TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ARKANSAS GAZETTE MARCH 14, 1918 p. 5.
Somewhere in England.
February 12, 1918.
My dear Ted:
I guess that by this time you all know that Fensky and I were on the ill-fated Tuscania and pulled through all O. K., because no news is always good news, but, boy, we certainly had an awful experience and a mighty narrow escape.
We were separated from each other for five long days and you can imagine how uneasy we were about each other, not knowing what the fate of the other was. We were supposed to leave the Tuscania in the same life boat, both having been assigned to A-13 but, in some way Fris did not get on it. I headed the line of Company E and was the first to go down the rope, but before I went down I called for Fris, but receiving no answer I took it for granted that he was in the boat when she was liwered. I found out better, however, as soon as we pulled away from the ship, and you can just imagine how it made me feel.
We were torpedoed at 6:10 p. m. and landed at just about 5 a.m, after fighting the rocks for about eight hours. Out of some seven or eight lifeboats our raft was the only one that made a landing without being smashed to pieces against the rocks, but we sure had to do some fighting. We had 32 men on our boat when we left the Tuscania and we landed the whole bunch safely. The other boats that left alongside our boat with probably men aboard would show up with less than half living after being smashed against the rocks. I saw more horrible sights than I expect to ever see again. I believe that nearly all the missing were accounted for as dead near the spot where I landed and, of course, this fact made me think that nearly all the rest met the same fate. I did not close my eyes for five long nights.
I was in the first bunch of 90 that reported at the concentration camp in England and Fris came with the next bunch … were all the survivors of the ship and we, of course, thought all the rest were lost.
The little incident has certainly put lots of fighting blood into our veins and we know that it has had the same effect on people back there. We are both feeling fine and are ready to pay Fritz for getting us all wet.
Theo, we lost everything we had in the world and it is going to be quiet a while before we get outfitted personally like we were, as you know when we left Washington we stocked up on everything we needed. We will be here for some time and it is impossible to get some things that we need, so get busy and send us a complete outfit. So far I do not like the cigarettes from Scotland, Ireland or Tngland and I guess in France they will be the same.
When our raft landed on an island off the Scottish coast we were in the most beautiful little town I ever saw, and I will never forget the treatment received from those hones-to-God people. Fris was picked up from his raft by a trawler and landed in Ireland. You will receive a cable from us in the next few days, and I trust that you will let all our friends know that we are all right.
We are certainly strong for the English navy. They certainly did their share, and that is the only reason that we are alive today. All of the people threw open their arms to us and we have been treated royally everywhere we went. We were received by Ambassador Page today, and we were glad indeed to have this honor. He certainly made a fine speech.
As you know, we only lost a few men in the disaster, but, of course, it was hard to lose these fine boys. It is all in the game, though, and we have to take it as though it was for the best.
I know all of you were worried about us.
Give our very best wishes to all our friends back there, and with love to you and all the folks,
I am
Affectionately,
Leo F. Terzia,
Co. E, 6th Bat., 20th Engineers.
NOTES: Terzia was born February 27, 1894, and died October 22, 1952. He is buried in the Riverview Cemetery in Monroe, Louisiana. He worked in the forestry industry in Fordyce, Dallas County, and Blissville, Drew Country, before he enlisted in the 20th Engineers. The 20th Engineers were organized to work in the forests of France. He is writing to his brother, T. F. Terzia.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.
Somewhere in England.
February 12, 1918.
My dear Ted:
I guess that by this time you all know that Fensky and I were on the ill-fated Tuscania and pulled through all O. K., because no news is always good news, but, boy, we certainly had an awful experience and a mighty narrow escape.
We were separated from each other for five long days and you can imagine how uneasy we were about each other, not knowing what the fate of the other was. We were supposed to leave the Tuscania in the same life boat, both having been assigned to A-13 but, in some way Fris did not get on it. I headed the line of Company E and was the first to go down the rope, but before I went down I called for Fris, but receiving no answer I took it for granted that he was in the boat when she was liwered. I found out better, however, as soon as we pulled away from the ship, and you can just imagine how it made me feel.
We were torpedoed at 6:10 p. m. and landed at just about 5 a.m, after fighting the rocks for about eight hours. Out of some seven or eight lifeboats our raft was the only one that made a landing without being smashed to pieces against the rocks, but we sure had to do some fighting. We had 32 men on our boat when we left the Tuscania and we landed the whole bunch safely. The other boats that left alongside our boat with probably men aboard would show up with less than half living after being smashed against the rocks. I saw more horrible sights than I expect to ever see again. I believe that nearly all the missing were accounted for as dead near the spot where I landed and, of course, this fact made me think that nearly all the rest met the same fate. I did not close my eyes for five long nights.
I was in the first bunch of 90 that reported at the concentration camp in England and Fris came with the next bunch … were all the survivors of the ship and we, of course, thought all the rest were lost.
The little incident has certainly put lots of fighting blood into our veins and we know that it has had the same effect on people back there. We are both feeling fine and are ready to pay Fritz for getting us all wet.
Theo, we lost everything we had in the world and it is going to be quiet a while before we get outfitted personally like we were, as you know when we left Washington we stocked up on everything we needed. We will be here for some time and it is impossible to get some things that we need, so get busy and send us a complete outfit. So far I do not like the cigarettes from Scotland, Ireland or Tngland and I guess in France they will be the same.
When our raft landed on an island off the Scottish coast we were in the most beautiful little town I ever saw, and I will never forget the treatment received from those hones-to-God people. Fris was picked up from his raft by a trawler and landed in Ireland. You will receive a cable from us in the next few days, and I trust that you will let all our friends know that we are all right.
We are certainly strong for the English navy. They certainly did their share, and that is the only reason that we are alive today. All of the people threw open their arms to us and we have been treated royally everywhere we went. We were received by Ambassador Page today, and we were glad indeed to have this honor. He certainly made a fine speech.
As you know, we only lost a few men in the disaster, but, of course, it was hard to lose these fine boys. It is all in the game, though, and we have to take it as though it was for the best.
I know all of you were worried about us.
Give our very best wishes to all our friends back there, and with love to you and all the folks,
I am
Affectionately,
Leo F. Terzia,
Co. E, 6th Bat., 20th Engineers.
NOTES: Terzia was born February 27, 1894, and died October 22, 1952. He is buried in the Riverview Cemetery in Monroe, Louisiana. He worked in the forestry industry in Fordyce, Dallas County, and Blissville, Drew Country, before he enlisted in the 20th Engineers. The 20th Engineers were organized to work in the forests of France. He is writing to his brother, T. F. Terzia.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.