TROOPSHIP'S FIGHT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 24 October 1917, Page 2

TROOPSHIP'S FIGHT

SUNK HOURS' SCRAP

WITH U-BOAT.

Survivors of the British troopship Armadale, torpedoed in the Atlantic .on .Tune 27, describe her fight,-lasting nearly two hours, with the German subma- ; rine U153. When she was first fixed on the Armadale! kept on lie* course unscathed. U153 then hove in siuhfc two> miles astern, and began training shots at the wireless- a-eri-ails and the bridge of the Armadale. The gunners and' fire men-worked like Trojans. During he whole fight the steamer's j.2 knots vas increased to 15. •- m -.•

After exchangingsomething..;like 30 shots the Huns submerged. Later the Armadale , was r struck; without, warning, and the. order ; to abandon:;ship was given, the steamer being eventually sent to the bottom by shell-fire. In spite of the fact that submarines-were still in the vicinity, the captain of a .Cardiff, steamer pluckily bore down among the survivors. ■One boat load after" another was put safely in his ship, -.234 men being rescued. As already stated'-by the Admiralty s 6 > soldiers; 1 passenger, 1 ship's officer, and. 3. of the crew were .drowned.