Evening star., 1942-02-06
Survivors Of U-boat
Raid Tell Thrilling
Rescue Ship Escapes
Unurmed Liner Fights Off
Subs, Reaches N. Y. With
IS OFF Lody Howkins

SuDSy NeOCHeS ~. ]. WIN
IS OFF Lady Howkins
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Feb. 6.-Saved after
being tossed in a lifeboat in rough
seas for five days, Is survivors of the
torpedoed Canadian liner Lady
Hawkins arrived yesterday with still
further tales OF escapes from
U-boats lurking near their rescue
craft.
Passengers, whose story was per-
mitted publication by the Sd Naval
District public relations offlce, said
a U-boat threatened their ship
shortly after the liner picked up
their lifeboat containing II survivors
and five bodies.
The rescue ship, they said, bore
down on the submarine in an at
tempt to ram her and the raider
vanished.
The survivors, who were landed at
San Juan, Puerto Rico, to recover
from exposure, related that shortly
after leaving the West Indies port
three U-boats were sighted on the
surface in front Of the ship.
Again, crew members said, Capt.
Nels Helgesen tried to ram the
enemy craft.
Thought Our Goose Was Cooked"
I'VE thought our goose was cooked
until a patrol plane appeared" q
crew1nan related.
The submarines crash -dived when
the plane appeared and one Of them
WAS so close he passed under the
ship"
Patrol planes protected the un-
armed, ZigZagging liner until night
fall
The rescue ship cher name was
withheld by naval oflcers) con-
tinued her voyage to New York
without further trouble.
Survivors landing here were the
Lady Hawkins chief ofdcer, Percy
A. Kelly; eight members Of his
crew and 16 American defense work.
ers, who were en- route to q SOUTH
ern base.
Two torpedoes struck January 10
without warning and sank the 1888
ton vessel in 25 minutes. Most Of
the Nfeboats were smashed.
Mr.. Kelly said three lfeboats got
away, but that his boat was sep
arated from the others by heavy
seas. He thought the death toll
would be Isl, inasmuch as no re-
ports Of other rescues have been re-
ceived.
Water and Food Rationed.
Third Radio Officer Robert Clay
ton said water and food were
rationed during the voyage In the
ifeboat.
This meant half q tea biscuit
apiece for breakfast" he related,
with just enough water to cover
by third of an inch the bottom
Of a small whisky glass"
The first day out, he said, an
elderly lady died. Mr.. Kelly read
services as her body was slipped into
the sea.
jeanette Johnson, 21a-year-old
daughter of the British consul to
Venezuela, was the pet of the group,
said William Burton, ships car
penter. He said the child never even
whimpered, adding:
Instead, she had some Of us in
stitches until-well, until the going
got really rough"
First Fear Was Collision.
Vincent Peoples of st. Joseph, Nd,
on behalf of the construction work.
ers, said that their first impression
was that there had been a collision
and that they realized they had been
torpedoed only after the second
blast came and the ships lights went
out.
David Schoonover Of st. Joseph,
and Thomas Cooney OF Belleville.
ILL.,, he said, were rescued but died
later.
AS to their future plans, Mr.. Peo-
Piles remarked that they had been
on their way to the new base and he
presumed well just have to start
all over again"
Desmond Dawson, also Of st.
Joseph, said he intended to carry on
like his children, James william,
who was in the Navy, and Vernell, q
Red Cross worker in st. Joseph.
He said all of the construction men
Jumped overheard without life pre-
servers, having given their equip
ment to others, and that he pre-
srmed some had drowned.