Impression sketch
of SS Orduña - by Jamie. See the original at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Ordu%C3%B1a
In the dead of
night at sea,
SS Orduna was
sailing
In early hours of
9 July 1915 -
Her destination
heading
For New York, a
passenger
Liner with its
history in war.
Barely a year old
the Belfast
Built Ocean Liner
had
A part in a
rescue of Russian
Crew of Loch
Torridon
A sailing ship
with a leak that
Had moved timber
to Ireland.
While a question
might remain
Over the Captain's
name,
The New York
arrival of Orduna
Resulted in a
hearing over
The ship being
targeted, around
The time of
sinking of SS Leo.
In replying to
his questioning
Captain Taylor
said how
There had been no
warning
Of an attack,
refusing to say
More saying that a
passenger,
Baron RozenKrantz
saw it all.
In a full
explanation the Baron
Told how Orduna had
Sailed from
Liverpool 8 July,
At 2.30 in the
afternoon -
It was then in
the early hours
A vessel was seen
just ahead.
The time was
between five
And six a.m. -
the small
Boat, close by,
on the side,
That was turned
towards
The Orduna, had two
painted
American flags,
to raise suspicion.
Captain Taylor
took the action
Avoiding the boat
-
The Baron and
others on deck
Thought how the
boat
Might hide a
submarine - with
A wide berth, she
was forgotten.
Once the vessel
was left behind,
Within some minutes,
The Baron raised
his glasses
Out to sea, to
see a white
Streak
approaching - all saw
A torpedo moving
at half a mile.
This was when the
Orduna
Was ordered to
react,
Described as
jumping ahead
And swerving
about,
So the torpedo
missed her
Rudder, by only
twenty yards.
Passengers with
glasses then
Looked out to the
sailing
Boat, in order to
make the name.
Thomas Graham
stated
It was likely to
be 'Normanie' -
Or something very
like that.
With the Orduna
sailing on
To New York - as
on that
Same date 9 July,
the voyage
Of SS Leo came
from
Philadelphia with
their general
Cargo heading
towards Brittan.
20 miles from the
spot where
Orduna had been
attacked,
The SS Leo was
later torpedoed,
By German U-20
who had
Forced the
sailing barque to hide
Their presence,
the crew stated.
With 'Normandy'
was detained
Night of 9 July,
at Liverpool,
The Captain
denied crew's word.
The Leo, a
Russian vessel,
While lost, all the
crew survived
From underhand
German tactic.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915.
Disgraceful Trick. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 19 July. P.9. Col.5. Available
at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11732141/Daily-Telegraph-July-19-1915.html
[Accessed: 19 July 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100
years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 19 July
2015).
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