Newspapers / The Courier (Asheboro, N.C.) / April 3, 1919, edition 1 / Page 2
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. v ' 1 Hi a CFR01I OUR SOLDIERS , f" AJS"" rain. It came down in torrent -every The following is from Seaman Ben guWarinea seemed to be as C. Allen : I scarce as hen teeth. None showed op; The Asbeboro Couner:- I presumably the rain kept them under Mrs. Wm. C. Hammer asked though we were continually getting some time ago, to write to The Courier 'j,, messages from all directions setting forth some of my experiences frjm other Ehip3 stating that subma in the Navy. Now that the war is over. si(fhted, giving latitude and the censorship lifted, will endeav-'d ionitude, if one was sighted or to write a brief little history of my) of our convoy we changed our twelve months stay in the U. S. Navyj passed in this, manner. On march 26, 1918 I enlisted in toe day we were met by U. S. N. R. F. at Clmrlestown, S. Gyeight destroyers in the Bay of Biscay, being one week later placed on a draft when our crui8er turned back for New which went to the Receiving Ship at York destroyers taking up their New Jork City. There were 375 of us. SDe.tive Diaces one just on the hor- on the draft, so a special train was run from Charleston, S. C. to New York.N. Y. For time reason we were given day coaches to travel in. It look us 24 hours to make the trip, bo when bed time came, we made us some berths on the floor of tne train out of news papers, one sheet to the man. There was very little sleeping done, but al most all lay there all night and took the punishment, realizing that the worst had come. When we reached New York were net by a large tug an( children lined the dock and cheer and carnecKo the Receiving Ship at ed as the transports passed through Brooklyn Navy Yard. We arrived the ocks up jnto a basin where the there about 8:30 P M., hungry and troops Cargo were taken off. cold. On leaving Charleston mother f TnJ next day after we landed my nature was robed in a vesture of green watcn rated liberty. There is a star but when we reached New York it was hoard and port watch. I was in the snowing and as coid as whiz. The nextlStarDOard. , Owing to my liberty card day I was placed on a draft to the ; heing lost or misplaced I was detain S. C. Manchuria, which was formerly, ed on the shjp for more than one hour a Pacific Mail Liner plying between ard when finally got ashore had to Frisco and Hawaii, the Philippines, alone as the other boys had already China and Japan. One week later the gone T not speak French, neither Manchuria went into commission as a'did j savVy it, but thinks to myself U S N Transport and moved to Hobok-.u try anything once." Went to en, N. J. to take on troops and sup- the ..yi', got some U. S. money chang plies. In a few days we were loaded ed mto French money and strolled out and ready to sail. We then moved mto the uttle city of St. Nazaire. down the harbor just inside of thejThe first thing that especially attract mine nets which close the New York Ld my attention was a little French harbor and awaited 7 other transports, b,onde about 16 wearing a pair of one cruiser and three destroyers,! wooded-sn0es. She walked by me on which made up our convoy. It wasthe strpet and smjied. I did not do a. most dark when they arrived, so just ' th-msr hlt smiie back. Just then an as foon as da kness settled into night, j itie l.ra were inrown open ano uie ships passed out in single file ,the first to steam out maneuvering around andjctables with a dog hitched to the axle landed we again sailed for the U. S. A. awaiting the others. When all hadujng ye a horse. Next I went into convoyed out from France same as be passei out, the eight transports swung ia souven;r shop. None of the clerks i fore for about 700 miles, when the ir to line , no soon we were on our way, olc English, so I simnlv pointed out 'transports split up into pairs. The led by a cruiser, scouted on either side by a destroyer, and one bringing up the rear, At 8:30 p. m. I went on what is call ed the after starboard gun lookout. This post waslon the gun deck which was open with' no protection from the weather. The wind was blowing and ( it was raining and cold, oh boy I I land in this way we transacted rignt; opened nre witn one oi ner o-incn had no slicker or overcoat Owing to much business and had a lengthy con- guns, firing seven shots in fast sue so many men being equipped at thatj versation. Pretty soon I returned to j cession. Just then another periscope time, it was two months before I could ; the ship, as we had only a few hours . appeared on our starboard side. One secure either. 