The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-22

pillow III 81. MdTyS hospital laSL
night, brought out the picture of mis-
wife, the former Mary Farrar, whom
he married last Dec. 81, and showed
it proudly to reporters.
Noise Awakened Him
The noise that awakened him was
the explosion of a German torpedo,
ripping the side out of the 5,269-
ton, 38-year-old City of Atlanta.
How many of the crew the explosion
killed, and how many unable to
hold on to drifting wreckage, slipped
off and drowned, he couldn't say.
Only three men out OF 49, were
known to have survived: Fennell,
%, of Savannah, Ca; Second Of
ficer George Tavelle, "a, Of Savan-
nah and able-bodied Seaman Earl
DoWdy, q, of Savannah. John York,
38, second assistant engineer, OF
Mountain City, Ga, was picked up
by a rescue boat, but died en- route
to Hoboken.
Tavelle suffered a strained back
and bruises. Fennell's right leg
might have beensfractured and he
was cut and bruised. DoWdy was
not injured and has gone home.
Tavelle said the submarine which
fired the torpedo broke water while
the freighter was going down. A
light on its coming tower flicked
about over the choppy sea, picking
out sailors, shiyering as with the
ague, clinging to scraps of wreck
age, and a life boat.
The sailors clenched their fists
and shook them, shouting:
I'D like to wrong your - necks,
you Heinies.
IT wish we could get our hands
on YOU -"
Sub Glided Away ...
The light soon went off and the
submarine glided away. Then those
who had survived that far began a
desperate effort to live until help
arrived.
They cursed and they prayed.
Tavelle said there were 81 Negros
in the crew, and they, especially,
prayed.
. One by one, the men lost con-
sciousness and slipped into the sea.
Their lifebelts held the bodies up
and the dead bobbed along after
the living.
Before dawn, vessel passed them,
but they were too weak to hail it.
They were finally rescued at 1855 a.
M, after having been in the water
almost seven hours, indicating that
the ship was torpedoed shortly at
ter midnight.
Tavelle said he and II other men
were on duty when the torpedo ex-
ploded. No S. O. S. was sent because
Wireless Operator Theodore Havi-
land of Savannah had closed his
shack at midnight and the explosion
"just busted it wide OPEN"
None Of the four life boats got
away from the sinking vessel. Two,
launched from starboard, hit the
hull as the ship listed. One of them
contained % men, including Tavelle,
and they were plunged into the sea.
The other two lifeboats, on the port,
were dragged to the bottom when
the ship rolled to her end on that
beam. One life boat righted itself,
but none was in it and the survivors
couldn't reach 1t.
Tavelle last saw the master, Cap
tain Lehman Urguhart, on the boat
deck, directing the launching Of the
lifeboats.
Last Seen Of Master
II heard him giving orders and
that's all I remember of him." he
said.
Fennell said he was caught by the
daVit Of one OF the boats and pulled
beneath the water when the ship
turned over on him. He scraped
along the side of the hull until he
came to the surface.
Then T swan like hell away
from the ship" he said.
Among his injuries was a deep
red scar, almost completely encir-
cling his neck. His overcoat collar
rubbed 1t as he continually twisted
and turned, looking for help.
The City of Atlanta went down In
Is minutes.
Mass. Men There
Boston, Jan. 22.-(UP)-A Cam
bridge man and a former Somerville
resident were crew members aboard |
the Savannah Lines S. s. City OF
Atlanta when the ship left here Jan.
9 for southern ports, 1t was said to-
day.
James A. Wolcott, Sc, of Cam
bridge, a mess steward, had been
with the line eight years. He has a
wife and three children.
Theodore Haviland, IS, formerly
of Somerville, was the ships chief
radio operator. He now lives In Sa-
Ga, with his wife and two
children.