"As already mentioned above Herman went into military service one of the last days of August 1939. Some time during March 1940 he was suddenly released, however, had to leave Holland immediately and go back to Glasgow!? The reason for this phoney action was that the government was scared stiff that all soldiers who used to live in Germany before they were called under arms must be considered as potential spies for Germany and could not be trusted. Since such an order could not be given only for soldiers having lived in Germany it was made for all who had their domicile outside of Holland and therefore Herman fell under this order. Consequently, Herman left on a steamer during the latter part of March 1940 from Rotterdam and alas that was the last time we saw him. He went back to Scotland and finished his studies by about June 1941. Shortly thereafter he must have been again called under arms and finally landed as gunner on a freighter in New York. Since they had to wait some time before sailing for Bombay via Cape Town with a full load of war material his ship's captain gave him a permit to go to Alton for seven days. After his return to New York they sailed on about May first. On May 3rd at about 4 am they were torpedoed which so much damage that they had to leave the steamer. Just at the time the lifeboat to which Herman was assigned struck the water a second torpedo hit the ship exactly below the place the lifeboat had landed with the consequence that all 18 persons in this lifeboat were killed. It was only by about Sept. 1942 that we learned of Herman being missed via the Red Cross organization."

De Laertes werd door de U-109 getorpedeerd onder kommando van kapitein Bleichrot. Het verhaal van mijn grootvader hierboven werd geheel bevestigd door de engelse marconist van de Laertes die ik ca 10 jaar uitgebreid gesproken heb telefonisch.