1 6tood watch in the rain and cold for five hours before I was relieved, and when I left my post: harbor and awaited the other trans was literally drenched with rain-jports and destroyers. About 2:30 p. When I was finally relieved, went m. when all had arrived we steamed down below to turn in. that is. uro to 'nut to sea homeward bound, with four bed. Just then they passed the word ! destroyers, two hydroplanes and one , the subs. Had no more encounters "Any man caught sleeping with his dirigible as a convoy. Within about. before we reached New York. Spend clothes off will bo subject to a Sum-! four hours the hydroplanes and dirigi- ing ten days in New York, during mary Court Martial." It was then ble turned back, two days later the de- which time Coney IslaniffWas open, we and there I decided that Serman was Rt.rovers turned back also. The trans-:boys -visited there most every night to right. I turned in with my wet clothes on and tried to sleep for four hours.ltook different courr.es lor JNew York.i amusement it airoras. Alter ten oays then I was called to go back on watch lit was root hog or die, and we rooted. we were ready to sail, the briny deep at my old post. It was still raining.jRan into New York ten days later un-jagain, beirig this time in a convoy of so I had another nice little four-hour molested. 1 13 transports. Leaving New York in shower bath. It was on this watch I In five days we were again loaded, day time, were convoyed out by tor- that day light came, the ships all held with troops and this time was in a pedo boat destroyers, sun cnasers, ny their positions, but changed them oc-convoy of 12 transports, one cruiser. I droplanes and dirigibles, with one crui casionally during the day. All ships On this second voyage we encountered ser. All twfned back in a day or so were running at a standard speed of some rough Nweather, still rained most, except the cruiser and two destroyers, 10. knots per hour, which is equal to every .day. On the tenth day we were; which accompanied us through mid 11 M land miles. Near niirht the three met bv 12 destroyers; the cruiser then ocean. When about 700 miles out if A. v 1 4 U-i. sf x' I destroyers tuned back for New York, I leavinv u with ana eraifer mxtA iirht transports. Sooa oar watches cjing ed to four hours ob and eight off, vohilh wu a mot InnrafmMt ia iwv izon in front of the convoy, one on each side and one bringing up the rear just on the horizon. These were to ward off German raiders, while the other four ran circles about""the con voy of transports and mingled be tween them. Three days later we pulled through the mine fields single file, into the Loire river in France. bing 30 miles up this river we landed at St. Nazaire on Sunday afternoon, where thousands of French women 0jd p,TTlch lady about 70 years old j bv wearing wooded shoes also, i DUShinir a two-wheel cart full of veg-Un the different articles I wanted, then threw out on counter all the French money I had, letting them take out j had about tne same speed. All went amount due. Strolling on up street well for about sjx days when suddenly I came to another souvenir shop in; and unexpectedly one afternoon a sub which was a little French girl who marine periscope popped up just be- spoke broken English. What I could not understand she would write out. 'ashore. Seven days later we pulled i down to the net which encloses the ports then split up, tw together, and geared that just lavishes smokehappiness on' every man gaaie enough to make a bee line for a" tidy red tin and a jimmy pipe old or new I Get it straight that "what you've hankered for in pipe or cigarette makin's smokes youH find aolentvX In P; A. Tha t 'a because P. A. has the quality I You can't any rnonf make Prince Albert bite your .tongue or parch your.throat than you can make a horse drink when he's off the water I Bite and parch are cut out by our exclusive patented process! V, ' ' ; ' ' You just lay back like a regular fellow and