Russian troops began pulling artil-Jory from Maerkaejafrvi yesterda; covering their withdrawal with Av violent infantry attacks Two Mercantile Marine Officers Decorated recut, ro me "neo"
Laondon, Feb. 7.
Two stories of coolness, courage and seamanship by British mer~ cantile marine amicers make front Page news in the "London Gazette," Which announces the award of the Order of the British Empire to Captain John Steward, master of the Hope Star, and Thomas Ward, Grst_mate of the Oakgrove, The "Gazette" relates that while sailing alone in heavy weather, the Hope Star was attacked by a U-boat, By putting her helm hard aport, the Chief Officer cleared a torpedo by five yards, Half an hour later the submarine's periscope was sighted, and later a second torpedo was fired which cleared the Hope Star's stern by less than a fathom.
The Hope Star fired at the peri scope, and the master hoisted " Gag signals to suggest that a warship had been sighted.
'A third torpedo passed within fathom of the ship. Then the boat's conning-tower emerged, and nearly hitting it The submarine dived quickly.
On the approach of dusk, the] master. made a sola serech and zigzagged into it "The Hope Star," the "Gazette" adds, "was saved from a long and. relentless attack by the courage, Judgment and seamanship of her master and the ready ski of her gunner."
Relating the sinking of the Ook. grove by German aircraft, the "Gazette" tells -how as the ship. went down, the Captain, radio oticer and a fireman were sucked down by 2 whirlpool. When the _yessel reached bottom, the swirl abated, came surface only slightly and (the radio ofoer "and dreman injured, but the captain was never in, 'The first mate, in' one: of the ship's boats, set sail 20 miles for land, steering the boat through out the' six-hour The second mate, though he had no sail~ Ing experience, followed the rst mate's lead in another boat, and both reached land safely.
"In an unarmed ship too slow, to be handled in its own defence," the "Gazette" says, "the frst mate} shepherded his crew with such courage, skill and coolness that the Intense fire of two powerful enemy. aircraft at point-blank range caused them no hurt"—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.