The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-10-16
Survivors Claim They
Received No Warning
CONTINUED from Page u

Many passengers in the Bretagne
thought that the alarm sounded
after the submarine had been sight
ed was a practice one. AS result
many women went to the boats with
coats drawn on over their night
clothes.
No Panic On Board
People rushed on deck when we
were struck but there was no panic"
the captain of the Bretagne said.
I'VE got away as soon as we could
and we were picked up about 8
o'clock Saturday morning. The
submarine fired shells at us delib-
erately, amin, at the upper works,
the bridge, our wireless and the
lifeboatS."
Henry Garcia, a French official
from Guadeloupe, French West In
dies, passenger in the Bretagne,
said:
II had heard by radio Of the res
cue by the American liner President
Harding of the crew Of the British
freighter Heronspool so I expected
TO see a submarine. I dressed my
self before o'clock Saturday morn
ing in m best clothes, put my val
uables in my pockets and went on
deck. I looked around the horizon
with glasses. In the distance saw
another steamer, which I think was
the Oregon possibly the French
liner Oregon, 7,706 tons) that had
been accompanying us the day be-
fore.
Sub Relgns Smelling
Between us was a small boat,
which eventually proved to be a
submarine, at a distance of 500
yards or more from us. The sub
marine started Smelling us, directing
its fire at the wireless, the bridge,
the smoke stack and the engine
room. We had to abandon ship. It
was trying experience but we re-
ceived a great deal Of attention and
.are after we were picked up"
Capt. Boudien of the Louisiana
said:
About 8 o'clock Friday night we
were attacked without warning by
a submarine. We could not see 1t
but we could see It's gun flashes. The
firing was directed at the rigging,
the smoke stack and the wireless.
First Mate Ortille was killed by shell
fire while directing boat loading
operations. We took to life boats.
Then the submarine came along
side.
Good After Trouble
" Tt Is war; the submarine COM
mander said. He offered me food.
declined, as plenty Of food was
stored in our boats. He was very
good after the trouble he had
caused"
The Lochavon carried six British
passengers, picked up at Panama.
All aboard were saved.
Its captain mustered crew and
passengers as they took to lifeboats
and found one man, his clerk, mis-
sing. The captain went back and
found the clerk asleep in his berth.
Attacked without warning, the six
passengers and 50 crew members
got into boats within 10 minutes and
spent eight hours in lifeboats be-
fore they were rescued. The Locha-
Won was still afloat when they last
saw 1t.
The American vice consul at Ply
mouth said there were no Amer
leans aboard the Bretagne, Louisi-
ane or Lochavon.
Los Angeles, Oct. 18-(UP)-The
British freighter Lochavon carried
IS to 80 cases Of American Made
airplane englnees and airplane
parts and 1000 tons of canned and
fresh fruit. She sailed from this
port Sept. IL.
Repulse Reported int
Berlin, Oct. 16-(UP)-The su-
preme command in an official COM
today asserted that q Ger
man submarine had badly damaged
the British battle cruiser Repulse.
It was asserted that the attack
Ing submarine was the same which |
sank the Royal Oak and that 1t had
rendered the Repulse unfit for ac-
ton
The communique announcing the
attack said:
1.-THE same submarine which sank
the British battleship Royal Oak
has torpedces the British battleshir |
Repulse (sic) by q direct hit, badly |
damaged her and rendered her UNI
&c for actionn