puff to beat the cards and wonder why in samhill you didn't nail a section in the P. Asmokepasture longer than you cart ' ' to remember back I t -I V ' '' , , r , --'-' ; motttent lop thai ktmp tt Mmtum li J. Reynoldt Tobacco Co., LIFT OFF CORNS! Apply few drops then lift sort, touchy corns off with fingers Doesn't hurt a hit! Drop a little Freezone on an aching corn, instantly that corn stops hurting, then you lift .t r ijrht out. Yes, magic I A tiny bottle of Freezone costs but a (w cxnts at any tli'Ug store, but is suffi cient to remove every hard corn, soft ei rn, or corn between the toes, and the ctlluses, without soreness or Irritation. Freezone id the sensational discovery of a Cincinnati genius. It id wonderful turned back for New York. The de stroyers took up same position as be fore. Due to the rough seas the de stroyers rolled and pitched while waves swept their decks every few minutes. Two days later we were met by two hydroplanes and a dirigible, which circled around and hovered ov er the transports until we passed through the net at the mouth of the Loire river. Again we steamed on up to -St. Nazaire and tied tip- to tne dock. I went on two liberties this time as we stayed in port lor one week. By this time I had learned the French money and just enough of their language to make my wants known, about seven days from the time we U. S. S. Aeolus happened to be placed with the U. S. S. Manchuria, as both .tween the Aeolus and our ship. As soon as we steered clear the Aeolus of the 6 inch guns from our ship op ened fire on it and continued until it submerged. Both the Aeolus and Man churia We re throwing smoke screens and running a zig zag course at full speed. This was the last we saw of enjoy the mar.y and various kinds of r bout smokes. Prince Albert to a'joy handout standard tm Mci prfmtt tdliim. '" Winiton-Salem, U. C froia Franco we vere feet by 11 de stroyers, .making a total oi IS destroy ers. Our cruiser thea turned back for the Stales. .This time we landed at Brest, whici is one of the oldest towns in France. When ob liberty there 1 had the pririleffe of exploring an old castle, the foundation of which was lead 45 years B. C. This castle was used as a prison in the war between England and France, also ' is the French Revolution. The guide who took about six of us through, carried a light in front, the rest of us follow ing. We first passed down a narrow passage, with walls 6 feet thick. First we came to a place where there was a smaM opening overhead, covered with small iron bars. Our fde ex plained that this was where the judge stood to read out a prisoner's sentence, the prisoner being down in the dun geon where we were then standing. Next we came to another opening overhead, which was a Tiole in the ceiling about 6 inches in diameter, through which food was thrown dewn into the dungeon just like corn to hogs, every man getting what he could in the dark. We next came to a Roman well in the center of the castle, where all the prisoners ex cept those in cells got their water. The sruide then showed us a cell where an English spy was to have been confined for 12 years. He was placed in the cell and the door filled in with cement and rock just the same as walls of the castle, the only opening- to the cell being a small hole in the ceiling about 6 inches in di ameter, where his food and water were lowered downjn a small bucket by a line and refuse hauled out in same manner. He was not even giv en clothes or a bed to sleep on. Dur ing the seVen months which he lived, he picked a hole 2 feet square in the wall with ayemall rock he got loose. Father on we came to a torture ma chine in the form of a chair placed between two posts, with a screw through each one. These screws were placed so that when the pris oner was seated and strapped in the chair, they would be even with his temples, and were screwed tighter and tighter each day until the man was driven crazy or died. Next we came to what was known as the wat er dripping" machine. It was a chair placed under a pail of water, the criminal being strapped in a chair and the water permitted to drop on his heSd until he lost his mind. We next crawled throutr a little tunnel. rthen went down in a basin 60 feet deep, the bottom of which wa3 cover ed with iron spikes, The criminals who were condemned to immediate death were taken to the top of this dungeon and and forced to jump into it on the iron spikes 60 feet below. This basin was then flooded with water and a flood-gate opened which permitted their bodies to wash out to sea, the castle being built on the edge of thsr water At the end of four days all troops were off and a good many wounded had been placed aboard our ship to be brought back to the States.