NAVAL V.C.'S DEATH

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 72, 19 December 1918, Page 5

NAVAL V.C.'S DEATH

LIEUT.-COMHANDER SANDERS

SHIP SUNK AT NIGHT Publication of full details regarding the action in which Lieutenant-Comman-der W. E. Sanders, V.C., D.5.0., met his death on August 14, 1917, has now been made possible for the first time by the lifting of the naval censorship. The information given on Monday by Mr. E. H. C. Sanders, father of Lieuten-ant-Commander Sanders, is contained in a letter from the Admiralty written on December 14 of last year, and sent with the request that tho contents be regarded as confidential (states the ''New Zealand Herald"). No official information has as yet been received by Mr. Sanders as to the particular deed of gallantry for which his son was awarded tho V.C. The lottor, is as follows:— "Account of the sinking of H.M.S. Prize, Lieutenant-Commander W. ]•). Sanders, R.N.R., by an enemy submarine on August 14, 1917. at 1.30 a.m. A man-of-war was in company with tho Prize decoy sailing ship on August 13, when at 3.50 p.m. the Prize hoisted a signal indicating 'enemy to port,' and hove to. Fire was opened on the Prize, and shots could 'be seen falling near her, although the submarine with which she was engaged was not seen. The Prize had hoisted the white ensign, her guns were seen manned, and sho was ready to attack, but it was difficult for the ship in company to make out anything, as there was a considerable mist. Thai night, however, at nine o'clock, when the two ship 3 had an opportunity to talk, the Prize gave her some details of the action in tho afternoon. The sabmarine had been sighted in (latitude and longitude given) the Atlantic, northwest of Ireland, about two miles off, three points before the port beam. She dived after firing a few shots, and appeared again on the starboard side. Tho Prize opened fire at 200 yards, and Lieu-tenant-Commander Sanders thought he had got five ehota home; the enemy Bublnariue appeared to eink, or, at any rate, disappeared. "After this communication the ship in company drow off, and took station as,tern of the Prize. The night was dark and squatty. The Prize was ahead, her outline just visible. About 1.30 a.m. a heavy explosion was heard, and the Prize was seen to heel over to port and disappeared in a few seconds. Nothing could be seen of her with glasses, or with the naked ©ye. A torpedo had' struck her, and she must have sonic almost immediately. Tho accompanying ship passed olose to the position where the Prize had disappeared, and remained there some time, but nothing could bo seen or heard in the dark and storm. As soon as day broke, 5.15 a.m., careful search of the position was made, but nothing •further was seen. "The Prize had foujrht gallant actions ■with submarines on April SO and June 13, 1917. She was sunk on- August 14 in the Atlantic on 'a dark and stormy night, and her gallant commander. Lieu. tenant-Commander W. R. Sanders, who in a short five months had been awarded the V.C. and D.5.0., in command of her, went down with her beneath tho Atlantic waves, leaving his name to bo Imperishably inscribed on the same iroll of naval history where stand the names of Blake, Nelson, and Riou."