The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-11-09

ship.
II went up on the bridge where
the German officers were going over
the cargo plans. Finally the German
of1lcer got his instructions from the
battleship. He called the crew on
deck and said:
"'This Is serious business. We're
taking the ship to Germany. If you
all cooperate, all win be well. II
not we've got hand grenades here
by 8 o'clock we were underway,
headed north. We were blacked out
and couldn't even smoke. The Ger
mans were suspicious Of everything.
If / stood staring at the horizon
for any time, they'd come over with
glasses and stare too.
I'VE officers stood our regular
watches but we were more or less
figureheads. They did ell the navi-
eating and checked the steering
every few minutes.
First Iceberg
ION October 18th we sighted our
first iceberg. It was cold and snow
ing. We saw them on both sides.
It was my watch Sunday night and
we were all worried. We ran into fog
and had lookouts everywhere. The
engineers had life belts below with
them. Every few minutes I whistled
to the engine room for the tempera-
ture of the water. 32-3l-29--it went
down. At 20 we knew we were only
q little way Off from the iceberg.
We slowed the engines but the next
report was better. 1t went that way
till daylight.
1.-THE next day was fine and clear.
We steamed north, then east to
north.
ION the morning OF October Goth
we saw our first sight Of land, the
snow peaks Of Norway. It was almost
worth the run between Greenland
and Iceland just to see 1t.
Twill have to close now to send
this ashore. viii write the rest later.
MY love to you. CARL"
Ellis mother is Mrs. Blanche A.
Ellis of Newtonville, Mass.
I met the tall, blue-eyed American
sailor when he was permitted to
come ashore on personal business,
But, unfortunately, he didn't have
time to complete the story Of the
City Of Flint's oddessy and a mid
night rowed out to the freighter
at anchor in the roads, to get the
rest Of the story.
I got It from Willy Maher, an able
bodied seamon who talked to me
through a portfolio aft while I sat
In the rowboat.
(American and Norwegian officials
have made 1t difficult for newspap-
erman to interview members Of the
City Of Flint crew.
I'VE took water and pilot at
Tromsoe (the Norwegian part at
which Ellis narrative ended. The
pilot came into the wheel house and
bummed a cigaret. He knew right
away we were Americans. Then we
took on water.
"As we were coming into TromsoG
and before we dropped the anchor
all the English prisoners were sent
aft and told to stay below. AS we
were taking on water, the English
were sent ashore. (They were men,
bers Of the crew Of torpedoed Brit
ish freighter put aboard the Flint by
the German battleship)
| Got Underway
I'VE lifted anchor then and got
underway. A warship took us outside
Norwegian waters. I was at the
wheel. Just before the escort left us,
they said goodbye, and we headed
north.
1.-THE German lieutenant said they
had TO get some charts and that we
were heading for Russia. We first
thought we were going to Germany
and we were afraid. Then we found
out It was Russia. They told us we
would get of there and be sent
home.
when we got to Murmansk, we
saw the Bremen, the st. Louis and
q lot Of other German ships. One OF
the German sailors told us that the
week before IL Of them had left. The
Russians came aboard and took Our
cameras and exposed Our Aim and