- Be ginning our journey homeward we were preceded out to sea by two mine sweepers, convoyed by two hydro- planes, four torpedo boat distroyers and one observation balloon which was Imade fasMo a converted yacht. Soon the hydroplanes turned back as did 1.1 i j.: 1 1 1 . 1 1 1 uie uuae.vauuu uaiioon, uie uescrov- er remaining with us for two days I when it also left us just after dark bne night. The day we ran intc one of the worst storms I had seen so far, but lasted only twelve hours. We were, as on previous trips, con- got out on deck saw two destroyers," " '"""BU were re tinuously receiving warnings of sub-' dropping depth charges off to our star- three days Then we sailors arnings manes, which necessitated our fre- lre. .quently changing our course. Never ran a straight course over five min- utes at the time, and the zig zag course from France to New York therefore aded several hundred miles to the trio. Nine davs from the dnv we left Brest France the Caoe Hat- hut cold as winter. Our navigator told ;ease irom acuve service. 1 being in teras light ship off the "ast o? North' u. vs were near the spoUwhere the Jhe Njjval Reserve force cannot secure Carolina was sighted, one Saturday, Titanic went down. At the end of ten "scharge for four years, but am only night. VXn turned uP the .coast days we were again 'back in New York, supposed to serve while this country for New York, following a lane ntt-jThis time we lay at Hoboken for more ,8.at wa? 0n thing sure, my con rolled by torpedo boat deTtroyersJ than a month ewing to the piopeller 'W"? flftta? rpnr.; inc, Mw La m ) Tt,i'shafta beinir out of order. ih.18 wa? 18 concerned, for I feel that fif'kh,. w c , Vrt : ZJ. :"J that the Cape Hatteras light ship off .iuv LlllllK TT J na rw I I. lin irw- i n, w ln tne coast of North Carolina had been ana "sn aay -ater was piacea on shelled and sunk by a German sub-!a draft that went to the U. S. .S. marine. Had we reached one dayiNorthern Pacilc, formerly a Pacific later, we woi.ld In all probability had,coa8t steamer, but new a U. S. S. acme target practice. It took seven days this time to coal the ship, take- on supplies and troops. starting on our rourtn run to tno other side, we were plated in, a con voy of eight transports and escorted out to sea in the usual manner. When about 48 hours out of New Yprk at fi ffn-? en4f vVnf? .good oM U. S. A-, with lote of wound flew off of ozr ship and striking the U, and gick on Were Jn fc gtorm hull made a terrible report We thought euro we were torpedoed, but upon invcsU'nktion discovered the trouble. The signal men then flashed tLe. news to the flag ship and it immediately signalled M to turn biefcfflr Naw-Ofotk. -ilLfc. to the ran we eouid not maintain the stano - 4 - ard speed with one propeller. Retrac ing our course without a convoy, the next af ternooa about 8:30 a cubtnar- lae periscope appeared about 800 yards away. A crowd of us boys were standing on the after part of ship talking when our attention wti call ed to the peri&copo wl.'lcn sras eamotf- naged. Jest thea one or the six Inch runs overhead on the run deck ortcn- ed fire. It aim out lifted me off my feet Thourht sure mv Itath ware all kocked out, and the explosloa did Jar the filling out of a felloTTs tooth slandmr near me. iy . rn felt like Che drums were bunted. No ors had to tell me r any one cite to move from under (hat gun. iTLe gun cottan burned me all the wa7 on my neck at. 1 hands. Iy the time a second shot ras fired I was standing on my toes had mouth open and ears plu2td op with f my fingers. They fird elgbl shots, the, last one hlUftg rlht at the peristope. It then ttrew up rreat spray and when the spray had cleared away there was ne periscope vo be swn. ids am oar we were nr by dertroyws and convoyed into New Y orV, where 'we unloaded troops ana tuppiif then went into dry dock et Brooklyn fury Ysrd. A few dart later I secured a flvo-day furfmnrh home, la a month the U. 8. 