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Description
Date: 2 April 1915
Transcript:
WAR STORIES
[...]
GERMAN'S DIABOLICAL ACT.
A passenger on the Falaba, the liner which was sunk by a German submarine with a loss of over 100 lives, said that though the Falaba tried to escape by full steam ahead, the submarine was much too fast for her. The Falaba was overhauled in about half an hour. They sent up a rocket, ordering us to stop, and we did so. They then came round on to our starboard side and took up a position from which to fire. They allowed us only five or six minutes in which to lower the boats and get clear of the vessel. They torpedoed us at about a quarter to one, and there was nothing left of the ship in about ten minutes. Of course, we had no chance of bringing anything with us. There were six women on board, but no children. I believe four of the women have been saved. I believe that in addition to the captain, the purser and the doctor are dead. The whole affair was most dastardly. They gave us no chance at all. It was nothing but sea murder."
LAUGHED AND JEERED.
Another of the survivors of the steamship Falaba (named Blair, an engineer) was interviewed in passing through Swansea from Milford. He said that about 5 o'clock on Sunday morning they sighted the submarine, who ordered them to heave to. The skipper (Captain Davies), however, replied by putting on full speed, but about 12.30 o'clock they were overhauled and the captain of the submarine said they were going to sink her. The Germans on board laughed and jeered at them as they launched the boats. Their wireless operator tried hard to get communication with Land's End, and afterwards said he had done so, and that two destroyers were being despatched. When the boats were being lowered the submarine torpedoed the vessel. Some of the boats fell into the water. The captain was on the bridge at the time, and jumped into tho water and was picked up, but died afterwards. The trawlers Eileen Emma and Orient were sighted, and came to the assistance of the crew in the boats, and so far as the interviewed man (Blair) knew all except one or two were saved, including six women.
Source:
'War Stories.' The Glamorgan Gazette. 2 Apr. 1915. 6.
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