File No. 857.857/94
The Vice Consul at Rotterdam ( Krogh) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9 p.m.]
Norwegian freight steamship Thode Fagesund of Tonsberg, Norway, owned by Wilhelm Wilhelmsen, en route from Falmouth to Rotterdam, with cargo sesame seed from Shanghai, having one American aboard, namely Ruff us Alfonso Bennett (colored, cook, born Hampton, Va., formerly served U. S. Navy) stopped, torpedoed, sunk by German submarine afternoon March 11 in North Sea, 2° 58′ eastern longitude and 51° 54′ northern latitude. All officers, crew, consisting 28 men including Bennett, were given 10 minutes to enter boats and were saved. All were picked up from boats in calm sea after 12 hours by Dutch lugger Judana; were later transferred to Dutch lugger Vlaardingen and brought safely to Rotterdam. Am mailing Bennett’s affidavit and endeavoring obtain copies affidavits officers, crew, from Norwegian Consul.