SHELLED BY U-BOAT

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 118, 15 November 1939, Page 9

SHELLED BY U-BOAT

TRAWLER'S END

v NO WARNING GIVEN

(Received November 15, 9 a.m.)

LONDON, November 14.

The trawler Cresswell (275 tons) was sunk by a submarine ahd si& of the crew of 12 are missing. The Cresswell was off the north of Scotland, and sent a wireless message to the trawler Phyllisia, which picked up members of the crew. The submarine shelled the Cresswell without warning. The crew of thirteen escaped, ten on,a raft, two clinging to a smashed lifeboat, and one wearing a lifebelt. The three last-named and three who dropped off the raft exhausted were drowned. The submarine took on the survivors from the raft after two hours, gave them clothes, and put them on the Phyllisia after seven, hours. The submarine commander said: "Tell Mr. Churchill we are not t^O heartless murderers you are led to believe." 7The survivors were landed at Fleetwood. Frederick Lee, aged 17, a deck •boy, said: "We did not know the submarine was near until shells began whizzing about us. There was no time to launch the boat, which was "smashed anyhow. The. submarine fired at least twenty shots. It was just before dawn. s We clung to a raft, crushed together. Icy rain, pelted^ down unmercifully." The mate, named Fausset, said: -"The raft tossed and became submerged; I. tried to hold.up an exhausted companion, but it was impossible, and he