
of them without shoes and many with
out much clothing, were marched away
to the Victoria barracks.
Consul Aids Men.
Meantime the American consul had
been notified Of the mems arrival. He
Immediately got in touch with Red
Cross headquarters at Belfast. AL
though it was Sunday night and long
past nine o'clock the Red Cross was
ready for the emergency. The emer-
gency warehouse, prepared and
stocked six months before in prepara-
tion for just such disaster, was
opened at once, and a flying squad
ron" of automobiles began loading sup
plies of clothing, medicamentS and COM
forts, which We're rushed off immedi-
ately to the barracks where the men
were being sheltered.
Hunter Sharp, consul, had gone to
the barracks as soon as he had learned
that the Red Cross machinery was In
operation. He appeared before the
men, introduced himself as the Amer
lean consul and cheered them with the
information that the Red Cross was
on the job and soon would be there
with all the necessary equipment.
"Three cheers for the Red Cross"
proposed husky Georgian. The
cheers were given with will and the
men picked up heart. They crowded
around the consul, finding comfort In
the very presence of an American.
The discussion all around the big
bare room had begun to center com
pletely on the question of food when
the first Red Cross car, honking cheer
fully, rumbled into the cobbled drive
way Of the barracks. The door opened
and a cheerful voice called out, ANY
body want any cigarettes? Here are
all the American brands"
There was rush to the doorway
and the men themselves took charge
of cigarettes, chocolates, biscuits and
warm wooden clothing of all kids,
from socks TO blankets.
American Women to Rescue.
There were American women, too,
that spoke with all sorts of American
accents from pure "Bostonese" to the
hearty tones of the Pacific coast.
Meanwhile came the news that other
survivors and many bodies were like
" to be found on the coast of 1sluy
off the Scotch coast, where the Otron
to had perished on the rocks. 1t was
known that the Red Cross organization
in Scotland was trying to reach lsl;y
but it was doubted whether, owing 20
the terrific storm, travel by the usual
routes was possible. So the Red Cross
organization in Belfast decided to send
an expedition on the perilous trip from
Ireland to Islay. A party of eight
including two physicians, and carsy-
ing large outfits of clothing an1
quantities of medical and other SUP
plies, made the voyage on small YES"
sci furnished by the British navy.
Here, in Islay, it was found that the
greatest loss of life had occurred, for
the Otranto had gone on the rocks
close to the scene of the Tuscania dis
aster.
OF her 45O passengers 20 men.
including II American soldiers and
three members Of the crew, were
the only survivors. These twenty,
more dead than alive, were washed un-
conscious on the rocks bleak and des
olate spot, and were taken care of by
n handful of cottagers who live on this
barren shore at little hamlet knoEn
as Klchoman, which consists of only
three houses, a church and school
house.
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