TWO HOSPITAL SHIPS TORPEDOED.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14395, 24 April 1917, Page 5

TWO HOSPITAL SHIPS TORPEDOED.

ATTACKED WITHOUT WARNING*

SEVENTY-NINE MEN MISSING.

MANY GERMANS ON THE LA

FRANCE

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association

and Reuter.)

(Received April 23, 9.10 p:m:) London, April 23

The Admiralty announces that the steamers Donegal and La France were torpedoed without warning on the evening of the 17th while transporting wounded to British ports. Ore ing to the German practice of sinking hospital, ships it is no longer possible to distinguish hospital 6hips, because they become more conspicuous targets1.. Therefore, the Donegal and the La Franco .w'ere"\not' marked as hospital ships, but were ..-provided with ■an escort.; :>. '•,». ;■■ ■ ' ' "'■'.. The Donegal carried slightly wounded, 29 of whom a.nd also, twelve of the crew are- missing^ The La France carried 234 British wounded, 167 German wounded, 52 ; medical staff and 123 crew. Al--together 23. British; and 15, Germans are.miesing. , < - ;. Patrol boats, at imminent risk of torpedoing, rescued 152 German wounded., • • The .Admiralty, later corrects the above, stating that one of tlie hospital ships retained her distinctive marking.