A SUBMARINE IN A STORM.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 41, 18 February 1916, Page 3

A SUBMARINE IN A STORM.

An Englishman attached to a submarine flotilla operating in the Mediterranean war zone writes of a recent experience during a gal e as follows: — "We left 'on a mission' and stopped outside- in a small bay, where many ships wore moored awaiting instrucj tions. A terrific gale sprang up all round; dragging anchors and drifting on a lee shore. A torpedo-boat bore down on us and broke our securing wires. We had orders to "abandon ship,' but we stuck to her and worked for three and a-half hours in the driving snow, often in water up to our armpits. Finally we rescued her and managed to secure her, only to find both propellers damaged and on e engine displaced, one of our flood tanks badly holed, cleats pulled out, our | tail twisted, and our frames bent and scrams opened.

"At 7 a.m. we broke adrift, and to save ourselves wo had to risk it and submerge. There we sat on the bottom for six hours, then started dragging- on to a wreck and bumped away! We did the only thing, 'blow tanks,' and up in it all again on the surface. The pressure was so great that when the air valve was opened my ear drums cracked and my feet went woolly, like walking on air! However, the wind had lulled, and we tied up and finally got back to our depot. - "It was a bad experience for one's first 'sink,' and I thought I had lost my chance of 'doing a bit,' but I am now writing this hurried line, as I am off again for 'somewhere.' "