Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-13
Freighter' S Survivors
Tell Of Battling Raider
To Save D Ships
HopeIessIy Outgunned,
Vessel Sailed Out to Fight;
Went Down Still Firing

By the Associated Press.
AN EASTERN CANADIAN PORT.
Nov. 13.-Sixty- seamen, most
of them wounded, were Canada's
heroes today-scarred, exhausted
survivors of the armed merchant
cruiser Jervis Bay, which saved at
least % ships of convoy of SO be-
fore sinking, guns still roaring. in
a mid-Atlantic battle with a power
full German raider.
They were brought into port late
yesterday by a Swedish freighter,
one of the convoy, whose captain.
Sven Olander, went back after dark
the night of November because
they did so we'll for us that did
not like to leave
The identity of the freighter and
the number of missing crew mem
bers of the 18-year-old 14164-ton
Australian liner, converted into
lightly armed convoy guardship,
were kept a military secret. Also,
the identity of the raider was un-
known, but some of the survivors
thought possibly she was 10000
ton pocket battleship, the Admiral
Scheer of the Luetzow.
Smoke Screen Laid.
Survivors of the fight-of which
the world had its first inkling last
week when distress calls cracked
out over the Atlantic-told how the
Jervis headed without hesitation
into the hopeless" fight, laid
smoke screen under which the con-
voy scattered, and plowed through
storm of shells straight for the raid
er until she was sunk by the latters
power.
Capt. E. S. F Fegen remained in
command with one arm almost
shot away" even though the fore
part of the bridge was blown from
under him. He went down with
the blazing ship.
A British Admiralty communique
credited the saving of three-fourths
of the convoy, which the Germans
/ reported completely d estroye ed,
| largely to the very gallant action
of the Jervis Bay.
| 1t said that despite greatly in
/ ferior armament" the Jervis Bay
| continued to engage the enemy
after she had been severely hit and
was burning furiously," and ex-
| ploded after 2-hour fight.
Twenty-four ships in the convoy
were reported to have reached ports.
! five others were reported safe and.
the Admiralty added. 1T is possible
that some of the ships still missing
may be safe"
Among the vessels reported al
| ready in port were the liner Rangi-
/ tiki and the freighter Cornish City,
whose distress calls were heard in
the United States the night of the
attack as the convoy was steaming
from Canada to England.
Raider Fired First.
1T was sunny evening when We
picked up the German ship on the
port side at $50 o'clock" said one
of the JerviS Bay officer survivors.
'She was long way off. I don't
know which of us saw the other
first. She opened fire first, though.
She closed to get into range,
( and We closed. too, leaving the con-
! voy. We got between the enemy
ship and the convoy and dropped
smoke floats to screen the mer-
chant ships from the raider"
Capt. Olander of the rescued
freighter said the fight that fol-
lowed was glorious" and added in
halting English: III never forget
! it."
He fed, with the rest of the mer-
chantmen, but turned back after
dark to search the Gained seas for
survivors of the escort ship.
Capt. Orlander said he thought
! ne saw five merchant ships in the
convoy struck by shells fired by the
! raider.
He thought the raiders second
salvo Of shells, aimed at the Jervis
Bay, overshot and damaged the
The survivors brought back tales
OF heroism which ranged from
their captains persistence at his
post, though severely wounded, to an
account of a seaman who, when the
JerviS BAYS flag was shot away,
climbed the rigging amidst shell
bursts and fastened a new ensign;
which still waved through smoke
clouds as the ship took her last
plunge.
Il think everybody aboard was
/ proud as our ship turned to meet
| the enemy" the officer related. Our
captain knew just what we were 60
| ing to get. but it didn't matter"
Hits Set Vessel Afire.
He said those aboard the Jervis
Bay could not see what effect their
fire had on the raider, but they kept
shooting until they drifted helpless,
their guns either smashed or unable
to be brought to bear on the Ger
man ship
Early hits set the Jervis Bay afire.
A gaping hole was torn beneath her
waterline, and she listed badly long
| before sinking.