MYSTERY SHIP.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1918, Page 4

MYSTERY SHIP.

i U-BOAT DECOYED TO DEATH

LONDON, August 5

Sir Erie Gedde s tohl an audience of American soldiers at the Palace Theatre last night a thrilling story of a fight between a British “mystery” ship, which he explained is really a decoy ship, and a U-bonst.

It bad not been possible to tell Die story before, lie said because :it disclosed one of the ruses of war, but now the Germans knew all about it. A “mystery” ship was known in the services as a “Q” ship. She might- be an ordinary old wind-jaimner, a collier, or a tramp. “Q 50,” as sli© was known I In the Admiralty rodords—her real name might perhaps he Mary Blunt — had tho appearance of a dingy old collier and sailed away as such. Her crew on deck looked a fairly undisciplined lothut beneath the guise of a merchant i seamen were the clothes of a captain j officers, and crew of a British man-of | war and the ship also carried the White | Ensign, and had a little gun mounted , in her stern. She sailed under .sealed orders which informed the captain that German sublnlines wore sinking British and American ships in such and such a position So “Q 50’’ sailed out into the At! tic. Two hours later she sighted an enemy submarine and immediately turned and ran away and bring hoi little gun intentionally short. Soon the submarine began to overhaul the collier and began shelling her. Some of 'the shells dropped on the deck and men were wounded and killed. Stil] the decoy ship went steadily on. She made a signal in plain English. “Submarine following me. Submarine shelling me. Am about, to abandon ship. Help.” The captain of the submarine began to think that he had 'u

easv prey. ‘ “PANIC” IN THE CREW. Then “panic” took place among “Q 50 V’ crew. What an undisciplined lot of fellows they were/! Many began lo lonvc tho ship. One man oven carried with him eoiitaiiiiiig ft

parroli Tho submarine sent one shell into “Q----50's” poop, and oilier shells also hit her. The poop was on fire and the cantain who with other members ol the crew remained secreted on board, know that the magazine would explode. The submarine came along very slowly, and it he smoke from the burning poop was interfering with the range of “Q oO’x” real guns. There was an explosion and the “collier’s aft gun aud gnu’s crew were, blown up. Shells from the submarine were falling all about the ship. Gradually the fire neared tho magazine. A second explosion sent the second aft gun hurtling through the air. “This was indeed a misfortune.’ 1 the

captain wrote in his report, “as the submarine and bad only to steam—anchor 200 yards and I should have had three guns hearing on her at 400 yards’ range.” The collier was blazing at the stern and was sinking. .It was clear that the submarine know she was a “Q” ship. Tho I -boat sub-

merged and torpedo after torpedo was tired at “Q 50.” Tho captain gave the order to abandon ship. This time bluejackets went over the side into the water and got on Lo n raft as host th p y could. The fire was raging and loud explosions were taking place, hut the submarine,' which had come up again, was still suspicious that there were men on hoard, so more of the crow of “Q 50” jumped overboard. Tli© submarine now came on. and

when she got forward of the “Q 50” in •i Hash the forward gun was unimigzlod, and shell after shell discharged. One took away the enemy’s conning-tower, another hit her broadside, and tbe submarine went down.

Tlie light lasted from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m Warships lying behind the horizon hurried up and picked up the crew of “(J 50” which wasleft blazing with fire and her ammunition exploding. The enemy now knew of this old ruse, and there was no need of further secrecy, but bo (tbe First Lord and Admiral Sims had more ways than one of trapping submar ines.