Evening star., 1941-07-20
Given 20 Minutes to Quit Ship,
Robin Moor Crew Left in 78
Officer Relates Own
Story of Sinking
By Nuzi Submarine

This story OF the sinking OF the
Robin Moor By a German sub
marine lUnS lUritten for The Star
and MANA. by an officer OF
the W-tated treighter.
BY SECOND OFFICER ROBERT E..
TAYLOR.
BOSTON, July 19.-We had been
at sea IA days and had reached
point on the Great Circle route to
South Africa south of the Cape
Verde Islands off the coast of Africa.
On the night of May 20-21, I came
off my watch at am. and had
just taken my clothes of and laid
down to sleep in my room, when 1
heard the engine room telegraph
ring.
That meant trouble. Nothing but
disaster stops the engines on the
high seas at night.
I jumped up, threw on some
clothes and rushed to the bridge.
First thing I saw was winking
light out in the darkness. The
bridge was crowded. The captain
chief officer, radio man all huddled
around our blinker, talking" with
Morse flashes to this mysterious
ship that had hailed us.
The ship had messaged she was
a submarine: that we were to send
a boat and ships officer: not to use
our radio or we would be sunk.
Capt. Myers ordered me to send
away a boat and Chief Officer
Mundy went in it to the submarine.
Given 20 Minutes TO Get Off,
We had about an hour to wait
before We got any more news or
saw our No. boat again. AS second
ofhcer, 1 went through my duties
OF checking all lifeboats to be sure
they had the regulation equipment
and provisions. I also had to 90
down and check on the passengers.
TWO or three Of them had slept
through the stopping of the engines
ana had to be reused and told what
was happening. The passengers
were wonderful, no panic. I snatched
couple OF seconds when I was
below to duck into my room and nut
what could pick up quick in a
canvas bucket.
AS l got back to the bridge No
BOAT was pulling alongside and Chief
OIncer Mundy sang out, as soon as
ne could be heard:
We've got 20 minutes to get off
the ship. They're going to sink herI"
Actually, we filled and lowered
away our boats in 18 minutes. Frank
Ward and I handled the boat-falls,
Each boat was filled with its proper
quota OF passengers or crew and
then we swung it out and lowered
1t into the water.
The sea was fairly heavy and the
Robin Moor rolling-she had a
heavy deck cargo-so we would have
to lower a bit, then hold it. with
the ifeboat being Tended off from
the ships side, then lower again,
Capt. Myers stood by. watching
everything. He was the last to leave
the ship and I went just before him,
sliding down the falls.
Looked Over Ships Papers.
We then pulled over to the sub
marine. We were told to tie up
alongside. The seas kept riding our
hfeboat up on the rounded side of
the sub
Il want your papers" said the
sub commander in what seemed like
marked German accent. He looked
over the ships papers, which one
OF his seamen leaned down and took
from our captain.
m sorry, captain, you are carry
ing supplies to my country's enc
mics" said the sub commander,
after looking over the paper. Il
will have to sink your ship"
AS second officer of the Robin
Moor. was in charge of Nos. and
5 holds, and to my knowledge we
were not carrying any munitions or
contraband.
Then the sub commander asked
how we were off for food and water.
We answered that in only 20 min
utes' warning we had had no time
to get fresh provisions up from be-
low and that our lifeboatS had only
the standard emergency rations of
hardtack and limited water.
He had his men bring up one can
of pumpernickel (black bread for
each lifeboat and three cans of
Danish butter for the four boats
to share. He told us that he couldn't
give us water because he could spare
no containers to put it in.
Freighter Finally Settles.
A torpedo was fired at the Robin
Moor at 6:32 am, while we were
pulling away from her in lifeboats.
1t hit her amidships, apparently in
the engine room, for a big cloud OF
steam and smoke rose, but she
didn't seem to be settling.
Now the sub opened fire on our
ship with a 6-inch deck gun.
We watched while they blazed
away, firing 33 shells. Finally she
settled. Great slicks of oil spread
out over the water, and patches of
f1otsam and wreckage began bob
bing up. Her deck cargo foated
free as she broke up, and as it was
automobiles Grated in alright
wooden cases, they floated.
The sub limbered up their anti
aircraft gun and practiced marks
manship until they had hit and sunk
every floating crate.
The sub had pulled away from our
little cluster of lifeboats during the
gunnery. Now she circled around
through the curtailments, it was