GUN-RUNNING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 196, 14 May 1920, Page 7

GUN-RUNNING

STIRRING DAYS IN IRISH SEA RIFLES FOR SINN FEINERS When the Sinn Feinerg surprised the world in .the famous Easter week rebel- . lion in 1916, Commander Simpson, now .in chaigo.of H.M.A.S. flotilla'leader Anzao, was on the sloop Jessamine, off the South Coast jf Ireland. He was on war duty in 6earch of "mystery" 6hips. One night, 6hortly after the first shot was fired in tlie streets of Dublin in the cause of the, Sinn Fein Bepublic, he received n -wireless message to look out for the Norwegian ship Aud, "due in a day or two in Irish waters" (states the Sydney "Daily Telegraph"). All that night and through the next day Commander Simpson kept a lookout, but nothing suspicions was seen. As dusk l was falling on the eve of Good Friday, however, he sighted a ship making for ,the mouth of the And sigiiallying he warned her to stop". The stranger slowed down and waited. When the Jessamine ranged alongside they 6aw that the name of the stranger was "Aud," and German officers and a German crow were on board. Commander Simpson had the steamer, which ¥« flying the Norwegian flag.' searched in tho darkness, hut could find nothing contraband. As, however, his instructions were to detain the vessel and take it to port, ho manned the steamer with English officers and crew, and ordered it to O.ueenstown. The next day, after \the Germans had left the ship, the Aud blew up. A diver was sent down, and he ifound large numbers of rifles which tho Germans had captured from the Russians in . their great drive against tho Slavs some months previously. Further investigation mealed that the Aud was in reality the British steamer Maud, jvnich was captured by the German*;, and was being U9ed in tho carriage of rifles to the Sinn Feiners. The rebellion was crushed, and naval officers at Queenstown received as a souvenir of 'the capture of the Aud one'of tho 'Russian rifles destined for tho Sinn Feiners, . The two years and a half Commander Simpson was active in Irish seas, one year of which was spent in charge of a mystery ship, the Cullist, whoso principal duty was to decov submarines. Splendid work was done in this capacity, and on three occasions the Cullist destroyed German submarines. . Tho Cullist was a tramp steamer, and when an enemy submarine signalled her to stop. Commander Simpson's reply would be: "Come closer, I-do not understand." Wtyen the submarine came closer the Cullist's two four-inch guns and two 12pounders banged, and it was a case of good-bye, Miss Submarine. " ' . It was interesting work to one of Com. mander Simpson's adventurous nature, but there came a day when the tables were turned, and tho Cullist went to the bottom. It was on February 11, 1918, that tho Cullist was tramping along looking for familiar 6igns. bomewhere before noon a cry that sent a shiver along the spines' of most who heard, rang through tho ship.' It was the lookout's warning: "Torpedo to starboard!" Those within hearing only had time to look and see the weapon of death travelling to tho heart of tho old Cullist. Then came the impact, and tho explosion, and the old tramp fell to pieces, and a "great company" was scattered. Death touched some swiftly, but others fell with dreadful wounds Into cold waters, there to drown. Commander Simpson was amidships, and he was thrown through the.air into the' sea. When ho rose to thfc surface of the sea the Cullist was gone, and all , around was tho wreckage of his last home. With 44 others ho clambered on to a xaft, and in the bitter cold the 45 shivered there for six hours. A trawler camo in Sight, but to tho skipper of this tho raft appeared a submarine, for minutes they were in peril of being shot to death. So they sang, "Tipperary," and those on board the trawlor, recognising this quickly had them aboard, and no place seemed so welcome to thoso 45 men—all left of the crew of 77. of tho old Cullist. Commander Simpson was badly wounded in the shoulder in this affair and for many weeks he lay in hospital. .'When' he left to take charge of mine-sweeping on tho south coast of England, he found himself honoured with tho D.S.O.' And after the armistice went mine-sweeping ■ off Holland. 1 After that he received ap- > pointment as commander of the Anzac, : destroyor leader, which arrived in Sydney 1 waters at the head of tho gift destroyors 1 presented by the English Admiralty.