BRITISH DECOYS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1918, Page 4

BRITISH DECOYS.

THRILLING EXPLOITS. London, Nov 20 The Admiralty publish very thrilling accounts ot some of the most notable actions betweeu British decoy ships and enemy submarines. It is noteworthy that Commander Gordon Campbell, V.C., D. 5.0., was one of these “ mystery ” Victoria Cross recipients. His name was previously published from time to time as gaining most rapid promotions and an unusual number of awards for heroism. Commander Campbell, in March, 1916. was commanding PI.AI.S, Farnborough, disguised as a collier. After cruising throughout the winter as a decoy, he got his first submarine, and iu the following month secured a second. Then, iu February, 1917, Commander Campbell, commanding Q 5, was torpedoed. A “panic party” abandoned the ship. The engineroom officers, although the engineroom was fa.-1 being flooded,gallantly remained at their post. A submarine was then seen 200 yards off watching through the periscope. The submarine partly submerged, steamed past the starboard side, and returned to the port side. Q 5 witheld her fire until the enemy came to point blank range, when the hidden guns’ crews leapt to their feet and opened a most deadly fire, the first shell beheading the submarine captain. The Admiralty regard the action as a supreme test of naval discipline. The chief engineer with the engineer watch remained at their posts until the rising water drove them up, after which they remained concealed upon the cylinders while the gun crews lay concealed aud motionless for half an hour while the ship was sinking. H.M.S. Dunraven in the role of an armed merchant ship, commanded by Commander Campbell, in August. 1917, sighted a submarine on the horizon. The Dunraven made a zig-zag course, whereupon the submarine closed up to 5000 yards, then rose to surface and opened fire, which the Dunraven returned with a “ merchauter’s” gun, simultaneously reducing her speed to let the enemy overtake her, and wirelessing, for the submarine’s benefit, “Help, come quickly, a submarine is chasing ana shelling me.” Wheu the shells fell thick and fast, and the Dunraven was on fire fore and aft, she stopped, and a “ panic party ” abandoned the ship. Aleauwhile the submarine closed to 400 yards, but as she was partly obscured by smoke, Commander Campbell reserved his fire despite his knowledge that the aft magazine must soon explode with a gun’s crew lying immediately overhead. A heavy explosion aft soon occurred, blowing up the gun and crew, and accidentally starting the fire gongs at the other guns, whereupon the guns opened fire; but the submarine, taking fright, submerged. Twenty minutes later a torpedo struck the Dunraven abaft the engine-room. An additional “ panic party ” left the ship, leaving her apparently abandoned. Thereafter for fifty minutes the submarine inspected the vessel through the periscope as boxes of cordite shells exploded continuously, and the poop was blazing furiously. Commander Campbell, with a handful oi officers aucl meu, lay concealed during the ordeal. The submarine next rose to the surface astern, where no guns could bear, aud shelled the Duuraven for twenty minutes. Subsequently, while the submarine was passing submerged, the Duuraven fired two torpedoes, missing by inches. The Dunraven sank the following day with colours flying. The crew were picked up by torpedo boats. The instances recited are typical of the ordeals aud gallant exploits of a large number of British decoys, whose actions more often than not ended fatally for the U-boat. Another heroic instance concerns H.M.S. Prize, a schooner of 200 tons, commanded by Lieutenant-Com-mander Sanders, V.C., who, with a gallant crew, after a series of successful actions finally paid the supreme penalty in an engagement with a number of submarines.