8. Uaa- churia was repaired and rtJy to ko lo i . 1 ' sea again. Sne was rushed up to Eo-J Mr. G. U lo i , cf Gi- boken. N. J, coaled, provisioned aad'sonTiile, Tinted Mrs. Y.. L Thorber loaded with IfM troop. - v ' (Saturday and Sunday. We left New York about boo time Mr. Joe Giles, ef Worth ville, visited and steamed out vo sea wiu . g.iu m. , Aiirea tuinaaj. other transports, one cruiser, w w- pedo boat destroyers ana two nyarw planea, one of which caught on fire .hnnt 100 miles oct to sea. It came in a circle directly over our hip, j then suddenly we noucea pic smoke parting from the machine. The pilot made a nose dire and landed on the water, when his machine bursty-; to flames. The pilot shot up -two sky rockets, a destroyer turned and start ed to his aid, just then both disappear ed in a dense fog. On the second day two of the four destroyers turned back for New York, while the other two and cruiser remained with us. On the sixth day a periscope sprang into view just in front of the transports, one of which opened fire on it. The destroy ers rushed in and dumped over -a few depth charges, but just as soon as trfe periscope of submarine was fired on it submerged. In -the meantime the crui ser was getting up a full head of steam and throwing a smoke screen to protect itself, circled to the rear of convoy to prevent the sub from "com ing to the surface after transports had passed and shelling them with its long range guns. Within a few hours the cruiser steamed around and took up its station in front of our convoy. The next morning about 9:30 a second sub periscope popped up right in the center of the convoy wunin iw y of our shin, the euns of our vessel tne otner transports got clear, eacn snip Hifferpnt directions. Again the de atmvp.ni rushed in and dumped over depth charges, but as on previous day sub disa ppeared when first fired upon; opening nre as touu ""'"n0rt this tlm tfc .-.i1-r however, it behooved us to play 1," " rouna " ol&- ty first" and the destroyers continued i DUfo , , to drop depth charges where pen- J0 y 'after armistice was; sfgtr scope was last seen The following ,j 'y ed for Southampton, Eng., afternoon about 3:30 a third periscope -.without a convoy. Stopping at appeared in midst of ; convoy, whea nlan aet a pilot, we v two transports opened fire, and again eded -on to Southampton, where there was some scattering. The de- took on 17 Red Cross nurses, then stroyers gave that sub a few kegs of iwrent pn to Brest, France, which place T. N. T., which appeared to have the ws reached three days before Christ- desired effect. Later m tne aay we were met by eleven torpedo boat de stroyers sent out from Brest, France; making us a total of thirteen destroy ers. Our cruiser then turned back for the U. S. A. Everything went smooth ly until about 1:00 a. m. next morning when a general alarm was sounded. All hands went to their abandon ship stations and remained there for an hour. The cause of this was a destroy er being mistaken, for a submarine on the surface. The moon was shining hriirht and.ashiD could be seen for some distance. On the following aft- emoon iust before sunset a fourth sub Deriscope was sighted in the heart of convoy. A1J of transports spread apart two firing on it and all blowing their sirens and whistles, as s the case m every submarine attack. Abandon ship was also sounded, all men going to their stations. Eight destroyers rushed in and dropped over 20 depth charges where periscope was last seen. By this time we were near two mnes . , ,i , u away, but the explosions jarred our ships and water seemed to ny too feet high, making a beautiful sight I The next morning we landed at Brest, France. IXViam tTwrt Aava ian nnQflAn wo were " . J .. ,Tr , " j ",, ready to sail ior tne u. a. a. ana Pu" , " "i "'" UUI ed out to sea just at dark that night . we 500 stretcher cases which with a heavy convoy. The next "ad to be lowered in wire baskets, morning while we were eating chow,e ones that . were. not too seriously abandon ship was sounded. NWhen weded climbed down ladders over nara siae aooui, o.uov yarua ..u . j Two days later when destroyers turn - en DacK, transports spin up two to- father and took different courses west- ward. Ours taking a northern course, we soon got orders to keep a sharp, look out for icebergs. It was August . On Oct. fit. iei8. T wu transferred - r " - - - i to Bay lidge barracks, Brooklyn, N bntiiBpvru in iiy uuya irvm vno liiiiv I went aboard, she loaded With troops and sailed for France with a small convoy ef English transports. 