getting clear, and when I came to the surface
I swam a few yards to a life raft, to which were clinging three men. We
climbed on board this raft and upon looking around observed Doyle, chief
boatswain's mate, and one other man in the whaleboat. We paddled to the
whaleboat and embarked from the life raft.

[Sidenote: Rescuing men from the water.]

The whaleboat was about half full of water, and we immediately started
bailing and then to rescue men from wreckage, and quickly filled the
whaleboat to more than its maximum capacity, so that no others could be
taken aboard. We then picked up two overturned dories which were nested
together, separated them and righted them, only to find that their
sterns had been broken. We then located another nest of dories, which
were separated and righted and found to be seaworthy. Transferred some
men from the whaleboat into these dories and proceeded to pick up other
men from wreckage. During this time cries were heard from two men in the
water some distance away who were holding on to wreckage and calling for
assistance. It is believed that these men were Ernest M. Harrison, mess
attendant, and John Winne, jr., seaman. As soon as the dories were
available we proceeded to where they were last seen, but could find no
trace of them.

[Sidenote: Submarine of _U-27_ type approaches.]

About this time, which was probably an hour after the ship sank, a
German submarine approached the scene of torpedoing and lay to near some
of the dories and life rafts. She was in the light condition, and from
my observation of her I am of the opinion that she was of the _U-27-31_
type. This has been confirmed by having a number of men and officers
check the silhouette book. The submarine was probably 100 yards distant
from my whaleboat, and I heard no remarks from anyone on the submarine,
although I observed three persons standing on top of conning tower.
After laying on surface about half an hour the submarine steered off and
submerged.

[Sidenote: Boats leave scene of disaster.]

I then proceeded with the whaleboat and two dories searching through the
wreckage to make sure that no survivors were left in the water. No other
people being seen, at 4.30 a. m. we started away from the scene of
disaster.

The _Alcedo_ was sunk, as near as I can estimate, 75 miles west true of
north end of Belle Ile. The torpedo struck ship at 1.46 by the officer
of the deck's watch, and the same watch stopped at 1.54 a.