EIGHT FIGHTS WITH U-BOATS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 60, 4 December 1917, Page 5

EIGHT FIGHTS WITH U-BOATS

BRITISH NAVY AT WORK INCIDENTS FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS From their records the Admiralty recently furnished particulars of the fate of eight U-boats, two of which were disposed of by merchant ships. This concession to the desire for some account of the fights against submarines (says the "fiaily Mail") follows the appointment of Sir Eric Geddes as First Lord of the Admiralty. It is proposed to issue similar particulars from timo to time. One of our auxiliary, naval forces saw a torpedo jump out of the water one hundred yards off. It struck the engine-room near the water-line, makiug a large rent and flooding several compartments. A lifeboat was blown into the air, pieces landing on the wireless aerial. Soon a periscope was observed; it turned and made for the ship, but then disappeared. Again it appeared, followed by a conning-tower. Fire was opened by the auxiliary. The first shot hit the base of the conningtower and removed two periscopes. Many hits were made, and the enomy submarine took a list to port. Several men came out of the hatch behind the conning-tower. The submarine wallowed along for a space, stern almost submerged, with oil squirting from the side, and its crew came on deck and waved their hands. At this sign of surrender "Cease fire" was ordered, whereat the submarine started to make oil at a fair speed, evidently hoping to disappear in the misty weather. Fire was again opened by the auxiliary. A loud explosion took place at the forepart of the submarine, and falling over on its side it sank, the last seen being the sharp bow, end up. Two survivors were picltod up. Tho damaged auxiliary got to harbour.

Under-water Explosions,

One of our small craft sighted an enemy. submarine at a distance of 10,000 yards (between five and six miles). She maintained her course and five minutes later the enemy stopped and then proceeded towards her. Suddenly the enemy submerged, an 3 shortly afterwards the periscope appeared close by, but only for a few seconds. Helm was ported, and when over the spot where the periscope had been seen an explosive charge was dropped. Tho ship circled round, and dropped another chargo about the same spot. The explosion of this charge was followed after two or three seconds by a moro violent explosion, which shook tho vessel from stem to stern. The water became black over a very large area, and a considerable quantity of thick oil and flotsam came to tho surface.

One of our submarines sighted an enemy submarine on the starboard bow and dived, but after see-, ing it through the periscope for a few minutes lost it. Our boat came to the surfaco again, and about three hours later saw the enemy two to three miles away. Our boat dived to attack, but the enemy altered its course and was again lost to view. Guessing the objective of the enemy, our submarine's course was altered .in the hope of cutting it off, and eventually it was again detected, this time on tho port bow, steering as had been surmised. The course was altored as necessary, aud when as favourable a position as possible was obtained a torpedo was fired. A splash was observed in line with and close to the onemy's stern, and a few seconds afterwards it was seen with stern out of the wator, smoke hanging round it, and the conning-tower half submerged. A minute or two later it disappeared. A seaplane went to attack an enemy submarine which had been observed apparently manoeuvring into position to fire a torpedo at a passing merohant ship. Before the seaplane arrived over it the submarine submerged, but three bombs were dropped on the spot where it had disappeared. In five minutes an upheaval like a huge bubble rose some distance above the level of the sea aud was visible for a minute or more. There was 110 further sign of the submarine. A patrol vessel noticed a wake with considerable foam on the bow a short distance away and travelling almost parallel to her course. She crossed this wake and dropped an explosive over it. Almost immediately a second charge was dropped, and after it had exploded another explosion took place. Oil and bubbles were coming to tho surface, and on this spot a further charge was exploded. Two more patrol craft arrived and dropped their charges. Tho oil, which was still rising twelve i hours later, was lieavy and brown, with a smell like petrol.

One of our naval forces, hearing gunfire, steered for tho position and soon sighted an enemy submarine on the bow. Fire was opened and a hit obtained. A large explosion on the submarine resulted. The effects quickly dispersed, revealing no sign of tho enemy, whose hull and conning-tower were distinctly visible before.

Two submarines attacked a merchant vessel armed for defence. Tho first fired a torpedo at close range, but missed, and the ship sank her by gun-fire. Tho second submarine then attacked the shin by ""m-fire, but was damaged and driven off.

A similarly armed merchant vessel encountered a submarine which endeavoured to attack at close range. The shin opened fire, hitting the submarine twice, and causing her to disappear head first, the sea boiling for a considerable time.