'No 'subs were encountered on this trip bat had lots of rough weather. On the ninth day we, landed at Brest We all got ashore one time, and in 48 from the time we left Brest nntil we reached New York," about as many wavae - going over - the ship ardent undet her, but on the seventh day we reached New York in safety. While in . J Colnrhesd ate h oa lart 7rs trw fcjt - ; Ztakes ft look Ju like hew er will color H -torn any ehtde -nj wtnt, to metcli tJtw dras. in elxleea oulowr - rrr wac ra l wjn iiiii ac9 ha v ft C.4PVT H-i-f VH.-roUT i ut UUUI cnit - i rnt rnuw ?IV1 . -, v.Miiri 'Cio - KTANDARD DRUG CO. atLirrHL-u ,. .w 1 "'OVrK ti in for a bottle t4 I Mrs. W. E. Summy and con EvwH ' are. visiting Mrs. Sammy's tjeW Mr. and Mrs. W. E. EoUina.' f Mrs. Eli Pritchard and Mother v - Annie Vuacannon and Mrs. Pritch ard's 'grandson. Clarence Lock. Ashaboro visited Mrs. W. L. Thurber -' Sunday. , , : - Master Freddie : Oook, was badly scalded last Friday when the -stick ot wood on, which the tea kettle was sit- -ting broke into. ge ia' getting aW nicely now. -" . - " Miss MoleU Yow, " of Greensboro recently visited her parents, Mr. and' Mrs. Rufus Yow. ; , Miss Ulah Hinshaw, of Burlington is visiting her parents, Mr. and MrZ George Hinshaw. : ; - - , , j: Mr. Lester Yow, of Blowing Rock. ' l? visiting his parents, Mr. and MrZ -Rufus Yow. . r . ..." Mr. Gilmer BoUinav'of visited his parents, Mr. and Mrs. t ' E. Rolins. - ... .. , Mrs. W. L. Thurber visited Mr w ' Mrs, Wise, of WorthvuKoaay1 Mr Garland Rollins broke his arm cranking a car Saturday. . " Mr. W L. Thurber is a busings vis- . itor in Greensboro today. . r s , j Don't hoard idle money. Put it work. Money invests i w jings Stamps pays big dividenda. " r ph "Th "k ngn- , wild. I have never seen such a dem- ' j ? d oS. It was r,; ae ,uiree aaye we took on a load of wounded and after ' dinner on Christmas day sailed for r home with 2,475 wounded and sick on board. On our way encountered sever- ' al storms. At 2:30 a. m. on New Year's morning, while in a storm and fog our ship ran on a sandbar off Fire Island, New York. As the storm grew worse it hurled our .vessel 100 yards farther ashore and when the ' great swellswould come in raised her 15 and 20 feet high, and then sudden ly drop her on the bottom. Seemed: ?very time when she hit the bottom "k? she would go to pieces. S. O. S. cas were flashed out. over wireless. and-by daylight a fleet of 20 ships was standing by, but unable to assist ew ing to the rough seas. They could net come near for fear of being hmrled against our ship. The life saving crow from Fire Island tried'all day to eene to us, we being then only 204 feet from shore, but each time their life boat was capsized by the huge the second day the sea had beeean iw uiu iiivturuones ana iiie boats could come alongside. Seen sub chasers could also reach us, and they all combined succeeded . in 'the wounded, who were lowered brer itho nf u.. -.. A .T '.r6 . 6 ,6 . Vi" nUt "a Z' It ; "T "6V" on "fW Zv floted,and L'P 3 Yard' where she 15 w, ,'f'"'K"l'r' . . , "V. '. . . ? re" 1 have done my share. Yours very truly;' BEN C. ALLEN, Seaman. Tot sifetys'ake" ask Tof Bayer .Tablets of Aspirin." y -ICQlou of tablets sold to dealer ' y a Brooklyn manufacturer who was sentenced to three years ia ibe peal tentliry for selling taksum powder jlatIeU,a Aspirin Tablets Bowes I ; iWherl ' you , $iek i'eUer - from Headachej Neuralpa,' EarachfrrO-oothache, Rheu . .Grippe or. influenzal Sil ways insist upon tfo . Hint',-,1:" y ; Aspirin : lhBeytr Dost oaCsnuin Tehtet , ' Proved tale iy nilllions "..AxlullS-i-TaVd lon of two jUWels, . anytime,-with water. If htcfisjary, repeat Cost Jnres , a day alter pitiht1 ' , . - . . . . . . ' ' fOewit padtsfV-Largr atsae al Soy only original Barer paokagaa, irlcricin Owned Entirety! TALCUMSOLDAS its Qblds
The Courier (Asheboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 3, 1919, edition 1
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