GERMAN RAID ON U.S.A.

Evening Star, Issue 23560, 26 April 1940, Page 10

GERMAN RAID ON U.S.A.

ONLY ONE SUCCESS Renewal of German submarine attacks on merchant shipping Recalls the lone successful raid on Cnjted, estates coastwise shipping in tha World War, said a United Press: message from Orleans, Massachusetts, recently published in American newspapers^_ _ Q The raid occurred on July two miles off this Cape Cod_town, and resulted in a lose of £200,000. • ■ _ It was Sunday morning, and batners were enjoying the calm, warm waters. Others lolled on the beach, some watching a tug steadily towing three barges southwards, , , A cry from a sharp-eyed bather suddenly drew the attention of all on the beach to the tug. . , ... A black object had risen above the surface, and the booming of, a cannon was heard. Binoculars were trained on the strange sight off shore, and spectators quickly identified the object as a German submarine. . . . Attacking with determination but without accuracy, the U-boat fired three torpedoes-—none reaching its mark. Its deck gun made an occasional hit, bun one shot was so wide that it landed, dose to the spectators on shore. Three women and five children were among the 41 persons aboard _the tug and barges, but they escaped harm. During a lull in the attack they escaped to small boats. . ■ 1 For’nearly two hours, the submarine’s deck gun rained shells on the tug and barges before the craft started to founder. Shrapnel seriously wounded Captain Ainslie and two crew members. John Botovick and John Vita. Vita’s hand was severed hr a flying piece of steel, while part of Botovick’s arm was blown away. Word of the attack meantime had been sent to the Chatham air station, and three seaplanes appeared on the scene. What followed was ineffective but amusing. Instead of dropping bombs on the U-boat, the pilots flung out hammers, and other tools available from their kits. They hoped to damage the periscope of the submersible, but not a hit was called. >

Hours' later- more hydroplane* and patrol ■ boats had reached! the scene, s but the submarine was not to. be found, • The wounded ■ were removed ,to th# ~ coastguard station, and Dr James P. M‘Cue was summoned from Orleans. He walked u ‘ mile and a-half over sand dunes to reach, the station, and thero found complete confusion. _ • The-casualties had been given first , aid, blit they further attention. They were. placed, on mattresses and carried-over the dunes to a boat, rowed across the river, and placed in the doo» tor’s car, which carted them-, to tha M‘Cue home. - * Their wounds weredressed. and' ant ambulance moved them to the Massa* ...., chusetts General Hospital in Boston. The summer visitors to the cap# gathered in small groups, talked »*• citedly for a while or the unusual sight they had seen, and then resumed *hei« restful routine.