The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-09-09

began, construction workers who had been building American Army facilities in Britain, and some U. s. Army officers returning to the United States for advanced technical training or to act as instructors.
 None of the passengers was in- jured but several of the 750 crew members were burned, two seriously.
 Paint Was Scorched
 could see the rescue vessels crowd so close to the burning ship that, as we later learned their paint was scorched and their hullS bruised as they bounced against the Wake field to take of the passengers by means of rope ladders and impro- vised gangways.
 Flames were discovered pouring from passengers cabin shortly after 6 p. m. ships time 6 p. m. EWT) and soon were racing down the corridors of B deck. They de- fled control and two hours to the minute later the skipper, Cmdr. Har- old G. Bradbury, U. s. Coast Guard, ordered her abandonment by the crew members who had risked en- trapment to stay aboard and fight the flames.
 Cause of the fire either was not determined immediate or could not be disclosed pending official investi- gation. Preliminary reports indi- cated that & passengers careless ness. perhaps in the handling of a cigaret, was to blame, but the rapid spread of the flames remained unexplained.
 The Wakefield and her sister ship, the former Washington, were the second largest passenger ships in the American Merchant Marine and among the newest. The Wakefield was launched in 1892. Of American built ships, only the America-now named the West Point-was larger.
 The Wakefield was in this con- voy returning to the United States after a successful and uneventful crossing with the largest number of troops ever ferried over the Att lantic in single operation.
 Had she been alone and unescort- ed the flames might have taken 8 heavy toll of lives. But a cruiser and two destroyers of the convoy escort were alongside the Wakefield within 10 minutes after she broke radio silence to message:
 T am on fire"
 The rescue operation also was favored by a glassy sea and clear sky.
 Good Night for Rescue
 "If 1t had been a bad night with rough sea, we couldn't have talk en off one-tenth of those people, not one-tenth," Captain c. F. Bry- ant, commander of the convoy es- cort, said.
 Two hundred and 28 yere taken aboard one of the destroyers and most of the remainder were taken onto the cruiser. The rescued so crowded the fighting ships that they were forced to sleep on deck under the few blankets and extra clothes available. Few of the res- cued were able to have their lug gage and possessions.
 Commanders of the rescue ves- sels pleaded with Bradbury to abandon his ship for an hour before he finally admitted the fire couldn't be controlled. Those of his crew who desired were rescued early but most of them chose to remain with the captain in the losing fight.
 Disaster struck quickly as his con- voy neared the port from which 1t had departed a month ago and as the officers and members Of the crew were congratulating themselves on a crossing with perfect weather all the way and a complete absence of enemy interference.
 It struck in full view of hundreds of crew members and other re- turning American Nationals on other ships of the convoy. On this ship of the convoy commander at least a score of idle sailors and of- fieers. besides those on watch. spied the first small plume Of smoke that trlckled from a point just forward of the bridge apparently on the main deck.
 By the time the word had been passed along this ships telephone to the officers ln charge, the tiny plume was . pillar.
 Then came the first message from the Wakefield.
 Thr0agh the binoculars from thls ship, just 1000 yards away, could ba seen the Wakefield crew run. ming forward to their fire stations,
 Water Quickly lslt Flames
 The Wakefield turned abruptly 70 play a faint wlHd against the flames. The great cloud .of smoke became llnged wllh white steam a6 a..aAA. a..aa n.LAAaA a.a Aha AaA .a.lAAaLn