On the Sea.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 August 1918, Page 6

On the Sea.

SnfKS TWO SUBMARINES 5 BEiTISH TRANSPORT’S FEAT. . AN ATLANTIC EPISODE. The story of how a British transport destroyed two German submarines in the Atlantic, is told in the New York Times. At dawn the captain of the transport was on the bridge with the chief officer, as great caution had to be used in navigating a minefield. Suddenly out of the haze which hung over the water the chief officer saw a big submarine well above the surface, and said to the captain: “What shall we do, sir?” and the commander without a second’s hesitation, replied. * ‘ Sink her. ’ ’

The submarine was about two points to starboard at that moment, and instantly the big lin(er swung and she crashed through the thin steel hull of the submarine. Almost at the same moment the look-out man in the upper crow’s nest shouted: “Submarine on the port quarter, sir.” A short distance away in the haze there appeared another submarine, which tad apparently been in company with the other one, lying in wait for the American transports. Bang! went the six-inch gun on the port quarter, and a 110-pound explosive shell struck the submarine squarely amidships and sank her.

' American soldiers were on deck forward cheered at the ramming of the Submarine, and were joined by their mates who were standing aft when the second one was sunk. The haze was thicker astern of the transport than it was ahead, and this, bid an American destroyer from view as she loy hove-to waiting temporary ■repairs were being executed in the engine-room. The warcraft was only a anile away from the transport warn the submarine was shelled, and os +he la'ter wnt 'town those of the German crew who Lec*. been able to sc pa able on deck jumped into the war:-, 'the commander of the destroyer saw them (drifting towards his ship and had a lifeboat lowered, which picked up four officers and 27 of the crew. Search was made to see if there were survivors from the submarine that had been rammed by the transport, but no traces of her crew could be found. It was said that this was the first time that any merchant vessel or auxiliary cruiser or transport had sunk two submarines at the time since the early part of 1915. For ramming one submarine the captain of the transport, who had been well known in Atlantic shipping circles for the last 20 years, will British Government, >and will get an additional prize for the second one. The double killing caused great excitement among the American soldiers on board, who were on their way to the front. Only a limited number could be on deck at once, and the remainder bad to get the news from them when they reluctantly went below to breakfast. Those who saw the two submarines at doss range said they were jit least 250 ft. long, of 27ft. beam, and about Oft. freeboard. Although the steam of the transport cut through lie hull of the submarine as if it had been cardboard, the shock -was felt all over the ship.