Many of our ancestors survived incredible ordeals. Our paternal grandfather, Lewis Benedict Butler, had nine lives, surviving several brushes with death, particularly during WWI. He recorded one experience in his log book:
On February 13, 1916, at the age of 32, Lewis boarded the schooner “Frederic A. Duggan” as a Merchant Marine in Queenstown, Ireland. Queenstown was a bustling harbor at the time, especially during the war. A Captain Hansen mastered the schooner, which carried a cargo of clay bound for Cardiff, Wales. During the harrowing winter voyage across the Irish Sea, the schooner was beset with terrible storms and was on the verge of sinking, with 8 feet of frigid water in her hold and the pumps clogged with clay.
The schooner hove to off the coast of Wales and awaited rescue, with the crew bailing the sinking ship by hand with bucket brigades. Fortunately, schooner and crew were rescued and towed into Barry, Wales the following week. The crew spent a few weeks there repairing storm damage to the schooner. Two months later, the “Frederic A. Duggan" was again ready for service, anchored just off of Barry. But gales and heavy seas continued throughout the following weeks. On April 25th, the ship dragged its anchor and slammed into a French steamer.
Shortly afterwards, Lewis Benedict Butler received new orders: he was discharged from his present duties and issued an emergency passport. The Merchant Marines fell under the Navy’s jurisdiction. The crew was recalled to the United States after German submarines sank seven US merchant ships.
On May 6th, 1916, Lewis Benedict Butler left Liverpool, England aboard the “Carpathia,” the famous ship which had rescued the “Titanic” survivors and brought them safely back to New York Harbor.
By Peter Butler, grandson, February 17, 2019
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