THE MYSTERY V.C.'S.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 February 1919, Page 6

THE MYSTERY V.C.'S.

EIGHTS WITH SUBMARINES. DETAILS NOW DISCLOSED Eighty ' 1 mystery 1 \ 1 v.C.’s wcxe awarded to the Navy during the war among them being one to Commander Saunders, of Auckland, whose deeds have already been described. The more notable of the other actions to ■win “mystery” V.C.’s are thus offically announced: — Commanders Gordon Campbell, D. 5.0.. E.N.: On February 17, 1917, H.M.S. Q 5, under the command of Commander Campbell, D. 5.0., R-N., was struck by a torpedo abreast of No. 3 hold. Action stations were sounded and the “piano party” abandoned ship. The engine-room was flooding, and was ordered to | remain at his post as long as possible which he and his staff, several of whom were severely wounded, most gallantly did. The submarine _ was observed on the starboard quarter 200ycls distant, watching, the proceedings through his periscope. He ran * past the ship on the starboard side so closely that the whole hull was visible- beneath tISi surface, finally emerging about 300yds on the port bow. The enemy came down the port side of the ship, and fire was withheld until all guns could bear at point blank range. The first shot beheaded the captain of the submarine, as he w T as climbing out of the conning tower, and the submarine finally sank with conning tower open and crew .pouring out. One officer and one man were rescued on the surface and flak.en prisoners after which the boats where recalled and all hands proceeded to do their utmost to keep the ship afloat. A wireless signal for assistance had been sent out when (but not until) the fate of the submarine was assured and a destroyer and sloop arrived a couple of hours later and took Qo j in tow. She was finally beached j in safety the following evening. The action may be regarded as the supreme lost of naval discipline. The chief engineer and engineroom watch remained at their posts to keep the dynamo working until driven out by the water, then remaining concealed on top of the cylinders. The' guns’ | crews had to remain concealed in j their gun houses for nearly half an j hour, wffiile the ship slowly sank j lower in the water. SKIPPER’S LAST REQUEST. j Skipper Thomas Crisp, D.S.C.: —On | August 15, 1917, the smack Nelson | was engaged in fishing when she Avas j attacked by gun fire from an enemy j submarine The gear w’.as let go and j the submarine’s fourth shot went j through the port bow just below the water-line and the seventh shell struck the skipper, Thomas Crisp, partially disembowelling him, and passed through the deck and out through the side of the ship. In spite of the terrible nature of his wound Skipper Crisp retained consciousness, and his first thought was to send off a message that he was being attacked, and giving his position until the ammunition was almost exhausted and the smack was sinking. He refused to be moved into the small boat when the rest of the crew r wore obliged to abandon the vessel as she sank, his last request being that he might be thrown overboard. SANK A SUBMARINE. Seaman William Williams: On June 7, 1917, -while disguised as a British merchant vessel, with a dummy gun mounted aft, H.M.S. Pargust was torpedoed at very close range. Her boiler room, engine-room, and No. 5 hold j were immediately flooded, and star- j board lifeboat was blown to pieces, j The weather was misty at the time, fresh breeze and a choppy sea. , The “panic” party, under the command of Lieutenant F. E. Hereford, D.S.C.. R.N.R., abandoned ship, and as the last boat was shoving off the periscope of the submarine was observed close before the 'poffT beam about 400 j yards distant. The enemy then sub- j merged, and periscope reappeared di- j rectly astern, passing to the starboard | quarter, and then round to the port | beam, when it turned again towards I the ship, breaking surface about 50yds j away. The lifeboat, acting as a lure, commenced to pull round the stern; submarine followed closely, and Lieutenant Hereford, with complete disregard of danger incurred from fire of either ship or submarine (who had i

trained a maxim on the lifeboat), continued to decoy her to within 50yds

of the ship. The Pargust then opened fire with all guns, and the submarine,

with oil squirting from her side and

the crew pouring out of her conning tower, steamed slowly across the bows with a heavy list. The enemy crew j held up their hands in token of surrender, whereupon fire immediately ceased. The submarine then began to move away at a gradually increasing speed, apparently endeavouring to escape in the mist. Fire was reopened until she sank, one. man ejinging iq>the bow as she went down. The boats, after a severe pull to windward, succeeded in saving one officer and one man. American destroyers and a ,Bri- ( tish sloop arrived shortly afterwards, and the Pargust- was towed back to port. As on the previous occasion, officers and men displayed the - utmost courage and confidence in their captain, and the action serves as an ex-, ample of what perfect- discipline, when coupled Avith such confidence,, can achieve.