Drowning Men Women, Infants Gunned After Ship Torpedoed

Northern Advocate, 7 June 1940, Page 6

Drowning Men Women, Infants Gunned After Ship Torpedoed

(Received 2 p.m.) RUGBY, June 0. DETAILS OF NAZI MACHINE-GUNNING OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN STRUGGLING IN THE WATER, WERE TOLD BY ONE OF THE VERY FEW SURVIVORS OF THE STEAMSHIP ABUKIR, WHICH WAS TORPEDOED ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AFTER LEAVING OSTEND ON MAY 27, WITH ABOUT 200 PASSENGERS, INCLUDING A LARGE NUMBER OF REFUGEES, OF WHOM 40 TO 50 WERE WOMEN AND SOME WERE CHILDREN. While in Os tend the ship had been subjected to continual bombing without being hit. These attacks were continued until she was some way out at sea, when fliev suddenly censed.

Sank in Less Than a Minute Those on board thought they were clear of the danger, but the Abukir had reached the area in which the U-boat was operating. Two torpedoes were fired, but both missed. A little later the submarine was seen on the surface, and the Abukir's captain tried to ram her, but the ship’s speed of only eight knots was tco slow. The U-boat fired two more torpedoes. One struck the Abukir amidships. She broke in two and sank in less than a minute'. The second officer was carried down with the ship, but was released by a list when she settled on the sea bottom. Handful of Survivors When he reached the surface he found the sea swept by a searchlight, and immediately a machinegun started firing at the helpless people struggling in the water. A few managed to cling to a large piece of wreckage, among them being a French and a Belgian girl. This handful consisting of the sole survivors, were picked up by a British destroyer about six hours later.