Читать книгу Deeper into the Darkness онлайн

100 страница из 184

About 15 minutes after striking the mine, Hampshire was well down by the bows, heeling to starboard. Her stern lifted slowly out of the water and her propellers were seen clear of the water, still revolving slowly. She capsized to starboard and an explosion was reported as she went that brought smoke and flame belching from just behind the bridge. Then she sank from view.

Only three oval cork and wood Carley floats got away from the sinking ship. These rigid floats were made from a length of copper tubing divided into waterproof sections, bent into an oval ring, then surrounded by cork or kapok and covered with a layer of waterproofed canvas. The raft was rigid and could remain buoyant even if the waterproof outer skin of several individual compartments was punctured.

One Carley float had only six men in it and, faced with the severe conditions, it was flung over twice, jettisoning the men into the sea. Only two men were alive when it reached shore.

A second larger Carley float got away with 40 to 50 men on it. The men in the open rafts were drenched and badly affected by wind chill; most of them were soon suffering from exposure, losing consciousness or foaming slightly at the mouth. Those that lost consciousness never regained it. When the raft made the shore some four hours later at 0115, only four of its occupants had survived.