10 YEARS AGO

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1929, Page 1

10 YEARS AGO

SINKING OF E. 20. HOW TURKS DISCOVERED A R ENDEZVOUS. On November l-ltli. 1010, the loss of the British submarine E. 20 in the <vica of Alarmora was publicly announced. The destruction of this vessel produced a. particularly painful impression, because great hopes had been placed in the supposed ability of the British sub marines to cut off the supplies of the Turkish army, then engaged in Gallipoli, and perhaps secure a victory for the Allies in the desperate Dardanelles adventure.

In actual fact the submarines, though most gallantly handled, were unable to affect the Turkish operations, though they destroyed a considerable amount of Turkish shipping. The Germans complained that they sank various Turkish merchant steamers without notice, and at least once fired a torpedo at a Turkish hospital ship. There probably wore some mistakes on the part of Allied commanders, hut there was no systematic and ordered violation of the laws of war by the British Navy. E. 20’s destruction came about in a peculiar fashion. Her commander, Lt. Commander C. H. Warren, made hiway up the Dardanelles with great skill and complete success. It had been arranged, however, that lie should meet the French submarine Turquoise at a rendezvous in the Sea of Alarmora on a certain date.

The Turquoise on October 19 passed up the Dardanelles without disaster, hut on the way had a whole series of narrow escapes. A .Torpedo was fired at her and lust missed her. A I urkisli destroyer tried to ram her and passed within a few feet of her; a mine exploded near her. and she twice ran aground and was exposed to a

sharp Turkish lire. Yet she got through. But when sin* reached the Sea of Marmora, a succession of mechanical breakdowns rendered (it necessary for her to return. With her periscopes out of order she ran aground near Nagara: her hull was shelled and it was impossible to destroy her. The 'Turkish troops rushed her before her papers could he destroyed and her flooding valves opened. in her papers was found the time and place of llio rendezvous with E 20. The Germans at once ordered their submarine [IBI I. then at Constantinople'. to proceed to the rendezvous. There, on November o, she found E 20 stationary on the surface, quite unsuspecting danger. The German boat fired a torpedo at 000 yards. An immense column of smoke and spray shot up. and when it sank again nothing was to he seen of E 20. Her captain, one other officer, and six men were picked up by the Germans. The rest of the British crew perished. An attempt to destroy a second British submarine, which also was to meet, the Turquoise at a rondezoiis, failed. A Turkish seaplane hovered over the point and sighted a submarine, but tho boat disappeared and did not return.